Future-ready educators: assessing the effectiveness of technology-driven intervention in preparing pre-service teachers for 21st-century classrooms

Abstract

Background The demands of 21st-century classrooms require pre-service teachers to develop digital competencies that enable effective instructional delivery and collaboration. Objectives This study evaluated the effectiveness of a digital-age teaching module in improving pre-service teachers’ preparedness for future classrooms. Methods Using a quasi-experimental design, the study engaged first-year education students and assessed changes in four competency domains: digital literacy, instructional planning, collaborative learning, and technology integration for teaching and assessment. A structured, theory-driven methodology grounded in the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework guided the intervention and evaluation. Quantitative data were collected through validated instruments and analysed to determine the module’s impact on participants’ instructional competencies. Results The study found that the preservice teachers exposed to the digital-age teaching module demonstrated significantly greater instructional competency across all four dimensions of the study (digital literacy skills, instructional planning ability, collaborative learning ability and technology integration ability) compared to those in the control group. Conclusion The study concluded that the digital-age teaching module had a strong positive effect on enhancing pre-service teachers’ instructional competency and remain substantial aspect of the teacher-training's curriculum which prepared pre-service teachers for 21st-century classrooms and it recommended formal integration of the digital-age teaching module into pre-service teacher education programmes, structured monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of digital teaching modules, capacity building in technology and provision of adequate digital tools by the Government.