Assessment of the development of professional skills in university students: Sustainability and serious games.

sustainability Article Assessment of the Development of Professional Skills in University Students: Sustainability and Serious Games Noemi Peña Miguel 1,* , Javier Corral Lage 1and Ana Mata Galindez 2 1Financial Economics I, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48015 Bilbao, Spain; javier[email protected] 2Corporate Social Responsibility, Camara Bilbao Business School, 48008 Bilbao, Spain; [email protected] *Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 31 December 2019; Accepted: 26 January 2020; Published: 31 January 2020   Abstract: In this study, we analyze the development of key professional skills for sustainability (KPSS) in university students using serious games (SG) from a sustainability perspective. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Universities are strategic agents in the transformation process towards sustainability. Thus, universities should be committed to promoting such skills in their students through sustainable curricula by implementing active methodologies and using SG for that purpose. KPSS are essential for the development of future graduates. The aim of this study is to determine what KPSS have to be developed through the SG “The Island”, in order to improve the degree of satisfaction towards the incorporation of a sustainable curriculum among the students. The data were obtained using a questionnaire and then analyzed using linear regression models, with their inferences estimated through a goodness of fit test and ANOVA. The first results indicated that implementation of the SG promoted a strengthening of the students ' sustainable curriculum through the development of related skills. It was concluded that the key to success in education for sustainable development is to improve the development of strategic thinking, collaborative thinking, and self-awareness, in addition to encouraging systemic, critical, and problem-solving thinking. Keywords: active learning; professional skills; civic education; higher education, serious games; critical thinking; sustainability; EDS competences 1. Introduction and State of Play 1.1. Introduction The concept of sustainability emerged in the 1960s in response to concerns about environmental degradation resulting from poor resource management. As the environment became increasingly important as a world issue, sustainability was adopted as a common political goal. In 1960, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was created to promote policies that would achieve ‘the highest sustainable economic growth and employment in Member countries in order to stimulate employment and increase living standards’ [1]. Sustainability policy refers to a set of ideas or plans about what to do in particular situations, which have been agreed upon officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party. Sustainability policy is important at the institutional, corporate, regional, state, and alliance levels. Policy can be locally, nationally, or internationally oriented and can address issues such as sustainable development, climate change, air, water, waste, and health [2]. Sustainability 2020,12, 1014; doi:10.3390/su12031014 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 2 of 18 In 1980, the World Conservation Strategy was released by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This strategy defines the ‘main agents of habitat destruction and environmental degradation as poverty, population pressure, social inequity and the terms of trade’. Sustainable development was defined as the maintenance of essential ecological processes and life support systems, including those of humans. It emphasizes the evolution of human society from a responsible economic point of view, in accordance with environmental and natural processes [2]. During the past century, and the early decades of the new one, important steps have been taken to support sustainable development. The most recent effort, The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, prepared by the General Assembly of the United Nations, established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which indicate the most important development challenges for humanity, in order to ensure a sustainable, peaceful, prosperous, and equitable life for all individuals, not only in the present but also in the future. These objectives consider a series of social needs, including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, in addition to climate change and environmental protection. To achieve a more sustainable world and meet all the goals set in the SDGs, individuals should become agents of change, acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and becoming engaged in behaviors that empower them to contribute to sustainable development through key professional skills for sustainability (KPSS) [3]. Universities, which are understood as essential agents in the transformation process towards sustainability, are committed to promoting these KPSS in their students. Therefore, including the promotion of a sustainable curriculum in university curricula, the implementation of active methodologies in the classrooms, and the use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs)—such as business simulators or ‘serious games’ (SG)—are mechanisms targeted at training the students in KPSS to achieve SDGs and to ensure that they will acquire the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to promote sustainable