We are into the 7th week of the 12 Weeks Study With Me program. If you’re new to this and would like to take part in it, here’s where you can find last week’s study tips. And here’s where you can sign up to get the full set of tips.
If you’ve been following the program up to this point, last week you condensed your course material and prepared flash cards. Now let’s move on to this week’s task.
While studying in isolation may often seem like the most effective technique, and for the most part usually is, group sessions can also be very beneficial and make the studying process a bit more fun!
A group session can serve as the ideal time to review and compare notes, ask questions, quiz one another, explain ideas aloud and generally just discuss the upcoming exam.
Too often, group study sessions can turn into more of a social hour, however. For this reason, there are several guidelines that should be followed to ensure this doesn’t’ happen to yours.
For starters, try not to let the group get too big.
A group of three to five students is the perfect size. Nominate a moderator for each session to keep you on schedule. This role can rotate with each time you get together.
Keep it focused.
Group study sessions need to have a pre-determined purpose. Don’t just show up without first setting an agenda. This is how they turn into social hours. Setting a time limit for your study group also helps keep members on task.
It should also go without saying to get the right kind of people involved. Study groups should be mutually beneficial, and everyone should contribute. Try to select those who have a similar class and work schedules to you, to make establishing meetings less of a hassle.
If you follow the above, group study sessions can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself and learn new information.
Use others within the group to your advantage. Push each other and formulate new ways of thinking about and understanding the content at hand. This can help you to get it clear in your head, and also highlight any areas where you may need more work.
Adding study groups to your study program can deliver amazing results, not only in better test scores, but also in better retaining of information and adopting teamwork skills that can later be applied in the real world.
At the end of this week you should have accomplished;
- Setting up a group of like-minded students who you can study with.
- Attending or setting a date to attend a group study session.
Next week, we’ll dig deeper into your course content and help you address those exam questions which carry the big marks.
What about you, do you study best when alone or with a group? Leave your comments below.
I study best when alone