Self-Study in a Pandemic: Process, Pedagogy, People, and Publishing

Since its inclusion as a qualitative research approach in 1993, self-study has offered an opportunity for faculty members to merge two components of their position involved in tenure and promotion decisions: scholarship and teaching. This paper portrays a yearlong self-study of four probationary faculty members, in the same college of education department at a comprehensive regional university, all completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings include the incorporation of engaging pedagogy in coursework, the impacts of COVID-19 on faculty and students, the importance of relationships with faculty colleagues and students, the incorporation of observation, feedback, and reflection as an avenue to improve faculty confidence and practice, and the frustrations and excitement around the tenure and promotion process. Finally, the authors offer pedagogical practices discovered and utilized during the self-study, in addition to recommendations for those who wish to undertake their own self-study.