Towards Educational Sustainability: The Role of Kinesthetic Profiles in Predicting Sports Attitudes and Academic Success Among Adolescents

Abstract

Educational sustainability necessitates a holistic development paradigm where academic resilience and physical literacy are mutually reinforcing. Within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (specifically SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education), this study investigates the predictive capacity of kinesthetic profiles—encompassing both intelligence and learning styles—on sports attitudes and academic achievement among adolescents. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from a substantial sample of 695 adolescents. The regression analyses revealed a critical pedagogical distinction: unlike kinesthetic intelligence, the kinesthetic learning style (β = 0.612), emerged as the paramount predictor of sports attitudes explaining a substantial 42.3% of the total variance. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between kinesthetic traits and academic performance, challenging the traditional dichotomy between physical and cognitive development. These findings advocate for a strategic paradigm shift from “one-size-fits-all” instruction to kinesthetic-based pedagogies that align with students’ sensory preferences. Consequently, integrating movement-oriented strategies into curricula is proposed not merely as an instructional choice, but as a vital sustainable education strategy to foster both academic excellence and the lifelong physical and mental well-being of the next generation.