Reflective Practice in Latin American Higher Education: Contributions and Challenges Toward Sustainable Development

Asencio M.I.M.; Bejarano D.G.C.; Pérez Ó.N.M.; Correa S.R.; Flores-Tananta C.A.; Pacahuala E.A.R.; Garcia P.C.J. · International Academic Journal of Science and Engineering (2026) · DOI: 10.71086/iajse/v13i1/iajse1324

Resumen

The current study attempts to identify patterns of research output, leading countries, institutions, and journals of reflective practice in Latin American universities, as well as the contribution of reflective practice to sustainable development of education, based on an extensive review of relevant scientific literature published in the Scopus database between 2015 and 2024. The bibliometric method was selected as the main research approach to examine the development and influence of reflective practice on higher education in Latin America. As bibliographic descriptors, the terms "reflective practice" and "university" were used, which initially identified 1,431 publications. Following the selection criteria and the exclusion of irrelevant sources, 38 items were included in the final sample. The findings revealed a steady trend of increasing productivity with a particularly rapid increase observed in 2024, accounting for 29.41% of total publications. Publications in the form of research papers prevail in the sample at 89.47%. In terms of the geographic distribution, Chile is the leader, providing 34.21% of all publications; second place goes to Brazil with 26.32%. Other contributors include Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina. Among the top-ranked journals, a majority have high impact (quartiles Q1 and Q2). Moreover, the keyword association approach demonstrates the presence of five significant themes relating to teacher training, critical reflection, professional development, and innovative teaching practices. In addition to that, the study emphasises the emerging trends of integrating reflective practices with concepts of sustainability, especially in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals, including quality education, social accountability, and institutional innovation. Generally speaking, it can be assumed that the significance of reflective practice is becoming evident because it contributes to improved critical thinking, metacognition, and ethics among teachers and learners. Nevertheless, it should be noted that there are some limitations, including a lack of cross-national research, as well as the need for additional validation of results.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Trujillo; Universidad Autónoma del Perú; Universidad Nacional de Tumbes; Universidad Nacional de San Martín; Universidad Privada del Norte