From the Editor—Navigating Change, Transitions, and Uncertainty

In preparing to step into the role of editor-in-chief of the Journal of Social Work Education, it occurred to me that the themes of transition and change are timely and often neglected topics in our literature on social work education. And yet, change and transition have become constant and pervasive in our personal and professional lives. To be sure, there is a rich literature on life-span transitions as well as many books and studies on organizational change. Similarly, there are numerous websites and books that offer strategies for coping with difficult life transitions involving the loss of a person, role, place, or a sense of belonging. There is also a growing body of research and commentary on changes in the academy. Although these all have relevance to our field, few speak directly to the widespread changes that have occurred in social work education and the shifting requirements for teaching, scholarship, and publication in the last few decades. Notably, the existing publications on change related to social work curricula and education reflect diverse concerns, including the infusion of gerontology content, the use of technology in the classroom, global issues, transformative education, and instructional challenges related to our current student population (e.g., Askeland & Payne, 2006; Ayala, 2009; Coe Regan & Youn, 2008; Hooyman, 2009; Jones, 2009; Stein, 2003; Witkin & Saleebey, 2007).

Social work departments and programs are housed in larger academic institutions, of course, and many of the significant changes that affect the academy can also be seen in our programs. For example, it is anticipated that 40–60% of faculty who are currently teaching will reach retirement age in the next decade (Gappa, Austin, & Rice, 2007). Many of those positions will likely be replaced by part-time or adjunct appointments and full-time, nontenure-track, faculty positions (Gappa & Austin, 2010; Gappa, Austin, & Rice, 2007; Hermanowicz, 2011). Other national changes include a shift from learning to performance as well as increased expectations for faculty to produce grant-funded research. Importantly, there are influential external constituencies and markets that support both teaching and research. However, there continues to be a degree of uncertainty in what has been termed the research economy, and this is particularly true when cuts are considered to extant and proposed funding to the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, among others. Although faculty roles have become increasingly bifurcated, it is clear that there must be a balance between teaching and research to maximize learning, student outcomes, and the increasing aspiration for institutional prestige (Hermanowicz, 2011).

One of the most significant changes we have seen in social work education is the move to competency-based education with the advent of the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (Council on Social Work Education, 2008). Given that assessment and evaluation of practice are integral parts of social work practice, this is an important development that has provided us with the opportunity to carefully examine and refine how we assess student learning outcomes in a thoughtful, systematic, and measureable manner. This process has not been without stumbling blocks, however, as the specific criteria and expectations for the self-study document have undergone necessary transformations over the past 5 years.

Two other trends in social work education that are consistent with changes in the broader academy are the increased and changing requirements for scholarship and the move to online education. In the quest for national recognition, many programs are placing emphasis on journal rankings, impact factors, and the attainment of federal grants to support empirical research. This, of course, values specific types of scholarship and journals over others and, to a great degree, faculty are obligated to tailor their research interests to the specific priorities of the funding agencies. Not surprisingly, the technical expertise required for successful grant writing is becoming a valued and necessary skill for many faculty seeking tenure-track positions. Similarly, the move to blended or hybrid course delivery, online courses, and even entirely online programs requires an acceptance of different modes of instruction and skills that are not readily embraced by faculty who prefer traditional face-to-face interaction. The rapid evolution of technology for either synchronous or asynchronous online teaching necessitates not only a readiness to constantly learn new skills as the technology emerges, but also entails being open to experimenting with new techniques to improve student learning.

Change, however, is not synonymous with transition. According to Bridges (2004), change is situational, whereas transition is psychological. Change refers to shifts in our situations, largely external to us, such as the death of a parent, the move to a new city, a promotion, a new career, different or increased job expectations, retirement, or technological advances. In contrast, transition is a natural and ongoing psychological process by which we manage and incorporate change. Transitions are a form of personal development that require us to disengage from the old, navigate the uncomfortable uncertainty between the old and the new, and eventually embrace and come to identify with the new (Bridges, 2004).

Importantly, transitions begin with endings. This is true not only for personal transitions but at the organizational level as well. To move forward productively, it is important to acknowledge and recognize endings as a passage rather than finality. As we consciously disengage from our previous ways of doing things, we begin the interrelated processes of change and transformation. According to Bridges (2004), the internal process of transition begins with letting go of things that you have assumed or believed to be true. This leads to a gap in continuity and places us in what Bridges refers to as “the neutral zone” (2004, p. 133), a time of confusion and uncertainty in which people often feel lost before they enter the final phase of beginning anew.

Reflecting on the neutral zone brought to mind a theory developed by McIver (2012) in a recent grounded theory dissertation on how people navigate uncertainty when faced with the unknown, as captive riders totally dependent on public transportation. The basic social processes discovered in a grounded theory study should always have wide applicability to situations and facets of social life other than the initial population being studied. With the ongoing change and transition that is prevalent today, uncertainty is a central aspect of the neutral zone. In McIver's theory, people continually resolve uncertainty by engaging in an interrelated three stage process: (1) acknowledging lack of control and anticipating uncertainty, (2) confronting uncertainty and remaining resilient, and (3) cultivating and using connection. Uncertainty is a given as we enter the process of transition, and discovering ways to surrender to uncertainty, effectively confront it, and cultivate connections to remain resilient in the face of change is an integral part of that process.

As Kotter (2012) has noted, most 20th century organizations are not structured in a manner that allows them to easily adapt to the change that is required for a globalized economy and rapid technological change. This is certainly true for educational institutions and programs, which continue to rely on structures, cultures, and practices designed for an era in which change was slow, incremental, and somewhat predictable. Effective organizational change and transformation require vision, leadership, broad-based empowerment, a willingness to take risks, and relatively flat hierarchies that encourage innovation. It requires people at every level of the organization to be lifelong learners who are willing to leave their comfort zones, experiment, and try new ideas (Kotter, 2012). Although in the short-term this often is a difficult and painful process, it will inevitably lead to more dynamic careers and career paths in which people are better equipped to navigate change, transitions, and uncertainty.

Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge a major change for the Journal of Social Work Education. Our recent move to Routledge/Taylor & Francis, a well-respected company that will publish and promote the journal beginning with this current issue, is a development that we gladly embrace. We are confident that this will increase the visibility and stature of the journal, and we welcome them as our partners in publication.

Susan P. Robbins

University of Houston

Editor-in-Chief