Shota Shirasaka, Takahisa Imagawa, Shuichi Enokida
Discrepancies among feedback sources are typically treated as measurement errors, yet they may serve as catalysts for deeper professional reflection. This exploratory, single-group mixed-methods study, conducted in one Japanese teacher education context, examined how three-point comparison feedback (3PCF)—the simultaneous presentation of automated video-based evaluation, peer evaluation, and self-evaluation—relates to pre-service teachers’ reflection on nonverbal teaching behavior in microteaching. Drawing on Hattie and Timperley’s feedback model and the concept of cognitive conflict, 27 participants received 3PCF on multiple nonverbal behaviors and completed written reflections analyzed using an ordinal coding scheme, keyword detection, and text mining. Quantitative analysis revealed that agreement between automated and peer evaluation was strongly item-dependent (e.g., voice volume: r = 0.853; facial expression: r = 0.164). Qualitative analysis showed that discrepancies were associated with multi-layered reflection; as exploratory, prompt-sensitive indicators, keyword detection suggested that 67% of participants recognized gaps between self-perception and external evaluations, 41% reasoned about why sources diverged, and 70% formulated specific behavioral improvement plans. Text mining further identified distinct reflection patterns, suggesting multiple cognitive pathways. These findings, based on a single cohort, suggest that structured comparison across feedback sources can reframe evaluation discrepancies as educational resources associated with reflective and actionable responses in teacher education.