Studying alone sometimes feels like aimlessly wandering a deserted island. You start to feel burnt out and run out of fresh ideas. Let’s ditch the isolation chamber and embrace the benefits of group study! When the word “study” slides into our conversations, we all make a face. However, the benefits of studying in groups can change your perception and help you learn concepts in a unique way. Think of studying together to solve problems that have been keeping you at night. You can get quicker clarity on the concepts, find motivation during study sesh, and have fun while learning. If you think a group study with your friends is what you need before exams, we have all the information you need. Let’s dive into what group study is and the various benefits of learning in groups!
What Is Group Study?
A study group consists of a small number of individuals who gather to explore a shared area of study, enhancing the learning experience. Anyone can be your study partner; you can choose your friends or classmates – make sure, the person helps you stay on track with your syllabus. One of the best benefits of group study for students is that they find beauty in collaboration. This way, you can find new perspectives and methods to solve problems quicker than usual.
Top 15 Benefits of Group Study for Students
Studying solo like a zombie in cram mode? Group study can fill the holes in your knowledge and test your understanding. With jokes in between, the dullest subjects come to life, helping you grasp the importance of group study. If you want to dive deep into the group study benefits, let’s take a look below!
1. Teamwork and Collaboration
The benefits of group study enhance your personal and professional development. Your study group will encourage and motivate you to think creatively. You will learn how to articulate your problems, feel confident, and relax about your academic aspirations. Needless to say, one of the most important benefits of group study is that you can hone your soft skills and achieve your academic goals at the same time. Work together like training units; find solutions the easiest way!
2. Avoid Procrastination
Did you know that the University of Guelph found that 76% of students who study in groups start their assignments sooner? Yes, when you study together, you are less likely to procrastinate. Pick a time slot for the group study and set a goal for every meeting. One of the benefits of group study is that you can stay away from distractions. Especially if you tend to delay your tasks, the peer pressure will help you get your work done faster. You can stay connected and feel committed to your tasks.
3. New Perspectives
When you study solo, you always look at the material from your perspective. Though it’s not a bad thing, gaining a new perspective on a topic can help you learn more thoroughly. The ample benefits of a group study will help you pick up on new perspectives. If you listen to what others have to say on the same topic, you can find a new approach to the problem. Learning in groups sharpens your critical thinking skills and helps you explore more ideas, helping you leverage the group study benefits.
4. Learn Faster than Usual
A study from Oregon State University showed students in group study grasped 90% of new material after a session. Undoubtedly, one of the best advantages of studying in groups is that it makes learning fast! For example, your friend has a grasp of a topic, but you are struggling with it. If you ask your friend to break the topic into sub-topics, you will have an easier time understanding it. In this way, students can help each other and maximise the benefits of group study.
5. Fill the Learning Gaps
Some of the other notable benefits of group study are filling the learning gaps. We all have blind spots where our knowledge is a bit shaky. When we team up for group study, unique experiences become the pillars of learning. You can exchange notes, fix errors and jot down anything you have missed during lectures. Moreover, you can crowdsource insights, finding your way around the amazing study group benefits.
6. Learning in a Fun Way
Attending study sessions breaks the monotony of self-study and makes learning more fun. Sometimes, we feel bogged down by our never-ending syllabus. The ample benefits of learning in groups bring others in the same position together. You will not only find support in each other’s misery (just kidding!) but also find a solution to get through. In fact, when group study and auditory elements of speaking & listening come together, you are likely to pick up the pace. Isn't it one of the most unique benefits of group study?
7. Problem Resolving Gets Easy
Among many benefits of group study, the best one is that you can find the much-needed solution way faster. Sometimes, we do not have a strong grasp of a topic and end up with a line of queries. On top of that, not having someone to clear the cloud of confusion gets frustrating. However, one of the best benefits of group study is that you can discuss and answer questions with several other group members. You will have more time to do other things and improve your research skills.
