Using Study Groups for Effective Learning

As teachers, how do you make sure that you are  being involved with your students education considering the fact that , not everyone studies the same way. There are those who concentrate when there is peace and quiet, in tidy rooms. Some, who weirdly prefer studying alone in busy rooms. Then there are a few others that have learned the secret of studying in groups.

 

Study groups can be simply formed by a few peers who study and gather together to revise and report their findings. It is usually an effective way to study as members get to share points that may have been missed out by others during a lesson or even explain confusing topics to each other. Also, remembering what you learned with your study group is easy as your memory may take you back to keywords you kept repeating during your session.

 

How do you set up an efficient study group?

Here are some tips to help get you started.

• Who

the most effective study group comprises of students with common goals. Find your peers who are most motivated as you and committed to succeeding as friends aren’t always the perfect fit. The best type of people to include in your study group are those who are always alert, take notes, and ask questions.

 

• How many

 

it is recommended to keep your study group to about 3-6 people. The study group shouldn’t be a teaching session, rather a small space for peers to share knowledge. With more people, organization can be an issue and fewer people tend to contribute.

 

• How long

 

a session of about 2-3 hours at a time is just enough to be productive without being distracted. Longer hours encourages socializations and many unnecessary breaks and in shorter time, studying may be rushed and unproductive.

 

• Where

 

peers can study in open spaces where they can communicate freely without being distracted

 

• When

 

Setting your study group sessions the same time and location, weekly/biweekly will allow for members to fit it into their schedule and give time to prepare beforehand.

 

What makes Study groups successful?

1. Work with people who are motivated and committed to achieving your common set goals for success.
2. Set clear objectives for what you hope to achieve with every study sessions to help keep you productive.
3. Make sure to be prepared before a study session. Members should complete any assignments, reading and lecture notes. Members can also use technology and present questions to ask before hand to add value to the study session.
4. Stick to set rules and guidelines to help keep study sessions organized.
5. Communicate freely in order to get the most out of the session. For instance, you can ask for a theory to be explained again and/or by another member if you still don’t understand it.

Study groups are meant to be a bonus to your class sessions. Peers get to improve their notes by sharing with one another and cover more lesson material since different members can be assigned to reading and explaining a topic. By doing this, members can support and benefit from the knowledge of one another creating a strong support system.

Are you preparing for Jamb? Why not include timed sessions on distinction.ng with friends as part of your study group. How do you study best?