04/01/2013

Create a Study Group

If you're an independent student living off campus, or one with commitments to a job or a family, you may feel isolated and alone in terms of studying. Consider reaching out to other students in your class to create a study group. Even an hour of concentrated discussion once a week can make a huge difference in your understanding and ability to remember what you've learned and read.

A study group needs to have enough members for the group to function when one or two members can't make a session, but not so many that it's impossible to manage. Five to seven members is about right.

Consider meeting once a week for ninety minutes at a regular location, possibly a room at the library you've reserved, a campus study hall, or a local coffee house if it's quiet enough to hear each other.

Here are some things to keep in mind about creating and running a study group:

  • Establish a regular schedule and location for the study group.
  • Exchange phone numbers and email addresses.
  • Send out a reminder two days before the group meets, and ask for and suggest topics for discussion based on readings, class lectures and discussions.
  • If students are from different locations and meeting in person is difficult, consider using IM, Chat , Google Hangouts or Skype for study group meetings.

For some classes, it works well to divide up reading assignments and have each member responsible for picking out core concepts, facts, and vocabulary. Everyone is still responsible for all the reading, but dividing the coverage makes it easier to be thorough.

Make sure that everyone gets a chance to ask questions; don't overlook students who might not be aggressive but who might have very good questions. Don't forget to work with the other members of the group so that it's collaborative; you're working together; it's not just one person doing everything.

[Originally written for College Adviser]

Apr 1, 2013 9:37:00 AM | Higher ed

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