development. KPSS represent skills that are necessary for all future graduates and can be understood as transversal, multifunctional, and context-independent. They do not replace the specific competencies needed to act successfully in some situations and contexts, but they do contextualize them and give them a broader scope [ 4 , 5 ]. Students in Economics and Business are trained for decision-making in organizations. In the near future, these students will have to combine their decisions with the achievement of SDGs, and for this, they will need to be nurtured by human resources, where KPSS have been developed through sustainable curricula. The purpose of this article is to assess the KPSS that should be developed through a Serious Game (SG) called “the Island” to improve the degree of student satisfaction with the incorporation of sustainable curricula. We have contributed to the literature by assessing which of the essential skills for sustainability proposed by UNESCO can be developed by students after engaging in SG. Indeed, there is no consensus about the influence of serious games on the sustainability knowledge of students, mainly because there is no overall consensus. The results of studies related to the evolution of SG for sustainability are inconclusive. Some researchers did not find statistically specific differences involving the use of SG. However, [6] found a positive relationship between SG and sustainability. Our goal is to assess, through linear regression models (with inferences estimated through a goodness of fit test and ANOVA) the potential of SG as e-learning tools for promoting KPSS in the classroom. 1.2. State of Play 1.2.1. Education for Sustainable Development Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a holistic and transformative educational approach [ 7 ]. It addresses the content and results of active learning, pedagogy, and the learning environment, in order to evolve from teaching to learning and to transition from an instructional to a transformative pedagogical dimension [ 8 ]. In this way, the students take action through collaborative, Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 3 of 18 participatory, and self-directed learning. By means of civic education, students are empowered and start making conscious decisions and acting responsibly, without losing sight of the economic, social, and environmentally sustainable development for tomorrow [9,10]. Between 2005 and 2014, the United Nations began promoting changes in students’ knowledge, values, and behaviors, with the purpose of achieving a more sustainable society. This project was called the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development [11]. Throughout the last few decades, the international recognition of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a key approach to achieving sustainable development has been increasing steadily and was referenced in the three summits on sustainable development: the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro [ 12 ], the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg [ 13 ], and the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in Rio de Janeiro [ 14 ]. In addition, it is worth mentioning that Article 12 of the 2016 Paris Agreement acknowledges the importance of education in achieving a sustainable planet [ 10 ]. ESD is conceived of as education that occurs throughout life. This way, it develops in both formal and informal institutions and extends from kindergarten to university [15]. If we focus on university education, during the Ibero–American Conference on SDGs, [ 16 ] emphasized the transformative role of universities, which are perceived as an ecosystem that educates, transmits knowledge and skills, investigates, innovates, and seeks solutions. These processes are based on principles like education for peace and social justice. When we discuss sustainable development and consider what it has entailed and what it will entail, a profound transformation is required, not only in our beliefs and perceptions, but also in the current behaviors of young individuals [ 17 – 19 ]. Learning to do and to be requires total involvement in the change and transformation of our society. Thus, students should become active agents of change. We should note that, from this perspective, education is crucial to achieving SDGs [10,20]. Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, indicated that “A fundamental change is needed in the way we think about the role of education in world development, because it has a catalytic effect on the well-being of individuals and the future of our planet. [...] Now, more than ever, education is responsible for taking into consideration the challenges and aspirations of the 21st century, as well as promoting the right types of KPSS that will lead to sustainable and inclusive growth, and to a peaceful life for all individuals” [10]. ESD allows students to face ethical problems in which they have to decide what standards and codes society should develop to frame human actions for greater economic well-being while maintaining the natural environment. Thus, students will have to assess and develop a code of ethics for sustainability when deciding which resources to use for economic, social, and environmental challenges, both in the classroom and in real life [21]. Therefore, a strand of work has also emphasized the need for research in the development of professional skills in education. The career profile of every individual should not be based solely on functions but on skills, since a