Peer Study Groups

Why Study with Peers?

Working with peers in a study group has many advantages. Study groups can help you…

• Understand material in a deeper way
  In most classes at UM, students are expected to apply their knowledge to new situations or problems rather than simply memorize facts. When students work in groups, they have the opportunity to explain concepts, discuss ideas, disagree with one another and reason through why one person’s answer is different from another. It also allows students the opportunity to see how other students grapple with course concepts and what strategies they use to attempt to make meaning of the course material. In addition, being able to articulate a concept to another student often requires a fuller understanding of that concept, which then also means the student will more likely be able to apply that concept in different testing formats.
• Improve your note-taking skills
  Sharing notes with peers allows group members to see the various ways their peers organize course content but also which concepts their peers consider important and/or “test worthy.” Ultimately, this activity can help all group members to more effectively organize and utilize their notes.
• Take advantage of each person’s strength
  Each group member has something different to offer to the study group whether it is the ability to organize well, take notes effectively, stay on task, or create effective test questions. Additionally, each person processes information differently based on past experiences, previous knowledge and the lens through which he/she sees the world. Small groups can benefit when members share information, strategies, and personal experiences.
• Share the Workload
  An effective group can save time as tasks can be divided between members.
• Increase Your Motivation
  Having a set day and time to study with peers can help members keep up with studying rather than putting it off until the night before the test. Additionally, studying with other students can make learning the material more enjoyable and serve as a stress-release, especially before an exam.
• Solve Complex Problems
  It is often easier to work through a complicated math problem or a physics question with other students in the class. Each student may understand different aspects of the problem and may be able to help the other group members see different ways of approaching and solving the problem.
• Prepare you for the Work World
  Most professional careers require collaboration with colleagues on projects, so college study groups are excellent practice for this.

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How Do I Establish a Study Group?

• Choose the participants wisely
  Look for students who do well in the course or show an interest in learning; students who ask questions and respond to the instructor’s questions; students who take notes in class; and students who attend the course regularly. Be careful about studying with friends with whom you mostly socialize and who do not share your academic goals; they may serve as a distraction rather than a good study partner. Pick classmates who seem to share your interest in doing well in class. It is also advantageous to include someone in your study group who understands the material better than you and someone who understands less. Doing so will provide you with someone who can explain concepts to you and someone to whom you can explain the material.
• Limit the group to 4-6 members
  Once a group gets larger than about 6 people, the effectiveness of the group may drop as it is more likely that not all the members will contribute. Additionally, it is more difficult to schedule a meeting time with a larger group. Conversely, if a group is too small, it is easier for the members to get side-tracked.
• Meet to establish the logistics of the study group
  The purpose is to talk about the logistics of forming the group, including setting the goals for the group and establishing how often it will meet. This will give the members the opportunity to decide if they want to be a part of it or not. Be sure to do the following:
• Set Expectations. Members should agree to be prepared for the study sessions. So if the group will be discussing concepts from chapter 7 and the notes, all members should have Chapter 7 read before the meeting, and they should bring their notes and textbooks to the meeting.
• Create a basic agenda for the next meeting. For example, perhaps you will review and discuss two concepts from chapter seven that the group members are struggling with along with class notes that correspond with that chapter. Pick a place that will allow you to spread out books and papers and to talk to each other.
• Establish a meeting time for each session. Try to choose the same time and day of the week for your meetings to establish the study group as part of your routine, which will help to ensure consistent attendance. Try to limit the length of the meeting; 1-2 hour time limit will help to ensure members are focused and have the time to attend.
• Exchange names and contact information and determine how you will communicate with each other should a change in the meeting time be necessary.
  
  

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What Are Some Guidelines for Running a Study Group?

In order for a study group to be useful, it is important that its members establish ground rules that create an environment of trust and respect so that all members feel their contributions are valued. When such an environment exists, members are more willing to take risks, to think more creatively and be more open, which leads to a deeper, richer discussion.

• Expect members to be prepared
  All members should bring notes, textbooks and other materials and be prepared to discuss the material. Before a session, each member should complete any assigned readings, review notes and jot down concepts he/she would like to discuss. If members are prepared, the study group will be able to devote its time to understanding the material more deeply rather than simply reviewing the basics.
• Avoid allowing the group to become a place for note-gathering
  Discussing notes and sharing notes can certainly be a part of an effective study group, but try to discourage members from using the group as a way to get notes from class. Discourage members from seeing the group as a replacement for attending class.
• Respect different viewpoints
  UM is a diverse university with students from around the world. Thus, it is advantageous to encourage all members to contribute; it is equally important that members listen to and consider input from all members and avoid quickly dismissing an idea. Each person brings a unique set of experiences and background that can add an important dimension to the group discussion.
• Create a safe environment by accommodating different learning/working styles
  Some members of your group will jump right in with their thoughts and comments, but other members may need more time to process information and to consider ideas before commenting. Furthermore, some members may not feel comfortable participating because they are not confident in their knowledge. Therefore, it is a good idea to structure different activities in the group to allow people of varying working styles to participate. For example, incorporate 5 minute activities that require members to write down a response before sharing it with the group. If the group consists of 6 members, it might help to occasionally divide the group into pairs to work out a problem together and then share with the group.
• Offer tactful comments
  Allow a member to finish his/her idea before responding and then offer tactful, constructive comments. If members feel that their ideas are being attacked, they will stop participating or stop attending. Ultimately, a group will not work if members perceive it as an unsafe environment to share their questions and thoughts.
• Avoid allowing one or two people to dominate the group
  Groups can address this before it becomes a problem by setting guidelines when they form the group. For example, the group can decide that no one person can speak for more than three minutes or that once a person speaks he/she cannot speak again until another person offers a comment. The group could also elect a facilitator who guides the discussion, keeps the group on task and is responsible for asking feedback from all members. Be sure to rotate the role of facilitator to allow each member to have the opportunity to guide the discussion and help to ensure that all members’ voices are heard.

