Predicting SDG Integration in Latin American Higher Education Through Transmissive, Transactive, and Transformative Teaching Methodologies

Abstract

Higher education institutions are increasingly called upon to play a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through pedagogical innovation and curriculum transformation. The study aims to identify the relationship between teaching approaches (transmissive, transactive, and transformative) and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across nine Latin American universities in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico. A quantitative survey design was employed, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and both stepwise and hierarchical multiple regression techniques to ensure robustness. A sample of 3541 undergraduate students was assessed using a structured questionnaire comprising highly reliable constructs, with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.96. The analysis revealed that transformative and transactive teaching approaches were positively associated with students’ perceived integration of the SDGs, whereas transmissive teaching was negatively associated. Transformative teaching emerged as the strongest predictor, explaining 37.2% of the variance in perceived SDG integration when entered alone, while the final regression model explained 38.1% of the variance. The convergence between stepwise and hierarchical regression models strengthened the robustness and theoretical coherence of the findings. The findings highlight the importance of student-centered and action-oriented pedagogies in strengthening SDG integration within higher education, offering practical implications for curriculum design and academic staff development.