A Self-Study of Integrating Visual Historical Sources in History Teacher Education: Enhancing Employability and Leadership in Pre-Service Teachers

This self-study investigates how visual historical sources can enrich pedagogical practice in a History methodology module within a South African teacher education context. Guided by social constructivism and inquiry-based learning, the study explores how paintings, political posters, and archival photographs support the development of visual literacy, critical thinking, ethical awareness, leadership, and employability skills among pre-service teachers. Using a qualitative reflective design, data were generated through reflective journals, student artefacts, classroom observations, and informal feedback. Thematic analysis revealed that visual sources enabled students to construct meaning collaboratively, engage emotionally with complex historical narratives, and demonstrate agency through group-led tasks and multimodal assessments. These experiences fostered historical empathy, creative expression, and soft skills aligned with 21st-century professional demands. The study argues that structured visual pedagogy enhances both disciplinary understanding and professional formation in teacher education. It recommends the intentional integration of visual methodologies and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance decolonial, inclusive, and skill-oriented History education. The findings contribute to growing scholarship on visual pedagogies and their transformative potential in teacher preparation.