Empowerment Pathways in Educator Development: The Roles of PCK, TPACK, and Pedagogy-Focused Training Under the Bologna Process

Abstract

This study sought to examine the evolution of educator empowerment within the higher education system of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq under the framework of the Bologna Process. Specifically, it examined the role of pedagogical content knowledge in shaping educators’ sense of empowerment, with a particular focus on the contribution of pedagogy courses and the mediating role of technological pedagogical content knowledge. Data were gathered from 223 pre-service and in-service educators. Analysis through structural equation modeling showed that both pedagogical content knowledge and technological pedagogical content knowledge strengthen educators’ sense of empowerment, while technological pedagogical content knowledge plays a clear mediating role. Pedagogy courses, serving as a modality of professional development, were identified to strengthen the correlation between pedagogical content knowledge and educator empowerment. These results give insights from a developing-country perspective, carrying implications for both theory and practice and offering directions for future work. Beyond this, the study adds to discussions on the Bologna Process by showing how educator development in the region can be brought into closer alignment with European standards for quality, mobility, and lifelong learning.