The Pre‑Texts Protocol Workshop, facilitated by Mara Boccaccio and Katia De la Cruz at the International Teaching & Learning Conference (University of Cape Town, 17 November 2025), presented the Pre-Text in the context of contemplative pedagogy as a creative method for teaching the humanities in the age of AI. Drawing on theorists such as Freire, Vygotsky, Montessori, and Schiller, the workshop combined reading, questioning, reflection, and art‑making to foster intellectual emancipation, collaboration, and imagination. Participants engaged in manual activities to enhance focus, posed independent questions, and created art referencing texts. The protocol demonstrated how active engagement and creativity deepen learning and cultivate holistic development.
