**Abstract**

This article aims to describe what self-study research is, why self-study can be a good approach to teacher educators' professional development and improvements in practice and highlight some challenges and opportunities in this research approach. In addition, the article will shed light on some methodological aspects related to self-study. Self-study refers to teacher educators who in an intentionally and systematically way examine their practice to improve it, based on a deeper understanding of practice, as well as the context practice takes place. In the article, I argue that engaging in self-study is a learning and development process and an approach to developing personal professionalism, collective professionalism and improvements in practice.

**Keywords:** self-study, pedagogy in teacher education, professional identity, teaching about teaching

## **1. Introduction**

The professionalization of teachers´, teachers´ learning and teaching has been high on the political agenda in many countries, both in Europe and in large part of the world [1–5]. In the last 40 years, the discourse around teachers'professional learning and development has largely been linked to various forms of practitioner research. That is, research where teachers actively initiate innovations and research their own practice to improve their understanding of practice, and as a consequence, improve their teaching and professional actions [6–9].

A closely related approach to practice-oriented research related to professional learning and development is also found in the *self-study research*, which is explicitly related to teacher educators [9, 10]. The professionalization of teacher's and teacher educators has both emerged from and been influenced by a range of approaches and has built on the work of fields such as reflective practice (e.g [11–14]), action research (e.g [15–17]), teacher research (e.g [6]) and other forms for practitioners'reseach (for a more detailed overview, see [18]). Self-study is the study of oneself and one's own practice and involves a moral commitment to improving practice [19]. According to Bullough and Pinnegar [20], self-study is used in relation to teaching and research on practice with the intention of better understanding of both oneself (in the different roles one holds as teacher educator), instruction, teaching and learning; and the development of knowledge related to these factors. Self-study refers to teacher educators who in an intentionally and

systematic way examine their practice in order to improve it, based on a deeper understanding of the practices, as well as the contexts practice is taken place [9]. With such an understanding of self-study, self-study is characterized as a specific form of action research, and corresponds to Pinnegar and Hamilton's [19] definition which describe self-study as something more comprehensive than just applying the study of oneself:

*"it is not the self but the self and the others in practice that is most of interest … the self seeks to explore the gap between who I am and who I would like to be in my practice and studies that self and the others involved as the self takes action to reduce or alter that gap" (p. 12).*

This means that self-study should not only be of significance to the person who conducting the study, but also of importance for creating meaning and contribute to increased understanding and knowledge for other teacher educators. Self-study research is an approach to understand one's own practice and one's self-concept, means that teacher educators look critically at their own professional values [21], work towards a better self-understanding [22], and have a moral purpose [23].

In this article, it will first be an elaboration of what self-study is about, before it is elucidated why self-study can be a useful approach for development in teacher education and various purposes related to self-studies. Then follows a discussion of methodological aspects associated with self-studies, before a presentation of some methodological approaches from self-studies that have been completed. Finally, some challenges and opportunities related to self-study research will be highlighted. The conclusion is: 1) that teacher educators have a professional responsibility for continuous professional development that contributes to better understanding for teaching and students learning- and development processes, 2) engaging in self-study is a learning and development process and approach to develop personal professionalism, collective professionalism and improvements in practice.