professional with a more open, versatile character and with a greater capacity for flexibility and adaptation to specific situations is required, especially in the financial and insurance sector [ 22 ]. The attainment of these professional skills will help to maximize the effectiveness of a company [23,24]. The majority of individuals acquire highly specific skills during their academic training, depending on the degree studied. However, at present, companies also demand training in transversal or generic skills that are suitable for professional performance. Moreover, companies are presently seeking out people with KPSS. For this reason, this paper attempts to contribute to the literature by assessing the development of KPSS through Serious Games (SG). That is, we seek to determine if the use of the Serious Game called « The Island » can promote a strengthening of the students ´ sustainable curriculum for developing KPSS. Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 4 of 18 1.2.2. Sustainable Development Goals On 25th September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda resulted from work performed for more than three years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. Member States were involved, with the participation of millions of individuals in a participatory citizenship process. The universality and the indivisibility of the 2030 Agenda are crucial aspects of its development. The signatory countries committed to aligning their individual commitments with the universal, transformative, and inclusive objectives of the 2030 Agenda [ 10 ]. The purpose of the 17 objectives with their 169 goals is to ensure a sustainable, peaceful, equitable, and prosperous life for all inhabitants of our planet, both now and in the future. We are currently facing global challenges that affect everyone (i.e., the survival of our species). Environmental limits and thresholds of natural resources should thus be established, and poverty eradication actions should be aligned with economic development strategies, without forgetting social needs and climate change [10]. The spirit of the 2030 Agenda is based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which summarize the actions to be performed over the next few years by public administrations, private companies, non-profit entities, universities, and citizens in general (Figure 1). In order to achieve these objectives, the different participants (e.g., private companies, public administrations, civil society, and every citizen) must meet their commitments [ 25 ]. If we focus on the specific field of action of higher education, we can observe that universities play an important role in multi-stakeholder alliances, in addition to leading by example. Universities are, therefore, pioneers with respect to the SDG proposals [16,26]. Sustainability 2020, 1, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 20 Sustainability 2020, 1, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability On 25th September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda resulted from work performed for more than three years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. Member States were involved, with the participation of millions of individuals in a participatory citizenship process. The universality and the indivisibility of the 2030 Agenda are crucial aspects of its development. The signatory countries committed to aligning their individual commitments with the universal, transformative, and inclusive objectives of the 2030 Agenda [10]. The purpose of the 17 objectives with their 169 goals is to ensure a sustainable, peaceful, equitable, and prosperous life for all inhabitants of our planet, both now and in the future. We are currently facing global challenges that affect everyone (i.e., the survival of our species). Environmental limits and thresholds of natural resources should thus be established, and poverty eradication actions should be aligned with economic development strategies, without forgetting social needs and climate change [10]. The spirit of the 2030 Agenda is based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which summarize the actions to be performed over the next few years by public administrations, private companies, non-profit entities, universities, and citizens in general (Figure 1). In order to achieve these objectives, the different participants (e.g., private companies, public administrations, civil society, and every citizen) must meet their commitments [25]. If we focus on the specific field of action of higher education, we can observe that universities play an important role in multi-stakeholder alliances, in addition to leading by example. Universities are, therefore, pioneers with respect to the SDG proposals [16,26]. Figure 1. Sustainable Development Goals. Source: adapted from [25]. Universities can promote research activities that entail the subsequent transfer of knowledge and thereby sensitize citizens to these SDGs. The ways through which these goals can be achieved should be set creatively by each institution. For example, the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) faces the challenge of raising awareness among its students [27]. Figure 1. Sustainable Development Goals. Source: adapted from [25]. Universities can promote research activities that entail the subsequent transfer of knowledge and thereby sensitize citizens to these SDGs. The ways through which these goals can be achieved should Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 5 of 18 be set creatively by each institution. For example, the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) faces the challenge of raising awareness among its students [27]. The 2030 Agenda impacts universities because it represents: (a) An internal transformation that leads to rethinking ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘what for’ the universities teach; (b) an external transformation due to the repositioning of universities within society; and (c) university contexts that articulate the participants’ needs and generate inclusive alliances [28–30]. 