Social Engineering Competencies of Prospective Teacher Students for Social Change: a Study at the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

This study aims to analyze the patterns of social engineering competency selection among prospective teacher students, as well as the factors influencing these choices, including educational background, access to technology, and gender differences. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square tests, Spearman correlation, and logistic regression. Data were collected through a survey of 376 prospective teacher students at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia and analyzed to identify gaps between theoretical and practical competencies, along with selection patterns based on demographic factors. The results indicate that prospective teacher students tend to favor theory-based competencies over practical skills. Theoretical understanding emerged as the most dominant competency, whereas practice-oriented competencies were selected less frequently. These findings suggest that the higher education system continues to place greater emphasis on theoretical knowledge rather than its practical application in the context of social engineering. To better prepare prospective teacher students for real-world social challenges, higher education institutions should strive for a more balanced integration of theory and practice. The implementation of project-based learning, service-learning, and interdisciplinary approaches is recommended to cultivate more applicable and transformative social engineering competencies.