Advancing teacher education through social cognitive neuroscience: Applications and effects of digital learning innovations in english teacher preparation

This mixed-methods quasi-experimental study examined the integration of Social Cognitive Neuroscience (SCN) principles with digital learning innovations in language teacher preparation. Fifty-six pre-service language teachers were assigned to an experimental group receiving SCN-based digital instruction (n = 28) or a control group receiving demonstration-based instruction (n = 28). Quantitative data were collected using the Social Cognitive Skills Assessment (SCSA; α = 0.89) and a Critical and Creative Learning Design Competency Rubric (CCLDCR), complemented by semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers in the SCN-based digital learning group demonstrated stronger post-test performance across all SCSA dimensions and higher overall learning design competency than those in the demonstration-based instruction group. Qualitative evidence further suggested enhanced instructional adaptability, heightened awareness of classroom dynamics, and more reflective engagement with learning design among participants in the experimental group. These results are interpreted as reflecting differentiated learning trajectories associated with socially grounded and digitally mediated instructional designs, rather than definitive causal effects of specific neural mechanisms. The study contributes empirically tested SCN-informed digital learning activities and a pedagogical framework aligning SCN principles with instructional design. The findings support the pedagogical value of integrating social-cognitive perspectives into digital teacher education while underscoring the need for cautious interpretation within specific institutional and instructional contexts.