A new study published in the Nature Scientific Reports Journal has found that college students who interact online regarding their courses tend to do better in them, scoring significantly higher than students who joined online study discussions much later or were less active during those.
Group studying boosts your academic performance
This study established that new ways of sharing and exchanging information helps individuals progress academically, as the Internet provides a potent pedestal for exchanging advice, tips and information. As the study confirmed, people who joined later the discussions found it harder to catch up and often their initiated discussions weren’t pick up by others.
Group studying, this study then suggests can help students get higher end-of-course scores as well as become more popular among their classmates for being the initiators of these study discussion interactions.
So how can you tangibly benefit from studying with others than on your own?
-New ideas and questions are put on the table, ideas yo wouldn’t possible think of yourself.
-Get access to viewpoints and mindsets different from your own that is more likely to make you more sensitive to different ideas as well as allow you to re-evaluate your own
-Creates a chain reaction of different ideas, opinions and perspectives that will make learning more efficient and long-lasting
-You get motivation to study harder, you feel less alone as you see how others are going through the exact same situation as you
-It’s certainly more fun and creative, you might even pick up a new study skill or strategy someone else is using and proves to be effective.
However to reap all the benefits a study group, or an online study discussion might offer there has to be some ground rules, like increased focus and group discipline, frequent breaks to avoid frustration, equally engaged and productive contributions.