The idea of joining a study group is not that typical for an average college student usually because it’s not the first thing that comes to mind. It’s much more spread to have a study session by yourself, go to a library, or simply read a paragraph out loud. Finding a group to study with and having study sessions all together might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is indeed a powerful study technique. Let’s find out the benefits of this study method.
Improved Learning and Understanding
Group learning might help to increase comprehension and even memorization of material among students who find it hard to focus on a subject or procrastinate a lot. Moreover, conversations and explanations are a great way to understand the material that might be too complex or vague as we do indeed need to truly understand the concepts or theories in order to be able to use them in practice.
It’s only about you listening to someone’s explanation but also you have a chance to explain something to someone else. It is another powerful technique that allows you to remember information better as you use your own words to describe and explain the material.
By engaging in a conversation among your peers, you get the chance to learn from different viewpoints and also get to know the ideas of other students. It helps you broaden your views, get rid of bias, and also just have a great discussion instead of just simply reading a particular argument in your textbook.
Collaboration and Support
One of the great advantages of studying in a group is an opportunity to get help with your studies via brainstorming ideas and problem-solving together. Once you start studying in a group it becomes much easier to solve a math problem or to find the needed data, get advice on formatting etc. When you have someone to share difficulties with, it’s much less stressful to resolve the issues and get support and inspiration. If you lack these things in your everyday life, you should definitely consider joining a study group as it might cheer you up a lot and make you feel more engaged in your social life.
The social side of a study group is actually one of the main reasons why many college students join them. As it is not only about the obvious study benefits but also a great way to make friends, especially if you are a freshman and don’t have much time for socializing. Having fun while doing your homework is not that impossible and a study group might be the best solution for you on how to combine the two spheres of your life in one.
Work Division and Time Efficiency
What is very important when it comes to a study group is that it allows participants to divide duties and responsibilities. If you have a lot of material to look through in order to create a shared report or a group project, you can surely break down the task into smaller pieces so that everyone knows what their part in the process is.
The division of labor improves efficiency and output by creating a window of opportunity for everyone to make their contribution and focus on their part of the work solely, thus having the maximum result in the same period of time.
Improving Your Skills
If you feel like you are not that good at your work, you can always ask for advice or maybe even exchange duties with another student. Collaboration and social skills are very important in our lives and teamwork always helps us get some progress in this field. Another skill that can be improved through studying in a group is time management. A group may help you manage your time more efficiently by sharing the effort as well as having a set time for each meeting and a deadline for your part of a project. When there are other people involved in a project, it’s always less tempting to put the work aside for another day. Collaboration and cooperation are very important in adult life and the work environment, that’s why trying a study group would surely benefit you.
As it was said earlier, group learning improves your social skills, for example, communication skills, but that’s not all. Another important point that you should pay attention to is that group studying improves critical thinking as it allows you to get acquainted with different sides of the argument as well as different points of view, psychological types, etc.
Another important thing about a study group is the opportunity to exercise leadership and negotiating skills. You can improve these skills while resolving issues or making group choices, especially if you are chosen as a group leader. Sure, everyone in a study group is equal but there always should be someone who schedules the meetings, plans the sessions, contacts with professors, etc. It might not be called a group leader or it might be a few different people who do these things, yet it is still a type of management. That’s why we say that even small study groups allow you to improve your leadership and management skills.
Exam Preparation and Test Taking
It is hard to overestimate the value of group conversations in revisiting and reinforcing key themes while preparing for a test or an exam. Someone might have better notes than you do or remember something that a professor was saying that you missed. We know that having people gathered around the problem is better than trying to solve it alone, so exams are a perfect example of such a thing for a study group.
You might want to practice various exam questions or problems with peers which may help you imitate test settings and enhance your confidence while getting ready for the test, revisiting notes, and rehearsing the material.
Wrapping Up
If you are yet to discover what it is like to study in a group, we suggest you focus on the studies themselves first, putting other factors aside. That is because you should orient toward a group that helps you achieve great academic results rather than one which has more fun. However, if you are able to find one that combines both – you are surely about to get the best learning experience. Don’t miss your chance to have such a great time.
Karen Palmer
