| 
Effective Use of Student Study Groups
My students often gather in groups to study, especially prior to an exam. When I asked one student why she wasn't joining the study group, she said that they always get off track and end up talking about other things, so she didn't think it was the best use of her time. As instructors, we can (and should) give guidance to help students use study group opportunities more effectively.
You may have heard that organized study is more effective than not having a plan, and the same applies to study groups. Organized group activities make the best use of group study time.
Following are some examples of organized study group activities that assist students in staying on task while still allowing them to enjoy the social experience.
Art applications: One example is physically drawing pictures of the lesson to be learned. This appeals to the visual learning style of many people. Students might draw individual surgical instruments, the circulation of the blood through the heart, a design for an ergonomic and useable reception area, interpretation of facial expressions, and so forth. They might color the tops of vacuum tubes and label pictures. Labeling pictures also helps with spelling.
Computer applications: Researching a subject as a group or individually researching one piece of the subject and coming together as a group to share the parts with each other allows students to teach each other. As teachers, we all know how well information “sticks” when we teach it. Have the study groups make up PowerPoint presentations of certain topics. (They may let you keep them in your PPT library for later use!)
Game playing: When creating a game (e.g., Hangman) or flash cards, those creating the game or game pieces learn as much as the players. Chutes and Ladders is a reward game that allows players to jump ahead if they answer correctly and fall behind if they don't. Jeopardy awards points; Bingo helps with facts.
Mnemonics: Making up a little “ditty” is sometimes a good way to memorize a list of items, such as the bones of the ankle or wrist. For example, “On Old Olympus' Towering Tops a Finn and German Viewed Some Hops” is a mnemonic to help in remembering cranial nerves. Sometimes I remember the ditty far better than the cranial nerves!
Making up tests: I give my students Study Guides to help them focus on the main points while studying. Each student in the group can make up questions from each point on the Study Guide. In other words, if one item on the Study Guide says, “Know what CLIA stands for and what its mission is,” the student might make up questions such as: “What does CLIA stand for?” and “Who does CLIA protect?” Students can even make up your tests for you!
These are just some ideas for group projects that will create an organized approach to studying together and help students stay on topic while really learning the subject. Following are some additional suggestions that help study groups stay manageable.
- Limit the group to about five people, more or less depending on how much time you have. The point is to give all the group members a chance to contribute and get their questions answered. Members need to come prepared with their books and study guides, and be on time so valuable study time isn't wasted in “catch-up.”
- Put someone “in charge.” This person acts as a facilitator to keep everyone on track. The person in charge can create an agenda with suggestions from each member, which also helps the group stay on track.
- Schedule regular meeting times, say, once a week. That way the study group becomes a part of the students' regular schedule, and you won't be in a panic to schedule a study session just before a test.
Your students will be able to come up with even more ideas, as students always do!
BACK
TO CONTENTS PAGE |
