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Abstract
This action research (AR) case study studied continuing education (CE) deans and directors and system-level administrators reframing the role of CE within a selected state university system in an effort to bring CE programs into closer alignment with changing societal needs. Informed by Bolman and Deals (2013) Four-Frame Model for reframing organizations, this collaborative inquiry was guided by three research questions: (1) What are the perceived social, technological, economic, educational, and political trends impacting continuing higher education in a southeastern U.S. state? (2) How does implementing reframing strategieswhich incorporate structural, symbolic, human resource, and political framesenable CE departments to change their practices and more effectively address statewide needs? and (3) What do individuals, the AR team, and the system itself learn about change through an AR collaborative inquiry process?A review of the scholarly literature around contemporary change theory, reframing organizations, immunity to change, and strategic integration informed this case study, specifically on continuing higher education. Analysis of the studys multiple qualitative data sources showed: (a) the dominant social, economic, and political trends over the past four years,at the local, state, and federal levels have been the emphasis on workforce development, (b) reframing efforts of this study resulted in structural, human resource, and symbolic changes to the role of CE, but its influence on system politics was minimal; and (c) some actors in this study sought to learn more about workforce development efforts in their geographical area, while others resisted or were not ready to take such initiative; and while learning at the system level had the greatest potential for impact on system change, forces to maintain the status quo prevailed.From these findings two conclusions were drawn: (1) The immunity to change by those who had responsibility for leading and implementing continuing education in the institutions across the state, was a key component in the failure to reframe continuing education; and (2) By creating strategic alliances and networks, permeating boundaries, and contributing innovative solutions, a peripheral actor in the organization can become a more visible participant in the organizational architecture.