The Groups & Growth Resource Collection is an ongoing initiative conducted by Adam Morgan, PhD. Adam is passionate about helping university/college students in the areas of group work and growth development. He has a wealth of experience in these areas and is committed to helping as many students as he can with his resources. He loves hearing how his resources have helped students navigate some of the challenges associated with studying at university or college better. He also loves to hear how his resources have helped teaching and support staff perform their roles at institutions more effectively. See below for more information about Adam and the collection.
Why the collection?
I have long been interested in the dynamics of student groups. Like many, I had some ‘challenging’ group experiences when I went to university. This was the catalyst for me doing a PhD in the area of group work and then later working as a resource developer at a university specialising in group work and collaborative learning. After COVID, I decided to develop some resources that I always wanted to write. One was a guide that helps students better prepare for group assignments/group projects and an accompanying workbook. Another was a workbook to help final-year students reflect on their group experiences. After completing these resources, I realised that students might also benefit from reflecting on other aspects of their growth at university, but more broadly. So, I developed the Reflecting on Growth workbook. I then decided to ‘book-end’ this with the Preparing for Growth workbook. In short, the collection is about helping students ‘on-ramp’ for success and then reflecting on this success (or otherwise) when ‘off-ramping.’
Why physical workbooks?
I’m a huge fan of physical workbooks. There’s something very special about being prompted to think about something and then respond in a space provided with a pen or pencil. It’s a tactile experience. I love to flick through the pages of a workbook to see what’s expected. I love to look back at what I’ve written at a later time. I want students to have these same experiences. I want them to consider the questions I pose to them. I want them to carry the workbook around with them. I want them to feel proud when they have finished it. It’s a record of their thoughts at a particular point in time. I want them to review what they wrote, perhaps in preparation for an interview. I also want them to feel the texture of the workbooks’ covers. Each one has a matte finish. My designer and I made a conscious choice to have matte covers. We want students to have a wonderful tactile experience. Another thing I like about physical workbooks relates to AI. Yes, students could still ask AI to generate their text (odd, but possible), but they would still need to handwrite the generated text into their workbooks!
Why print-on-demand publishing?
To have physical workbooks, two issues arise: printing costs and distribution. I wanted the workbooks to be affordable and readily available worldwide. After conducting my research, I decided to opt for print-on-demand publishing through two providers: Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. Amazon KDP enables workbooks to be purchased at the local Amazon level (e.g., Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca). This means fast printing and distribution (e.g., next-day delivery). IngramSpark enables workbooks to be purchased at other large bookstores (e.g., Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org). It also enables the workbooks to be bought via campus bookshops if they choose to stock them. My goal is for as many students as possible to use my workbooks. Print-on-demand publishing allows this to happen. I’m also able to keep the pricing relatively low with print-on-demand publishing.
Why the emphasis on reflection?
I don’t believe that students do enough reflection during their studies. If they are lucky, they might have to write a reflective essay somewhere. They might also be required to reflect on a work placement if they are fortunate enough to have one. Most students, however, don’t have these opportunities. It’s a shame, as reflection is such a positive thing to do. I once searched for quotes about reflection. I came across this one by Dr. Paul T. P. Wong: “Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted – it is an intimate date with yourself.” This is exactly what I want students to have with my reflective workbooks. I want them to have that date with themselves. I want them to sit down and reflect deeply on who they are and what they have accomplished during their studies. I want them to have those ‘penny-dropping’ moments that reflection can bring. Here are a few other nice quotes about reflection.
“Follow effective action with quite reflection. From the quite reflection will come even more effective action” – Peter Drucker
“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success” – Richard Carlson
“The more reflective you are, the more effective you are” – Peter Hall & Alisa Simoral
“The best teacher is self-reflection” – Shane Parrish
“Transitions are a time for reflection, and a time for looking forward” – Roy Cooper
I love each of these quotes and am proud to have given students the opportunity to reflect on their educational experiences. Another thing to note again relates to AI. It would be very odd to ask AI to generate text related to one’s own experiences. Reflection, in my opinion, helps counter institution’s concerns over students relying on AI to assist in their work.
Why the emphasis on preparation?
Most universities/colleges have impressive orientation programs in place to help their new students. There is, however, a breath vs. depth issue. There is so much to cover that some areas are merely touched upon during orientation. Group work is typically one such area. If they are lucky, students might get an information sheet about group work containing some ‘survival tips’ and perhaps a rationale for why they are required to do it. Quite frankly, it’s not enough. Students need to be better prepared for it. They need the depth of information that they don’t get at orientation, hence the writing of the guide. But my approach doesn’t stop there. Students also need to give deep consideration to the issues presented in the guide. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is through students engaging with an accompanying workbook, which is why the workbook exists. I have taken a different approach to growth preparation. As growth is a broader topic, I chose to go with the workbook only.
Are any of the resources available in a digital format?
Concerning the Preparing for Group Assignments guide, yes. Along with the paperback, the guide is also available as an e-book. Concerning the workbooks, no. They are only available in paperback format. As I said above, I want students to have a tactile experience. Having said that, I realise that some institutions may wish for their students to submit their work digitally. This is best done by getting students to type their entries directly into fields of the institution’s Learning Management System (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas). Alternatively, students can type their entries into a Word document for submission, as they would for other written assignments. I also realise that some students might also want to have a digital copy of their completed workbook. Again, the best approach is for students to type their entries into a Word document and save them.
How should the resources be used?
Regarding the two preparation workbooks, students should complete them before starting their studies or within the first few months. I hope that students have the opportunity to discuss their answers with other new students and staff. This may occur during an orientation session or in a first-year class or seminar. Regarding the two reflection workbooks, students should complete them towards the end of their studies. I can see the workbooks used by institutions in different ways. They could be used by career staff as part of a workshop. They could also be used by teaching staff in a final-year/capstone subject. I hope that students get the chance to discuss their entries with other students and staff. From my experience, students appreciate hearing what their peers think. They learn from their peers’ insights and broaden their perspectives. My workbooks allow students to (a) share their experiences and (b) gain insight into others’ experiences.
Any other comments?
Yes, my goal is to help as many students as I can with my resources. That means students in different countries and institutions. There is a challenge when trying to write broad-reaching resources, as institutions use different terminology and language/spelling. I’ve tried to select terms and use language/spelling that appeals to as many students as possible in my resources. I hope that institutions and students understand the challenges of producing broad-reaching resources and can work with my choices (e.g., using the term ‘group assignments’).
Also, you can learn more about me by looking at my personal website.