1.2.3. The KPSS for Sustainable Development Among University Students Although international institutions, such as the United Nations in 2007, have promoted the implementation of the principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) as a platform to raise the profile of sustainability in schools around the world, and to equip today ' s business students with the ability to deliver change tomorrow, recent studies promoted by UNESCO in 2017 introduced challenges with greater degrees of complexity and uncertainty than those presented in the past. For this reason, we have to consider the KPSS promoted by UNESCO. As we have commented, it is essential to introduce environmental and social perspectives in the curricula of future graduates—not only oriented towards professional development but also for personal life. This process is known as ‘sustainable curriculum’ [ 31 ] and is an evolution of the concept of ‘curricular environmentalisation’ [ 32 ], with the aim of addressing sustainable aspects as well as environmental concepts, unlike the previous concept. New generations face greater individualization, social diversity, degradation, and social and environmental vulnerability, among other factors. Facing these issues requires creative and autonomous behavior, in addition to having truthful, clear, and concise information on all the variables that can affect the resolution of the problems and challenges that may arise. Therefore, university students should have the necessary skills to collaborate and perform with the goal of obtaining positive changes in society and the surrounding environment [ 25 ] (i.e., becoming truly sustainable citizens) [33,34]. The roles of the university, as a vehicle for sustainable development among students, society, and other entities are fundamental [ 35 ]. Educating via sustainability in the curricula of university students implies developing a series of KPSS. The implementation and achievement of these skills will allow students to face the future challenges that the current globalized labor market, with exponential technological growth, will demand. Thus, the adoption of these competences will be crucial if students are to be involved responsibly and constructively in the future of a sustainable economic, social, political, and environmental environment [3,24,36–39] (Figure 2). These KPSS describe the specific attributes that students need for action and autonomy in different situations and complex contexts, including not only motivational but also cognitive, affective, and volitional elements [ 10 ]. KPSS should be understood as competencies that do not replace other competencies [ 4 ], such as the competencies of teamwork, effective communication, and data analysis, among others [ 40 , 41 ]. However, students should understand them and acquire a wider scope of knowledge [5]. In addition, to support the achievement of SDG targets, KPSS favor achievement in a more effective manner when various skills are interlinked [42]. The essential KPSS are those acquired through action, supported by the concepts of experience and reflection—KPSS are not taught but developed throughout study [ 5 , 25 ]. These skills, proposed by UNESCO [25], have been defined as crucial for the progress of sustainability [3,24,43] Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 6 of 18 Sustainability 2020, 1, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 20 Sustainability 2020, 1, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Figure 2. Key Professional Skills for Sustainable Development. Source: adapted from [25]. These KPSS describe the specific attributes that students need for action and autonomy in different situations and complex contexts, including not only motivational but also cognitive, affective, and volitional elements [10]. KPSS should be understood as competencies that do not replace other competencies [4], such as the competencies of teamwork, effective communication, and data analysis, among others [40,41]. However, students should understand them and acquire a wider scope of knowledge [5]. In addition, to support the achievement of SDG targets, KPSS favor achievement in a more effective manner when various skills are interlinked [42]. The essential KPSS are those acquired through action, supported by the concepts of experience and reflection—KPSS are not taught but developed throughout study [5,25]. These skills, proposed by UNESCO [46], have been defined as crucial for the progress of sustainability [3,24,43] 1.2.4. The Development of ESD through the Serious Game Known as “The Island” The use of ICTs to promote active learning processes in higher education represents an improvement in the education process that allows teachers to promote new skills among students [44]. In the case of ESD, using SG as an e-learning tool can help implement the KPSS mentioned above in a more positive way [45–47]. ‘The Island’ is the name of a serious game, in which students, in a given time–space domain, must make economic, social, and environmental decisions that allow them to effectively and efficiently govern a defined territory. In this way, while always keeping in mind the optimal Figure 2. Key Professional Skills for Sustainable Development. Source: adapted from [25]. 