GAMIFYING TEACHER PREPARATION: EVALUATING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ ACCEPTANCE OF MINECRAFT EDUCATION IN DESIGN-BASED LEARNING

Digital technologies are becoming increasingly central to education. Therefore, providing educators of the future with the skills to use innovative tools is crucial. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) platforms, for example Minecraft Education Edition (MEE), have transformative potential for classrooms in the 21st century. Nevertheless, numerous pre-teachers are unable to effectively integrate such platforms. This quantitative study examined the readiness of pre-service teachers to use MEE through the technology acceptance model (TAM). The study focused on the influence of perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes toward use (ATU), facilitating conditions (FC), and perceived usefulness (PU). This study involved 95 participants attending a Minecraft Teacher Academy workshop. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that FC significantly influenced PU and PEOU. The PEOU mediated the relationship between FC and ATU. These results highlighted the importance of supportive training environments that enhance ease of use and perceived value, which increase pre-service teachers’ confidence and intention to incorporate MEE into teaching practices. This study contributed to the discourse on teacher education digital pedagogies and presented implications for designing professional development programmes and curriculum innovation in technology-enhanced learning.