ABSTRACT
We begin with an assumption: self-study of teacher education practices is a powerful mechanism for the reform of teacher education. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the general nature and purposes of self-study research and work, its current role and status in the academy, and its emerging role and status in the teacher education community. In so doing, we hope to characterize the self-study of teacher education practices as a vehicle for teacher education reform, and offer some ideas on how those involved in self-study work might advance the reform agenda through a course of individual and collective action. We organize the chapter with a series of questions:
• What is self-study of teacher education practice? • What is the broad intention of those who engage in self-study of teacher
education practices? • What concerns do self-study researcher-practitioners have about engaging in
such work? • What are the reasons for and bases of these concerns? • How is the status quo challenged by self-study? • How and why is self-study research?