1.2.4. The Development of ESD through the Serious Game Known as “The Island” The use of ICTs to promote active learning processes in higher education represents an improvement in the education process that allows teachers to promote new skills among students [ 44 ]. In the case of ESD, using SG as an e-learning tool can help implement the KPSS mentioned above in a more positive way [45–47]. ‘The Island’ is the name of a serious game, in which students, in a given time–space domain, must make economic, social, and environmental decisions that allow them to effectively and efficiently govern a defined territory. In this way, while always keeping in mind the optimal achievement of the most possible SDGs, the students should collectively decide what actions should be taken and how and when they will be implemented in The Island to satisfy the citizens and avoid negative ecological impacts within the available budget. The players are the mayors of the island, and their aim is to maximize the welfare of the inhabitants (the best use of natural resources, R&D, and infrastructures). The students must manage the economy of the island to achieve the most sustainable balance. On this island, users have access to different sources of non-renewable energy, such as oil, natural gas, and uranium. They also have renewable energy sources, including water, the sun, and the wind. Moreover, since they live on an island, they must properly manage the available space. Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 7 of 18 The aim of the students is to maximize the use of the resources available. The strategies implemented must consider the relevant framework of limitations, like in the real public management of resources (i.e., a budget comprising income and expenditures and possible new problems caused by the decisions made and the space involved). This serious game helps students develop KPSS. Through the simulator, the students observe and value the various future scenarios that arise in the game. In addition, the students must determine and perceive the relationships between the decisions to be taken and the citizens, using different problem-solving frameworks in the face of the different situations outlined by the serious game. Likewise, students are offered the possibility to question their own practices and opinions or those of others, reaching conscious decisions and acting responsibly from economic, social, and environmental perspectives (Triple Bottom Linen). 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Descriptive Data In our eagerness to develop as key agents in the sustainable development transformation processes, we are committed to promoting these KPSS among students. Training future graduates in KPSS that allow them to achieve SDGs and develop the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for their future work and personal lives is a top priority for both institutions. Therefore, using business simulators or SG through active methodologies in the classroom will help students include KPSS that can be useful in the labor market and in their personal lives. However, implementing new education systems does not mean that students will acquire every skill demanded in the 2030 Agenda. The present work uses the methodological and quantitative tool of a questionnaire, which allows a social phenomenon to be studied as a dynamic process within its real context. For the elaboration of the questionnaire, different studies related to the analysis of competencies among students of education were taken into account [24,48,49]. A questionnaire composed of dichotomous questions and a Likert scale from 1 to 5 was given to students enrolled during the 2017/2018 academic year in the last year of their degree at the University Business School (UBS), in the Master ' s Degree in Account Auditing and Higher Accounting (MACS) program, or in the Master ' s Degree in Actuarial Sciences and Finance (MCAF) program at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEE). (see Appendices Aand Bin Appendix A) The data were taken during the last quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018 from the students at the educational centers where the survey was carried out. The selection of this sample is justified due to the proximity of the students to the labor force. On the one hand, students in the only two professional masters programs with activity reserves in the faculty of economics and business were chosen. On the other hand, students with a business management degree were selected because in the near future they will have to make decisions from the perspective of the triple bottom line. The sample size was determined to achieve a maximum margin of error less than 0.05 points, in this case ± 5% with a 95% confidence level (z =1.96, for e =0.05) for 456 students in the MCAF and MACS programs or fourth grade students in the USB (defined as finite). n=N 1+e2(N−1) z2pq . (1) Thus, the sample amounts to 208 students. Based on the answers considered to be valid, the final number of surveys was 88. This figure is considered representative, since the students provided a 42.30% correct response rate relative to the sample size. The questionnaire was taken by 88 students (50 women and 38 men) in the third year of their Degree in Business Marketing Management at the UBS (69 students), in the MACS (12 students), and in the MCAF (seven students), all from the FEE. Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 8 of 18 The data were collected based on the courses related to the Accounting and Financial Information management specialty, as well as those related to KPSS and Corporate Social Responsibility. Given that the present study was focused on sustainable development, the respondents were asked to note the number of courses in which they had worked with SG (N_COUR_SG) and the number of courses in which they had dealt with issues related to sustainable development (N_COUR_SUST) (Tables 1 and 2). Table 1. Descriptive statistics: Sample frequencies. Frequency Percentage Valid Percentage Cumulative Percentage SEX MAN 38 43.2 43.2 43.2 WOMAN 50 56.8 56.8 100 Total 88 100 100 UNDERGRADUATE/MASTER’S DEGREE CUBS 69 78.4 78.4 78.4 MAAHA 12 13.5 13.5 91.9 MAFS 7 8.1 8.1 100 Total 88 100 100 N_COUR_SG 0 24 27.3 27.3 27.3 1 52 59.1 59.1 86.4 2 8 9.1 9.1 95.5 2 4 4.5 4.5 100 Total 88 100 100 N_COUR_SUST 0 2 2.3 2.3 2.3 1 38 43.2 43.2 45.5 2 32 36.4 36.4 81.8 3 12 13.6 13.6 95.5 >3 4 4.5 4.5 100 Total 88 100 100 Note. N_COUR_SG =number of courses using Serious Games; N_COUR_SUST =number of courses addressing sustainable development. Source: prepared by the authors. Table 2. Descriptive statistics: sample statistics. SEX WORK VOLUNTEERING N_COUR_SG N_COUR_SUST NValid 88 88 88 88 88 Lost 0 0 0 0 0 Mean 1.57 1.80 1.84 0.91 1.75 Median 2.00 2.00 2,00 1.00 2.00 Mode 2 2 2 1 1 Standard deviation 0.498 0.406 0.368 0.737 0.887 Variance 0.248 0.165 0.135 0.543 0.787 Source: prepared by the authors. Specifically, we assessed the relationship and the degree of association between the overall satisfaction with the use of the serious game known as “The Island” «Ch» to favor the development of sustainable curriculum «SAT_GEN», based on their degree of perception about the improvement of each KPSS through the application of The Island. To assess all explanatory or dependent variables, we used a 5-point Likert scale (1 =very low; 2=low; 3 =medium; 4 =high; and 5 =very high). These variables were: STS =Systemic thinking skill. AS =Anticipation skill. NS =Normative skill. SS =Strategic skill. CS =Collaborative skill. CTS =Critical thinking skill. SAS =Self-awareness skill. Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 9 of 18 PSS =Integrated problem-solving skill. The multiple linear regression model resulted in: SAT_GEN =α+ 8 X h=1 βh·Ch(2) where: α: A constant. βh: The partial relationship between each hth explanatory variable and the explained variable. Ch: The hth explanatory variable. 2.2. Data Analysis We used the SPSS Statistics 24 software to perform a stepwise selection of the variables in order to carry out a multiple linear regression analysis. The purpose of this analysis was to find, among all the possible explanatory variables «Ch», those that best explained the degree of satisfaction of the independent variable «SAT_GEN», without any of them being a linear combination of the remaining variables. This way, we determined the KPSS that influenced the degree of «SAT_GEN», based on their development through the application of The Island: H0: The KPSS «Ch» does not affect the degree of «SAT_GEN». That is, H0 =ßX =0 3. Results. A Predictive Model for Satisfaction Degree Based on the KPSS Based on the stepwise regression procedure and the goodness of fit of the data for the multiple linear regression model, we observed that the last proposed model (model 5) obtained the highest multiple correlation coefficient (R) (Table 3). Table 3. Model Summary. Model RR-Square R-Square Adjusted Standard Error Estimation Change Statistics Change in R-Square Change in Fgl1 gl2 Sig. Change in F 1 0.956 a0.913 0.912 0.150 0.913 906.774 1 86 0.000 20.966 b0.932 0.931 0.133 0.019 23.910 1 85 0.000 3 0.968 c0.938 0.936 0.128 0.006 7.463 1 84 0.008 40.970 d0.941 0.939 0.126 0.003 4.900 1 83 0.030 5 0.974 e0.948 0.945 0.119 0.007 10.589 1 82 0.002 Note. Sig. =significance a. Predictors: (Constant), AS b. Predictors: (Constant), AS, STS c. Predictors: (Constant), AS, STS, PSS d. Predictors: (Constant), AS, STS, PSS, NS e. Predictors: (Constant), AS, STS, PSS, NS, CTS Source: prepared by the authors. This way, on the one hand, it was confirmed that «AS» (t=13.348; p<0.05), «STS» (t= − 5.198; p<0.05) , «PSS» (t=2.449; p<0.05), and «CTS» (t=0.229; p<0.05) explained the independent variable «SAT_GEN» more intensely by means of a positive linear association. On the other hand, we observed that «NS» (t= − 0.190; p<0.05) explained the independent variable «SAT_GEN» more intensely by means of a negative linear association. Also, the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) indicated that the variability explained by the model was 94.8%, which is very close to the adjusted coefficient of determination. Based on the analysis of variance, we performed an ANOVA test (Table 4) and observed that, in model 5 (the one that integrated these five KPSS), the p-value associated with the F-statistic was lower Sustainability 2020,12, 1014 16 of 18 What is your general level of satisfaction with the use of the SG: The Island as a tool to assist in the development of its sustainable curriculum throughout your university career? Answer by assuming that 1 is "none" and 5 "very much". #1. None #2. Little #2. Medium #4. Enough #5. Very Much References 1. Sustainability, Global. Global sustainability: the history/time line of an idea. RMIT, Melbourne 2001,4. 2. 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