• Why Form A Study Group
• How To Form A Study Group
• What To Do Before The Study Group Meets

Why Form A Study Group

Group study has long been a successful function in the college environment. Students coming together, sharing ideas, and preparing is a delightful part of the college environment. Group study is a helpful way to re-enforce the personal first time study and expand the range of learning. Take a moment to ponder some of the advantages discussed below.

1. Group study can build confidence in each student's ability and the group's ability to prepare for the most demanding tests. Like an athletic team, they will bond together to achieve a common purpose, to conquer the material and achieve at higher levels.
   
   
2. Group study helps each individual to see the differing perspectives of their fellow students. Through frequent group interaction students often begin to see the material from different points of view. For example, the group will begin to formulate more unique test questions because they perceive the emphasis of the book and the teacher differently.
   
   
3. Group study creates an opportunity for each student to expand the material the teacher has given. The group will begin to get answers to possible questions that as individuals they would not have considered. For example, a study group which has set a goal that each student return with 20 questions for the test may find only half of the questions to be alike and discover a rich source of new material.

 

How To Form A Study Group

Study group sessions can divert into a social discussion that leads the group away from the academic purpose. To improve the possibility of success students can follow some simple steps as they form their groups.

1. Establish a shared purpose. In the very first meeting a statement of purpose should be formed and goals of the group should be defined. These could be as simple as meeting every week as a specific time or as complex as designing a possible test to review with the teacher.
   
   
2. Clarify roles and practices. A chairperson should be selected in the first meeting. The role of each student should be defined. For example, the group may want to determine how prepared each student should be before each meeting. The group may want to be serious enough to establish a rule that eliminates a student for lack of participation. The more specific the roles and expectations, the more successful the group will be.
   
   
3. Plan a schedule of events. The chairperson and the group should take time to plan the material (chapters, lectures, books, articles, notes) to be covered in each future meeting.
   
   
4. Conduct effective meetings. The chairperson should be expected to set a meeting agenda and keep it. There should be an outline to follow that will keep the group on track and effective. The chairperson will set the tone for the meetings by setting expectations for each member in the upcoming agenda. The chairperson could set the expectation by assignment or by volunteers.

 

What Do You Do Before The Study Group Meets?

Preparation for group study begins with effective personal study. First time study is that study which each student undertakes as soon as possible after each lecture. It is important this effort occurs within 24 hours of the lecture. Study that takes place more than 24 hours after the lecture is less effective and actually requires re-learning much of the material. Five important activities should take place during personal first time study.

 

Personal Study Activities

1. Finalize your lecture notes by completing the unfinished sections and placing them in the desired format. Be sure to highlight the items that seem most important and make a summary which includes the most salient points.
   
   
2. Complete your required reading. It is preferred that you take notes as you read. At a minimum, class reading should be completed and the important passages highlighted or marked in the margins.
   
   
3. Write three to five knowledge questions that you perceive the instructor may ask on exams. It is important to get a feel for the type of examination the teacher will use. Knowledge questions deal with the recall of facts and figures and are generally true false, multiple choice, or fill in the blank questions.
   
   
4. Draft three to five comprehension or application questions from the notes and reading material. These questions should be created to help you understand more difficult concepts the teacher may use in the future tests. Comprehension questions are those that ask the student to rephrase a topic into the students words. Application questions are those which ask the student to solve a problem or demonstrate an ability. These questions are usually problems to solve through short reply or short essay.
   
   
5. Compose several creative essay questions which the most demanding instructors would ask on exams. It is helpful to write these questions which cause you to analysis a concept, synthesize several concepts, or evaluate a concept by making a personal judgement. Write these more difficult questions even if you perceive that the teacher will not test on these levels. Doing so will help you get into deep learning habits, and it will also help you learn principles that your memory will retain longer.