Study Groups

Fall 2024 Study Groups

MEGR 2141

Creating New Study Groups

If you have a study group you’d like us to advertise or you’d like our help in forming a new study group, email us at uncc-ucae@charlotte.edu.

What do you do in a study group?

There are lots of ways to structure study groups depending on the subject area and the purpose. Below we have suggested tips, activities, and roles so you can start to figure out how to form and structure your study group.

Tips for Forming Effective Study Groups

Set clear goals.
At the start of the semester or at each session, the group should decide on specific goals. This could be finishing a chapter, preparing for an exam, or mastering a challenging concept.

Meet consistently.
Establish a regular meeting time once a week or more frequently during exam time. Keeping a consistent schedule helps everyone stay accountable. Use shared calendars to track meeting times and deadlines.

Come prepared.
Encourage each member to come prepared with questions, topics to discuss, or concepts they struggled with during individual study time. The more prepared the members are, the more effective the group session will be.

Encourage participation.
A group thrives on active participation from all members. Make sure that quieter students get the chance to contribute or ask questions. Consider assigning specific roles to help manage engagement.

Evaluate and adjust.
After a few sessions, group members should reflect on what is working and what is not. Do they feel the sessions are productive? Are the goals being met? The group can then make adjustments to improve.

Suggested Activities

Peer Teaching

What: Each group member takes a turn explaining a concept to the rest of the group. Teaching is a powerful way to reinforce knowledge and identify gaps in understanding.

How: Assign topics or sections of material for each member to teach. After each explanation, others can ask or provide feedback. Rotate topics in each session to ensure all members get experience both teaching and learning.

Problem-Solving Sessions

What: Collaboratively work through practice problems, case studies, or complex questions. Each member can propose solutions, and the group can discuss different approaches.

How: Choose a set of problems relevant to the current material. Work through them together, explaining each step as you go. Consider breaking into pairs to solve problems, then come back together as a group to discuss the solutions.

Speed Review or Flashcards

What: Conduct quick-fire reviews of key terms, concepts, or facts using flashcards. This works well for material that requires memorization like vocabulary, dates, or formulas.

How: One person reads a term and the others take turns answering. After several rounds, switch roles.

Mock Exams

What: Create and take practice exams based on past tests or textbooks. This helps students simulate the pressure of real exams and practice time management.

How: Each member creates a few questions based on the material for the next exam. Groups can then combine the questions to form a mock exam then review answers as a group.

Debates or Discussions

What: Pick a topic or concept from the material and hold a structured debate or discussion. This can be especially helpful for subjects like philosophy, literature, or social sciences, where multiple viewpoints or interpretations exist.

How: Split the group into opposing sides, with each side defending a point of view. After the debate, discuss the main takeaways and what everyone learned. Encourage members to back their arguments with evidence from textbooks, readings, or lectures.

Concept Mapping

What: Create visual maps to connect ideas and concepts. This works well for complex topics that involve multiple factors, steps, or theories.

How: Use large sheets of paper or whiteboards to map out key ideas. Start with a central concept and branch out to related subtopics.

Additional Resources:
Consider using tools like Google Calendar or GroupMe to organize members.
Use tools like Google Docs, Flashcards, and Quizlet to create study materials.
Check out Khan Academy, Coursera, or edX to find additional content.

Potential Roles

Group Facilitator

The Group Facilitator keeps the group on task and makes sure the discussion stays focused on the group’s goals. They might set the agenda for each meeting and/or moderate discussions.

Timekeeper

The Timekeeper tracks time spent on each topic to ensure the group sticks to the agreed upon scheduled. This is particularly useful if the group wants to focus on multiple topics or has an upcoming exam.

Note Taker

The Note Taker records key points from the discussion, ideas, and solutions covered during each session and makes those notes available to the group after each meeting.

Question Asker

The Question Asker is in charge with coming up with questions to quiz the group on the material being studied. This role is a great way to keep the group active and help members apply knowledge in real time.

Researcher

The Researcher looks up answers to questions that the group can’t solve during the session. This person might also bring additional resources, like articles or videos, that provide deeper understanding.