This systematic literature review examines Ecuadorian research on intelligent tutoring systems in higher education and their impact on the teaching and learning process. These systems are constantly evolving to personalize learning, improve student retention and optimize educational resources. Studies published between 2015 and 2024 are analyzed, identifying trends, challenges and opportunities in the adoption of these technologies in the Ecuadorian context. The findings reveal a growing interest in ITS, highlighting the use of pedagogical approaches such as adaptive learning and constructivism, although their implementation still faces barriers such as lack of technological infrastructure, teacher training and clear educational policies. The main technological models and algorithms implemented in tutoring systems are reviewed, including personalization strategies and real-time adaptation. Use cases at different educational levels, from primary to higher education, are analyzed, highlighting their impact on student learning. A series of proposals are evaluated, including the use of Alcody as a tool for teaching programming, the BPPM Model for curriculum analysis, and generative AI for programming and performance prediction with multimodal data. Finally, recommendations for future research and strategies to effectively integrate tutoring systems in Ecuadorian higher education are presented, considering scalability, accessibility, data privacy and ethical considerations.