Why Group Study is More Effective - Essay Example

Moreover, an individual's understanding of a subject is often incomplete and can be complemented by the (also incomplete) knowledge of others, so taking turns in explaining the difficult parts will build confidence in everyone involved. Also, group study encourages explaining out loud to the group, and by listening and speaking to others, the students' recall can be improved, which is particularly important during exams. 2. How does 'asking questions of other students improve your learning and theirs Asking questions is the converse of contributing comments; essentially, asking questions is a way of encouraging the members to formulate their own explanations.

By asking for clarification whenever one fails to understand something, the student will gain useful insights that he might not yet have considered. By arranging his confusion into a question, any inconsistencies in the student's thinking can be pointed out to him, and the assumptions implied by his question are at the same time exposed to the scrutiny of the group. Furthermore, because of the diverse personalities in study groups, each individual will likely have something unique and useful to contribute to the group; and by asking questions, these unique traits can be encouraged to surface. 3. How can you learn from helping others who understand less than youA good way of reviewing one's knowledge is by explaining the concepts involved in the subject matter, especially to a study group, thus it is advisable that students take the responsibility of teaching each other.

If the student can explain it, it means he understands it, and by working towards an accurate explanation, the student simultaneously works toward more comprehension. By being obliged to explain, a student may reveal (to himself and to the group) important connections that have been previously overlooked. Because the students are also doing the talking, each becomes exposed to many differing viewpoints. Thoughts that an individual may not have considered will be brought up, and questions that might appear in tests are better anticipated.