The Impact of Teaching Methods and Course Design on College Students' Self-Reported Learning Performance: An Empirical Study Based on SDG4

Abstract

Against the background of SDG4's emphasis on inclusiveness, equity and high-quality education, higher education teaching reform needs to pay attention to students' classroom participation, learning engagement and sustainable learning ability. Based on self-determination theory and student engagement theory, this study uses a questionnaire survey method to survey 310 Chinese college students, and uses descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and multiple linear regression analysis to This study explored the predictive role of teaching methods and course design in college students’ comprehensive self-reported learning performance scores. The results show that the questionnaire has an acceptable internal consistency, and Cronbach's α is 0.732 and 0.760. Regression analysis shows that teaching methods and curriculum design variables can significantly predict the comprehensive score of students' self-reported learning performance, F(5,304) = 149.27, p < 0.001, R² = 0.711. Among them, teaching adaptability is the strongest predictor, β = 0.311, which shows that teachers choose teaching methods flexibly according to the teaching content and the actual situation of students, which is an important mechanism that affects students' overall classroom learning experience. Since the dependent variable is a self-reported comprehensive score, and some questions overlap with the independent variable, the results of this study should be understood as a predictive relatedness, not a direct proof of objective academic performance or causal relatedness. The study also found that there is still room for improvement in classroom equity participation and technology-assisted expression. This article provides practical inspiration for the improvement of college English classrooms, the innovation of higher education teaching and the sustainable development of SDG4-oriented education.