8. Learn New Study Skills
One of the most important benefits of group study is picking up new study skills. With regular group studies, you can learn methods to learn difficult course material by heart. Your group can use new and effective studying methods and approach a subject that seems like a mystery. After trying and testing new methods, you can change your study program and find a way that suits you. If you are clueless about making a realistic study plan, the proven tips on how to study effectively will make you the star of your study group.
9. Few Extra Hands
One of the advantages of studying in groups is getting extra support. As you work toward shared learning goals in groups, you can encourage each other to stay motivated to reach their goals. Finishing your daily tasks does not feel tedious when you have friends helping each other and realise the different benefits of group study. Even if it seems easier said than done, finding the right people for a study group is difficult. However, you can ace the hacks of how to make friends in college, find the perfect partner, and get the best benefits of group study.
10. Makes You Committed
Being part of a study group can help you develop social and communication skills, as you must actively listen and communicate effectively with your group members. The importance of group study is that you never feel left out, and retreating is never an option. Pushed by peer motivation, you feel strong enough to conquer together. These advantages of study groups create a sense of community and support among the students, as they can motivate and encourage each other to succeed.
11. Reduces Anxiety
When the exams knock on our doors, most of us don’t have the time to catch our breath. Instead of succumbing to anxiety and sleepless nights, you can turn to your study partners and ask them to tutor you. It’s one of the best benefits of learning in groups because you find your new support system. Having a group study means you have someone to talk to about what you are going through. Plus, it’s just a human thing - you feel better when you see others in the same situation.
12. Accountability
Let’s say you become a tech lead in future. As a responsible leader, you will be accountable for everyone’s work. For some, this skill comes to many naturally, but some may fall behind. One of the great benefits of group study is you can learn how to be accountable for any work. While in a study group, you will learn how to keep track of everyone’s deadlines. You can also understand how to finish tasks on time while helping everyone.
13. Peer Review
Peer review is one of the vital benefits of group study. You can receive feedback from your study partners and understand how to work on the things you are behind. The suggestions and inputs you and your mates put together can create a holistic environment. With this collaborative style, you can get work done faster than usual.
14. Increased Confidence
One of the exciting advantages of group study is that you start believing in yourself! Let’s say you know that you have the bandwidth but cannot find the push to complete. Group study is a way to be more confident in your skin and mould yourself in a new way. Group members can also help you find your strengths and weaknesses for any topic. Then, you can work on how to turn your weaknesses into your greatest strengths.
15. Social Interaction
A study group is a great way to have productive and constructive interaction. You can gain insights and opinions from others regarding various topics, which can help them study better. This is one of the prominent advantages of study groups since it gets students to enhance their communication and delivery skills.
Effective Group Study Tips
As you are sitting down for a group study session, you will have to follow some tips if you'd like to have an effective session. Here are some tips you should follow;
1. When you sit for a group study, remember that your group should not have more than five members; this can affect the team's total productivity.
2. Appoint a responsible leader who will ensure that the group covers all the topics and pays extra attention to essential topics required to be assigned.
3. The group leader should also be responsible for setting timings and dates for the study sessions. The leader must ensure the group doesn't miss sessions.
4. All group members should be comfortable with asking questions, and they should not hesitate at all.
5. You should always remember that having fun is important, as it’s not a class. Learning outside the classroom is also one of the advantages of studying in groups.
6. Always do a quick catch-up of the previous day and remember to summarise the important points.
7. Bond with your study mates outside of class and the group as a bond will help you understand your concepts better.
8. You can also use the best study apps for students to be more productive and have fun while learning.
Now, you know there is an array of benefits of group study that you can easily tap into! You can stay organised, enhance your understanding of the material, improve your communication skills, and beyond. You can also use the best study planning apps to set a goal, take notes, and gamify your study sesh. Through the study group benefits, you can create a sense of community and grab opportunities to accelerate your academic & personal growth. In case you have started preparing for exams with your study partner, the tips on how to study for finals this year will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, have fun and learn the better way!