Study groups... To be or not to be?

Groups can be useful, but you have to establish a structure that makes them so, or they can waste everyone's time, and then you need to stop having them.

You definitely need to do your own studying before you get there. If other people are asking detailed questions, and you're shuffling through your unread notes, you really could spend your hour better.

It helps to call them something like a "review session". This establishes that everyone is expected to have studied a certain amount of material before they get there, and come with quiz questions, or things they don't understand, run through an assessment, practice on each other, or some other fair exchange of information. You want maximum cross pollination of ideas in minimum time. But it should be fun.

I know some people make some really good study materials. If you have a study group, people can share them. But if someone keeps doing bad ones, or forgetting, and gets good ones in return, you have a problem. You still need to check these really thoroughly for mistakes. (Guilty!)

I have gone to a couple of groups and at first been annoyed that I was the only one who had studied. But in stumbling through the information in an unfamiliar way, comparing my notes to other peoples, I always picked up at least a couple of test questions I would not have gotten otherwise, and reminded me of things I needed to look up and been really glad I went. So I think it's worth doing at least occasionally.

And we are all in this together.

Finally, few groups last long. So don't sweat it if it doesn't seem to be working. Just change the time, and you and the one person you work well with can study in peace.

Wow! So many people responded! Thanks for all the advice! I'll probably give study groups a try in the beggining, if it will work for me them I'll keep at it. :)

I'm mostly a visual learner, but it also helps me to talk about stuff after we've covered it, just to clarify/refresh/review... so maybe being part of a study group can be good, but I know how chatty I can get... and not only me, so we'll have to have an organized/strict study group.

If talking things out helps you learn the material, I think a study group will be good for you. I don't do well in study groups because I focus in a much different manner than the people I know. I end up feeling very stupid because I don't understand the material they are covering. I study on my own and end up averaging close to what the group did.

I think study groups depend quite a bit on the type of learner you are. That and being disciplined to stay on topic!

I don't like study groups. I usually find myself teaching someone else because they are not on the same learning level as me so it is only beneficial to them and not me. If you can find individuals on your same learning level, then it would be good. Otherwise, it's a waste.

I personally learn better on my own. But some people learn better with others.

Actually, quite the opposite. Once you can put material into your own words and describe or teach it to someones else means that you REALLY know it. It actually helps me to learn material by "teaching" it to someone else. It puts the material into your long term memory that way.