Drawing on ICAP theory and self-efficacy theory, this study examines how technology use influences the teaching growth of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers and explores the mediating role of self-efficacy. Using survey data from 360 pre-service PE teachers in five universities in Anhui Province, structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed relationships. Results indicate that technology use significantly and positively predicts teaching growth. Technology use also strongly enhances teachers’ self-efficacy, which in turn contributes to teaching growth. Mediation analysis confirms that self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between technology use and teaching growth, forming a “technology–self-efficacy–teaching growth” pathway. These findings highlight that technology empowerment promotes professional development not only directly, but also indirectly through psychological mechanisms. The study extends the application of ICAP theory to teacher education and underscores the importance of cultivating both technological competence and self-efficacy in pre-service PE teacher training programs.