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How Do I Conduct a Study Group?

Logistics of the Meeting

• Establish Realistic Goals for the Meeting
  Knowing what you want to achieve at each session helps the group stay focused and manage its time. At the start of each meeting, a designated session leader should state what the goals are. For example, the session leader might announce, "Today we'll review the 5 concepts we discussed during our last meeting and then discuss the theorems introduced in class on Wednesday, which are also discussed in chapter 7." Be realistic about how much you can cover in one hour or two hours. It is not always possible to review an entire chapter in an hour, so focus on a couple of concepts that are particularly important and/or problematic.
• Decide the Format for the Session
  Will the group spend the first 15 minutes reviewing concepts from the last meeting, the next 30 reviewing a difficult concept/idea from this week’s lecture, and the final 15 minutes brainstorming test questions? Determine how you will structure your time. See Practical Ideas for Learning the Material.
• Consider Assigning Roles to Group Members
• Establish Expectations for the Next Meeting
  End each meeting with a basic agenda for the next meeting. Remind group members what they need to do to be prepared for the next meeting.
• Set Ground Rules for the Group
  See Guidelines to Help the Group Run Smoothly

Practical Ideas for Learning the Material

• Assign roles to group members and take turns teaching and leading
  Assigning roles to group members may help the group work more efficiently. Roles to consider are chairperson, note-taker/recorder, timekeeper, presenter, etc. It is important, though, to at least assign one person as the taskmaster. This person's job is to steer the group members back to the topic if they begin to drift. Be sure to allow everyone the chance to teach and to be taught. When you instruct the group, you not only help the other group members, but you also reinforce your own knowledge. Each week select a person who will guide the discussions for the next week and keep the group focused on the agenda. This person does not do the work for the group, but serves as the facilitator of the group for that week.
• Compare and discuss lab/lecture notes for important concepts and understanding of those concepts
  

• Try to reach a consensus on what the group thinks is important in the notes.
• Talk about discrepancies in members' notes. Make sure all members agree about what was said and its meaning. Check discrepancies among members' notes by consulting the textbook or by asking the instructor to embellish or illustrate points made in class.
• Be sure that all group members have a good grasp of those important concepts. Ask each member to explain one of the important concepts to the group. The group can offer clarification, ask questions, consult the textbook/notes to ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of the concepts. If there are concepts that the group finds confusing, elect a volunteer from the group to the professor on behalf of the group. Then, at the next meeting, the volunteer shares the professor’s response. (Note: each member is responsible for his/her own learning, so if you are still struggling with a concept, go to the professor yourself).
  
  
• Learn the material at two distinct levels
  First, make sure you know the material by drilling one another with questions that help you to remember the information at a basic level (memorization). Try to ask and answer questions using your own words, which has a strong, positive association with memory and learning. Second, it is critical to learn the information at a deeper level. You can accomplish this by using several techniques such as (a) asking one another questions that focus on the application of the material being learned; (b) asking one another to compare and contrast questions; (c) discussing why the information is useful; and (d) discussing how the material is applied in a broader context. For example, how do several aspects or areas of the lecture and textbook readings come together to make greater, holistic sense? Attempt to discuss the significance of materials learned earlier in the course to the areas being discussed in later class lectures and readings.
• Brainstorm possible test questions that ask you to apply the material being learned
  One activity your group can incorporate into your session is practicing test questions. Members can bring several possible test questions to the group meeting or you can generate them during the meeting. Be sure to leave at least 5 to 10 minutes of each session for brainstorming possible test questions. Then during the current meeting or the following meeting, go over these questions and brainstorm solutions and answers to the questions. Figure out where in your notes, handouts, and books the answers can be found. Be sure someone in the group takes notes and makes those available to all members.
• Have each member take responsibility for one section of a chapter
  Divide the sections among the group members and have each member review the section, summarize it and develop a few questions for the group. Give everyone about 10 minutes to prepare. Then each member shares his/her summary and asks the group to answer the questions he/she has developed. Members can work individually on answering all of the questions or the questions can be divided among the members. Alternately, members can work in pairs to answer the questions or the entire group can work together to find the answers. Then members share their answers, the rationale for their answer and where they found the information. The other group members help by clarifying ideas of the speaker and by gently correcting any misinformation. If members struggle to develop questions, they can turn headings and subheadings into questions.
• For specific peer group study techniques, consult these resources:
  

  http://www.dso.iastate.edu/asc/supplemental/SIShowcaseCollaborative.pdf
  
  http://www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~chemwksp/Spring2001.pdf#page=1
  
  http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/CL/doingcl/clstruc.htm

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