| Kenya’s reimagined education landscape, as guided by the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), underscores the need for teacher education programs that develop the capacity for technology-enhanced, learner-centered instruction. Noting that current pre-service teacher training and its misalignment with Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE) make it difficult for the Kenyan education system to achieve its goals, this study examines how well final-year English language pre-service teachers are equipped with Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and their ability to integrate technology into lesson planning and instruction in line with CBC goals. The study involved final-year English language pre-service teachers from a public university in eastern Kenya, serving both urban and peri-urban student populations. A mixed-methods approach, using a validated TPACK questionnaire (n=84) and purposive sampling of instructional lesson plans (n=10), was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings reveal strong pedagogical and content knowledge but significant gaps in technology-related dimensions (TK, TPK, TCK, TPCK), implying measurable deficits. Gender differences emerged, with female participants reporting lower digital confidence. In addition, lesson plans reflected minimal ICT integration, highlighting an innovation gap in lesson design. This study recommends embedding TPACK systematically into teacher education curricula, promoting gender-responsive digital training, and harmonizing pre-service training programmes for effective CBC alignment. We propose the development of a TPACK-based module for use in teacher training institutions as a strategic innovation to build 21st-century teaching capacity. This research contributes actionable evidence for curriculum policy reform, aligning teacher preparation with CBC implementation and advancing digital equity in classroom instruction. Keywords: CBC, TPACK, technology integration |
