Everyone has their own learning style. Some students prefer to study alone without any distractions while others prefer to study in a group. Every student must understand his own learning style in order to maximize their study time.
A serious study group is a one of the best techniques to improve your studying. While everyone may have different study habits, meeting in a group provides a chance to learn from everyone. When you meet in a group, you will get a chance to learn from everyone.
The Benefits of Smaller Group Discussion
- Many students feel reluctant to ask questions in class. Students who feel this way will benefit from smaller group discussions since they are able to address their questions to a much smaller group with more ease.
- Another major advantage of smaller study groups is that odds are someone else in group will have a good grasp of a concept that you are struggling with. This eliminates the need for you to then spend pointless hours trying to grasp a concept on your own.
- Alternatively, explaining concepts to a fellow group member who is struggling is a great way to reinforce that topic on your own and to get a sense of how well you understand that concept as well.
Choosing an Effective Study Group
An ideal study group should be 3 – 4 people. This is large enough to allow for a smooth flow of ideas but still small enough to ensure that the group does not become a social platform rather than a learning platform. It is also not necessary that everyone in the group be of equal strength.
Often, it is advisable to have group members of different strengths whereby a weak student will get an opportunity to ask questions and extend his/ her own knowledge. Similarly a stronger student also benefits from this activity since they have an opportunity to clarify and enhance concepts. This allows all members within the group to benefit from the study group.
One drawback of study group is it can become a social event if students are not serious about completing the task on hand. It is very important to focus on your goal and not get involved in any other conversation. As such, you should ensure that your group members are just as serious about learning as you are.
It is also a good idea for all members of the group to agree on a goal for that session. This way, all members are working towards a common goal and know what they need to accomplish by the end of the session.
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