Bridging technological gaps in teacher education curriculum: insights from Kerala universities and NEP 2020's Vision

The integration of technology in teacher education is a key factor in shaping future educators who are equipped to handle the challenges of a digital world. This paper explores the technological gaps in the teacher education curriculum at Kerala’s universities, assessing their alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Using a qualitative approach, this study conducts document analysis of NEP 2020 and the B.Ed curricula from four major Kerala universities. NEP 2020 emphasizes technology as essential in education, advocating for advanced tools like artificial intelligence, blended learning, and virtual classrooms. However, the analysis reveals varying levels of technological integration, with most programs focusing on basic digital literacy and limited pedagogical technology. To bridge these gaps, the paper recommends embedding EdTech across core subjects, promoting project-based learning, and providing continuous faculty training, infrastructure upgrades, equitable access to resources, and collaboration with the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF). Aligning Kerala’s teacher education curriculum with NEP 2020’s vision can produce digitally competent teachers prepared for technology-enhanced classrooms.