Some people work best when left all by their lonesome, while some absorb and understand information better with the help of others. If you fall under the latter category, you have probably already considered joining study groups for some of your classes. Study groups are effective and helpful in that they provide you with insights and perspectives that you may not be able to pick up and realize on your own. Getting your classmates’ opinions and take on certain topics can add depth to your own understanding of the subjects taught in class.
But just as study group sessions can help you in your studies, they may also be just a waste of your precious studying time if left undirected and aimless. To avoid this, here are some tips to help you get the most out of study group sessions:
Do your own studying prior to the study group session
Study group sessions are venues for students to share knowledge, information, and their own understanding of lessons and topics. This means that even before going to the study group session, you should already have gone through your notes and done your own information-processing. The most annoying study group members are the freeloaders who feed off other people’s learnings without bothering to share their own. Not only are you not contributing to the group, you are also not helping yourself because you’re merely echoing your classmates’ thoughts and not developing your own ideas on the topics.
Have your group follow specific objectives for each study group session
Because study groups usually consist of friends, or students who have a lot of things in common, it’s all too easy to steer off-topic during discussions. Without realizing it, your group may be going from discussions on the Pythagorean theorem to controversial love triangles in Hollywood history. To avoid veering off-topic, one member should be assigned as the “party pooper” in that he or she will remind the group when the discussion is going on a path no longer related to the topic.
Photo Credit : ericskiff
