"Knowledge when shared only multiplies" is an age-old saying but its relevance is highly debatable in small group studies. A common concern among students is whether study groups are constructive or are simply a means of wasting time. The key to success depends on a number of factors, including the type of student and the kind of strategies implemented.
Exam Preparation
What You Should Do
What You Should Not Do
Exam Preparation
- Study groups are great when it comes to preparing for exams for several reasons. One of the biggest pros of studying in groups is that many of the doubts get cleared during discussions; in fact, many concepts are cleared and new ideas pop up through interaction during group studies. However, a group size should be convenient and small enough for discussions to remain relevant and avoid formation of sub-groups.
What You Should Do
- A group study will not be productive unless certain strategies are executed. It is not enough to sit amidst a group and think that you will crack the exams. Some of the strategies that will help you make the most out of your small group study include the following ideas.
Prepare in advance. Make sure that you have at least read through the topic that you will be discussing with your group. This way, you will be able to contribute to the discussions and point out any inaccurate information presented by someone else in the group. In addition, you will also be in a better position to comprehend the concepts associated with the main topic of study.
Allow enough time to discuss the material. If you are pressed for time, you may readily accept information from other sources without adequately checking it out.
Prepare to disagree if you feel something does not make sense. This will lead to in-depth discussions that will elicit elaborate responses and deeper thinking on the part of students. Of course, the group members must not fight or argue amongst themselves but instead try to participate in healthy discussions with differing opinions.
What You Should Not Do
- There certain things that you should always avoid during group study sessions. Avoid large groups of more than five to six members; the group should not resemble a crowd. Do not invite dead weights who are unprepared and think that they can learn everything at the group study sessions. This will ruin the environment since they will take a lot more time to understand the concepts. When an entire group accepts a concept without verifying it simply because no one else contradicted it, it is called groupthink and it clearly shows that the group study is not moving in the right direction. The dominant member is not necessarily the most intelligent one; in group studies, it is a common phenomenon to become more inclined towards a dominant group leader type of a character. However, you must realize that a dominant member who thinks that he is always right may lead to groupthink.
