The Socio-Technical Architecture of Teacher Education (STATE): decoupling agency from infrastructure in digital teacher education

Abstract

Teacher education in the Global South faces increasing pressure to integrate advanced digital technologies, yet motivation alone does not guarantee implementation. Grounded in Socio-Technical Systems theory, this study proposes the Socio-Technical Architecture of Teacher Education (STATE) framework to explain this disconnect. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, with quantitative data from 372 student teachers and qualitative data from eight teacher educators analysed independently and integrated through a joint display. Findings indicated incomplete alignment between social agency and technical readiness, associated with institutional stratification and infrastructure deficits, with readiness scores higher in central/private than state/aided institutions. Qualitative findings added further tension: some educators expressed interest in adopting AI while also raising concerns about professional deskilling and reduced pedagogical autonomy. STATE conceptualises technology integration as an alignment problem across social, technical, organisational, and environmental conditions, offering testable propositions for future research in teacher education systems across the Global South.