This study explored one preservice teacher education program through the perspective of andragogy, a framework traditionally associated with adult learning. Conducted at a college of education in Beirut, the research is based on semi-structured interviews with 24 undergraduate student-teachers in their final year of a bachelor’s degree program. The thematic analysis revealed significant misalignments between the program’s design and andragogical principles, particularly in relation to learner autonomy, reflective practice, and intrinsic motivation. The findings underscore the necessity of reimagining teacher education not merely as a credentialing process, but as an active space for professional formation, where prospective teachers are empowered to shape their own learning paths and engage critically with the intersection of their lived experiences and academic content. To this end, the study advocates for a transformative approach that unboxes learning beyond accreditation, integrates professors with K-12 teaching experience, and fosters a culture of ongoing professional development. These recommendations not only offer pragmatic solutions for improving the program but also contribute to the broader discourse on how teacher preparation programs worldwide can evolve to cultivate reflective, self-directed professionals capable of traversing the complexities of modern educational landscapes. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
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