Study Groups


When you study, do you sometimes:

A study group may be the answer.

What's a study group?
Study groups are groups of students from within a class who get together on a regular basis (usually once a week) to study. Groups members share responsibility for what they are learning. They discuss class materials and concepts, work together to solve problems, develop and take practice tests, compare notes, and anything else they can do to share the load and help one another to succeed.

I study with my friends. What's the difference?
There may not be any. If your friends meet together on a regular basis and take a group approach to studying (that is, you share responsibilty for learning together) than you are in a study group. Keys to effective study groups, though, are leadership and structure.

Developing a structured process for your group is as simple as establishing individual responsibilities for group members, dividing up sections of units to study, divising ground rules for discussion, or agreeing to an agenda for each week. Structuring your sections insures that they will be productive, that members participate equally, and that everyone benefits.

Study group leaders ensure that the agreed-upon structure is adhered to and that the sessions run smoothly. Some groups chose a single leader, while others rotate the leadership role each week.

Is studying in groups better than studying alone?
There are many advantages to studying in groups. For starters, it's a lot of fun. You're sharing your struggle and success with others. Your also sharing knowledge. Often, a classmate can explain something you didn't understand in the lecture in a way that makes more sense to you, for instance. And you're sharing resources. You can share notes, reference materials, experiences.

Importantly, in a study group you often are put in a position of sharing what you're learning with others. When you show something you've learned to someone else, it helps your own memorization and understanding tremendously. Students who participate in study groups often say that they enjoy the subject and the work more, and understand things better than if they studied alone.

Do AEC tutors lead the groups?
Sometimes. Often, though, the AEC will have a facilitator work to get your group organized and started up, and help with establishing structure, offering guidelines and strategies, and staying in touch to be sure everything is running smoothly.

So how do I join a group?
Begin by contacting the AEC (874-2367) to see if a group already exists from you class. There may already be a group for you to join, and most groups accept members at any time.

If there is no group for your class, ask the AEC to help you organize one. We can send a person over to your class, or ask your professor to circulate a sign-up sheet. Once you have a group, we'll help you to get it going.