The wisdom is new for enough people that it is worth a mention. I see a lot of people who need this reminder. Likely, it will not be the last time you read or hear me say this.
Forming study groups are a great way to learn a lot in a short time.
What are the benefits to forming study groups?
Let's face it. Unless there is a benefit to you, why would you even consider doing something.
The good news is that there are a TON of benefits to forming study groups.
Learn New Topics: All of us know everything about everything, right? Wrong! Everyone can learn something else. Study groups get-togethers are great for addressing a topic that you just saw in class but cannot really grasp. Sometimes, the study group IS the class.
Improve Understanding of Old Topics: Even if we sort of know a topic, it never hurts to review. Often, we will see something that we didn't realize the first time. Have you ever watched a movie for a second time, only to say, "I didn't notice that," the first time you watched the movie? You probably missed things the first time. Review seldom hurts anyone.
Learn More Efficient Techniques: Perhaps, you know how to do something, and you know how to do it really well. Except that when you watch this other person do it, they do it just a little bit differently, and it seems to be easier that the way YOU do it. Study groups are a great place to learn new "tricks."
Develops a Habit: If your group meets regularly, then you are forcing yourself to do something, at least, every time you meet. Surely, it helps to do things between get-togethers, but regular meetings force you into a productive habit.
Provide Motivation: Outside of forming a habit, this might be the next most powerful benefit of study groups. They provide a source of encouragement--if you have the right people. They also serve as productive peer pressure, if they hold you accountable to do something in-between meetings.
Improve Ability to Ask for Help: Some of us are not very good about asking for help.
- Pride: Sometimes, it's a matter of pride. We don't want to admit to anyone, especially ourselves, that we actually have a weakness and NEED help. After a while, people in the group will get to know you well enough that you will not be able to hide the fact that you need help. After you receive the benefit of their help a few times, you are a lot more likely to feel more secure about it.
- Avoid Feeling Stupid: Sometimes, we fear what other people will think of us for "not knowing THAT." Again, when you receive the benefit of help enough times, you'll begin to overcome this.
- Unable to Identify: Sometimes, we know EXACTLY what question to ask. Many times, though, we have trouble even knowing what we don't know. We can't identify what is keeping us from understanding; we just feel generally lost. As you begin to increase your comfort level with the group, people will help you identify what you don't know, and you'll eventually know to check for things within yourself that you would not have thought to check before meeting with the group.
- Unable to Communicate: We've all known that we don't know something, but we have a hard time asking the question that we need answered. We might ask, but nobody else understands our question. Sometimes, it's the group. Many times, though, it is our inability to translate our confusion into words. The more we do this, the better we will be. This is an extremely valuable skill.
Guidelines to Make Study Groups Productive
I see lots of groups, and I've been part of several of them. If your experience is like mine, not all groups are the same. Sometimes, it's the fault of the people. Sometimes, it's the group's fault. Other times, it's just you (or me).
There are a few things that will make or break a group's success.
Schedule Regular Meetings: The group needs to meet at a time and place that is easy to remember. More importantly, you want to make sure that it is tough to forget. People have lives and schedule things. If they know when you are meeting, they know not to schedule anything else during that time. Plus, "whenever" meetings tend to cause people lose their interest. A group is supposed to reduce stress--not add to it.
Have a Goal: Know what you want to accomplish. I've seen (and been part of) too many groups have the habit of getting together. Yet they seldom actually accomplish anything. Most people need direction, and a goal is one of the best directors.
Encourage Questions & Be Patient Answering Them: Different people in the group will be at different knowledge levels, will have different level abilities to learn, and have different speeds at which they learn things. Everyone needs to be patient and encouraging. Otherwise, people will feel less comfortable asking questions--one of the main reasons for getting together.
Include the Right People: A person who might have a lot to give a lot of people might not have anything to offer this particular group. Sometimes, personalities just don't mesh properly. Other times, the goals collide. You need to assess whether the people in the group add to it. At the very least, you need to make sure that nobody is subtracting from it.
Really Want to Learn: Sometimes, we begin going to a group, but we do not get much from it. There are lots of reasons, but one common but often overlooked reason is that the group's topic is just not that important to us. If we catch ourselves doing this, we need to ask whether we're serious about learning this. If so, then we need to adjust our attitude. If we are not, then we should stop attending the group.
How can you form a study group?
There are many ways you can form a group.
Most of the time, the group forms from a class or a larger group. You meet people there and simply ask if they want to meet to discuss different topics or assignments (classroom or job).
You can also announce it on the radio. (That's pretty costly, though.)
You can use offsite marketing methods. You can post Classified Ads. You can announce it within your blog (if you have one). You can write a press release.
There are many things that you can do.
You can even ask people you meet during a conversation and invite them to a group.
Where can your group meet?
Your group can meet nearly anywhere, really.
Some of the more common places to meet are at a public library. You can meet at the university, if you have one near you. You can meet at a coffee or bagel shop. (Many of them, like Panera, have wireless access, which is nice if you have a laptop.)
If the weather permits, you can meet at a park. Although, you probably will not have internet access there.
If you know each other well enough, you can meet at someone's house. (Be careful with this. Make sure that you truly trust the person.)
Study groups are great for learning new things.
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