Preparing for the Future: A Quantitative Evaluation of Pre-Service Teacher Education for 21st-Century Classrooms

Abstract

The dynamic landscape of 21st-century education demands that teachers possess a broad set of skills, including technological literacy, critical thinking, adaptability, and inclusive pedagogical practices. Pre-service teacher education programs play a critical role in equipping future educators with these competencies. However, the effectiveness of such programs in preparing teacher candidates for contemporary classroom challenges remains insufficiently evaluated. This study aims to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of pre-service teacher education programs in preparing future teachers to meet the demands of 21st-century classrooms. Specifically, it examines teacher candidates’ self-reported preparedness across key domains such as technology integration, differentiated instruction, classroom management, and student-centered learning. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, to N = 400 final-year pre-service teachers from five accredited teacher education institutions. A structured questionnaire with Likert-scale items was used to collect data. The descriptive statistics ANOVA, regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between program components and perceived preparedness levels. The results of the study indicated a moderate to high levels, the model was statistically significant, F (3, 396) = 111.62, p < .001, explaining 46% of perceived preparedness among respondents, with the highest scores in content knowledge and classroom management. Though, lower scores were reported in areas such as technology integration and inclusive education. The significant differences were found between institutions, suggesting variability in program quality and emphasis. Regression analysis revealed that field experiences and faculty support were strong predictors of perceived preparedness. As the pre-service teacher education programs are generally effective in equipping future educators for the classroom, gaps remain in preparing them for the full spectrum of 21st-century teaching demands, particularly in technology and inclusion.