Designed in response to an expressed need for assessment measures of teacher preparation programs, this exploratory study presents one method to assess and improve teacher-educator practices (Crowe, 2010; Gardiner, 2007). Teacher-educators have discovered that conducting a personal assessment or a self-study of one‘s practice is a way to improve learning on a personal, professional, and program level (Kosnik, C., Freese, A., Samaras, A., &. Beck, C., 2006). Bandura (1971, 1974, & 1977) defined the concept of teacher self-efficacy and its influence in a teacher‘s practices.

Drawing from Whitehead‘s living education theory (LET) (1989, 2008), Ashton‘s principles of teacher self-efficacy (1984) and Huitt‘s dimensions (2000) of teacher self-efficacy, the researcher developed a LET incorporating each component expected by most Universities of faculty members; teaching, service, professional development, and research.

The Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Standards (2007) offered a framework to support the four-phase recursive process, as the researcher developed her LET concerning her self-efficacy as a teacher-educator. Working with a Critical Friends Network (CFN), the researcher provided 4 vignettes, a draft belief statement and 23 artifacts for review. The CFN provided 40 responses that assisted the researcher‘s 8 reflections and 4 reframings of her self-efficacy belief statement.

Teacher preparation programs may wish to consider adopting self-study procedures for faculty assessment that encourage reflection on practices.