<![CDATA[This study is motivated by the limited research examining PGSD students’ pedagogical competence in relation to their ability to develop innovative learning designs, despite its importance in 21st-century learning. This study aims to analyze the pedagogical competence of PGSD students in developing innovative learning designs and to identify aspects that require improvement. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design with exploratory quantitative elements was employed. The study involved 30 PGSD students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation of lesson plans or teaching modules. The instrument used was a 1–4 scale assessment rubric, with quantitative data analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, and percentage, through SPSS and Excel, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings show that students’ pedagogical competence was in the fairly good category, with the highest score in learning planning (M = 3.25). However, technology use (M = 2.60) and learning evaluation (M = 2.50) remained relatively low. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: basic systematicity (83%), limited TPACK integration (73%), and the dominance of conventional evaluation (80%). These findings indicate a gap between students’ theoretical understanding and practical implementation in designing innovative learning. The study concludes that PGSD students’ pedagogical competence has developed in learning planning but remains suboptimal in technology integration and authentic assessment. This study contributes to teacher education literature by providing empirical insight into pedagogical competence development and highlights the need to strengthen TPACK-based learning and authentic assessment in preparing prospective elementary school teachers.]]>
