Global knowledge Archives Vol. 11 No. S1 (2026): Global Knowledge Journal Article

Sytematic review of curricular barriers to the integration of SDG 15 into primary education

Helmuth Andrés Mariño Poveda
Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia
William Orlando Alvarez Araque
Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia
Hilda Lucia Jimenez Orozco
Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia
Abstract

The integration of SDG 15 into the primary school curriculum faces structural limitations that have not been systematically examined in the most recent literature on the subject. This systematic review  presents  the  barriers  that   hinder  its implementation in  educational terms  worldwide, analyzing these elements as an interdependent system of constraints. The study follows the PRISMA methodology based on a systematic search of academic literature published between 2022 and 2026 in specialized databases, using relevance to the topics of interest as the inclusion criterion. Thus, three interdependent structural barriers at the global level are identified in relation to the curricular and pedagogical dimension of SDG 15: lack of teacher training to implement pedagogical strategies aimed at achieving the SDGs, educational institutions’ lack of knowledge regarding regulatory frameworks for sustainability, and the existence of the cognitive digital divide as an element that undermines traditional pedagogical practices. Unlike other studies on these same issues, this analysis shows that these are aspects that operate within a system requiring integrated curricular solutions. It can thus be concluded that the transformation of the curricular dimension of SDG 15 implementation depends on teacher training policies that are consistently linked to strategies for bridging the cognitive digital divide.

How to Cite
Mariño Poveda, H. A., Alvarez Araque, W. O., & Jimenez Orozco, H. L. (2026). Sytematic review of curricular barriers to the integration of SDG 15 into primary education. Global Knowledge, 11(S1), 204-229. https://doi.org/10.70165/cglobal.v11iS1.685
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