Digital Transformation of Teacher Education in Kerala: Assessing the Synergy between Institutional Readiness and Pedagogical Innovation

The prevailing situation in the world of teacher education is experiencing a paradigm shift owing to the demands of digital transformation. The opportunities and challenges that emerge with the integration of digital technology within the teacher education paradigm of Kerala, India, are examined in this study. With the onset of the new landscape of education undergoing a shift from traditional to hybrid and AI-integrated learning spaces, the role of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) in filling the gap between traditional teaching and digital literacy is examined.Through the use of a descriptive survey approach, the self assessmentof digital literacy and the systemic barriers that were encountered were investigated. The study is placed within the policy context of the National Education Policy 2020 and the Kerala Curriculum Framework 2023, which stress technology enabled, inclusive, and reflective teacher education. Strategic perspectives are provided to policymakers and international policy makers to form a sustainabledigital culture in teacher education with a balance between technological optimization and local teaching needs.