For Staff
This workbook helps final-year university/college students reflect on their group experiences. University/college students are given many opportunities to work with others during their studies (e.g., as part of project teams, discussion groups, study groups, extra-curricular activity groups). They are given fewer opportunities to reflect on these experiences. This workbook gives students this opportunity to reflect.
When students have completed this workbook, they will have captured many important insights about themselves as a team player and how they work with others in group situations. These insights will help students talk about their group work experiences and collaborative capabilities in job interviews and to populate professional profiles. The workbook can therefore serve as an aid for career unit staff. It can be completed by students independently. It can also be used as part of career-preparation workshops.
The topics covered in this workbook are based on the group/team dynamic literature. Students are therefore linking theory to practice when they reflect in the workbook. The topics and language used in this workbook have been informed by the AACU’s (Association of American Colleges and Universities) Teamwork VALUE rubric. The AACU recommend that students’ reflections should be used as a source when evaluating students against this rubric. The workbook captures such reflections and can thus be used for assessment/evaluation purposes.
A unique strength of this workbook is the level at which students are reflecting: the whole-of-course/program/university level. Completed workbooks can thus also be used for assurance of learning purposes with accrediting bodies and other learning outcome audits.
Although extremely useful for institutional purposes, the main beneficiaries of this workbook are the students completing it. Students’ experiences of group work vary considerably throughout their course of study. Some of these experiences are extremely positive; others less so. From a growth perspective, students need the opportunity to process all of their experiences. They need to reflect upon them, draw meaning from them, and consider their growth as collaborators. This workbook gives students this opportunity.
The workbook should be completed by students nearing the end of their studies. Ideally, this would be in the last few months at their institution (e.g., within the last term). However, it can be used earlier if transitioning-out activities occur earlier at the institution (e.g., graduate recruiting, CV workshops).
