Reflection skills are a key but challenging element in teacher training. Feedback on reflective writing assignments can improve reflection skills, but it is affected by challenges (high variability in judgments and time investment). AI-generated feedback offers many options. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the potential of AI-generated feedback compared to that provided by lecturers for developing reflective skills. A total of 93 randomly selected pre-service teachers (70% female) in a course at a German university wrote two reflections and received feedback from either lecturers or ChatGPT 4.0 based on the same prompts. Pre-service teachers’ written reflections were assessed, and an online questionnaire based on standard instruments was applied. Control variables included metacognitive learning strategies and reflection-related dispositions. Based on a linear mixed model, the main effects on reflective skills were identified for time ($\widehat{\mathsf{\beta }}$ = 0.41, p = 0.003) and feedback condition ($\widehat{\mathsf{\beta }}$ = −0.42, p = 0.032). Both forms of feedback similarly fostered reflective skills over time, with academic self-efficacy emerging as a pertinent disposition ($\widehat{\mathsf{\beta }}$ = 0.25, p = 0.014). The limitations of this study and implications for teacher training are discussed.

Studies on talent development show that attaining expertise relies on long-term active engagement with a domain. Mentoring plays a key role in this, but it usually takes place outside of school in informal mentoring relationships, and research on formal school-based talent development mentoring programs is lacking. In the present research, we examined which factors in a novel school-based Learning Pathway Mentoring program hinder mentees’ active engagement with their domain. Due to a lack of corresponding research, we employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design (QUAL → quan). We first explored factors affecting mentees’ engagement from the perspective of 55 mentors in the Learning Pathway Mentoring program. The results of these qualitative analyses served to derive research questions about variables associated with decreased mentee domain activity, which we then studied in auxiliary quantitative analyses based on a sample of 48 mentees of the same program. Our combined analyses suggest that reasons for decreased mentee engagement may, in fact, be very heterogeneous and nuanced. As talent development places a significant demand on mentees in terms of extracurricular engagement, difficulties might occur specifically when mentees are expected to set priorities regarding the implementation of learning activities in their talent domain and simultaneously meet increasing school demands.