My Prosperous World

Studying as a group is far better than studying alone as long as you put your group together carefully. This isn’t a time to socialize or get together and procrastinate, it’s a time to divvy up the work load and fill in the blanks for one another when it comes to missed lectures, explained theories, or whatever it is that needs to be covered.

Have you ever asked someone to read a chapter and then paraphrase it for you? That’s essentially what will happen in your study group, and with each different interpretation of the material, your level of comprehension will improve. Divide the workload into sections and assign one section per person in the group. Here’s what else you should keep in mind:

1. Who you include, as well as who you don’t, matter. Bigger is not better when it comes to a study group. You want to keep it between 4 and 6 people so that each conversation is an effective one. A moderator should be chosen to keep everybody on track; someone who has the gift of organizational skills. If you make a mistake and include someone who has no desire to learn, it could bring down the effectiveness of the entire group.

2. Everyone should come to the weekly meeting with their material studied and prepared to share. Every once in a while you should all quiz each other, too.

The study group is a tried and true method of learning. Not only does it help everyone involved to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, it increases everyone’s satisfaction with their overall learning environment.

So what have you got to lose? Chances are you already have made friends in your dorm or apartment building, why not branch out a little and meet some new people from your classes? In addition to getting a better understanding of the subject matter, you’ll probably reduce the stress related to your work load in the process. As great as college can be, never forget the reason that you’re there in the first place – to learn.

The author, Marshall Schumacher, has written nearly two hundred articles on online degree programs, the importance of college accreditation, online colleges and career preparation.