Feedback is crucial for teacher professional development, yet most studies focus on a single source (e.g., experts or peers). Longitudinal comparisons across sources and analyses of underlying mechanisms are rare. This study therefore investigates how different feedback sources influence teacher learning outcomes. A total of 522 teachers participated in a 13-week professional learning program, including three weeks of reflective practice. Participants were divided into three groups: NF (no external feedback), EF (expert feedback), and AF (AI feedback). Teaching videos, instructional design artifacts, and reflective journals were analyzed to assess outcomes. Teachers in the EF group achieved significantly higher learning outcomes than those in the AF group, who, in turn, outperformed the NF group. These findings underscore the distinctive value of expert feedback in providing depth of insight and contextual sensitivity, while also indicating that AI feedback, although timely and adaptive, cannot fully replace expert judgment. Cross-Lagged Panel Network (CLPN) analysis identified key behaviors and sequences across groups and revealed detailed temporal patterns within behavioral clusters. Qualitative interviews further demonstrated that feedback effectiveness is shaped by the interaction of three dimensions—Time, Object, and Level (TOL)—which form the basis of a framework with 16 elements. The study highlights the complementary strengths of AI adaptability and expert insight, suggesting that multi-source feedback enhances teacher professional development by integrating process support with higher-order regulation. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd
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