Self-Reflection of 21st-Century Teachers: Cultivating Intrinsic Motivation and Professional Competence through a Deep Learning Approach

Abstract

Educators in the contemporary era must possess not just pedagogical expertise but also reflective awareness and an intrinsic motivation for continuous learning and creativity to adapt to the changing educational paradigm.   This study aims to investigate how self-reflection among twenty-first-century educators boosts professional competence and fosters intrinsic motivation through immersive learning.   This study employed a qualitative technique utilizing a phenomenological design, involving 13 educators enrolled in the Elementary School Teacher Education (PGSD) Teacher Professional Education (PPG) program at Universitas Islam Makassar (UIM) in 2025.   Data was collected through in-depth interviews and thematically analyzed to investigate teachers' reflective experiences in immersive learning contexts. The findings demonstrate that self-reflection is essential in enhancing teachers' professional understanding of the significance and objectives of education. The reflection process helps educators to identify their strengths and limitations, cultivate learner-centered pedagogical practices, and assimilate the spiritual, social, and ethical principles of the profession. Intrinsic motivation arises when educators acknowledge their individual impact on student growth and the humanitarian principles intrinsic to the teaching profession. Moreover, immersive learning enables educators to cultivate critical, creative, and collaborative thinking skills, which are essential attributes of 21st-century professional competency. This research concludes that self-reflection is essential for cultivating intrinsic motivation and sustainably enhancing teachers' professional competence. Deep learning serves as a way between reflective awareness and transformative professional practice, fostering adaptive, reflective, and inspiring educators in contemporary education.