Integrating visible thinking and contemplative learning to foster reflective practice in pre-service teacher education

At a time of upheaval in education, teacher preparation must extend beyond merely developing technical skills to create thoughtful, flexible and empathic teachers. The present study investigates the effects of combined VTA and CON learning on reflective ability, metacognitive development (metacognition), and professional identity for pre-service teachers. Inspired by Schön’s reflective practitioner model, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Ritchhart’s VTA framework, investigation was conducted using a 12-week qualitative case study with twelve final-year pre-service teachers. Participants took part in structured VTA practices such as “ See-Think-Wonder” and “I Used to Think…Now I Think,” complemented with mindfulness-based reflection. Four themes emerged from the analysis of journal entries and interviews/focus group data, which closely linked with each other: metacognitive development, emotional-professional identity, social-constructivist learning, and reflective integration. Results suggest that in significantly scaffolding VTA routines with contemplative practice, they mediate the theory and the praxis of experience; contribute to group meaning-making; and provide for emotional regulation. The study provides an integrated reflective framework for teacher education that has practical implications: it suggests how we can sequence VTA routines developmentally, and how to infuse mindfulness into collective reflection practices. This integrated approach fosters teachers who are not only pedagogically skilled, but also deeply reflective and sensitive to the ups and downs of today’s classrooms.