The Pros and Cons of Group Study

There are many people who love working alone and are effective going solo. But in the real world outside of school, most jobs require the ability to function in a team and interpersonal skills are something that employers look for. From the big accounting firms like KPMG and Deloitte to government departments or small start-up companies, teamwork is one of the most consistently desired traits  expressed by employers. So it’s worth thinking about ways to incorporate teamwork into your VCE® Exam preparation routine, even if it remains a minor part of your overall exam strategy.

One way to do this is to form a study group. The size of the group doesn’t really matter, but it should be manageable and everyone in it should be serious about working towards the common goal of enhancing understanding of the subjects.
 

There are many advantages to be gained from studying with friends. Many believe that group study helps students stay motivated if lack of willpower has been a problem for them. This is because in a group environment, students are less likely to procrastinate. When you’re working alone it can be easy to dawdle and waste time watching YouTube videos (don’t pretend you haven’t done this!)- but when you’re accountable to other members of a group then it’s a lot harder to dillydally.
 

Many humanities and social science VCE® Exam subjects benefit from group work because they require creative thinking in response to a text or historical situation. In English for example, the wisdom of a group may allow to identify many more facets in a novel than a single person’s outlook would have been. When discussing literature such as William Shakespeare’s play ‘Measure for Measure’, it can be useful to bounce ideas off friends to see what they think. Another potential benefit is that you may be able to learn faster and anticipate the kinds of questions that could be asked on exams.

For math or science VCE® Exam, group study can be beneficial in improving recall of formulas and concepts. Speaking to others and explaining theories to them solidifies one’s understanding since to explain something one must first understand it very well. A fun game is for group members to test each other’s ability to solve math questions in a limited time, with the winner being treated to free food or drink.

Of course, these benefits can only come about if the right people are members of the group. In order to form a productive team that doesn’t digress into a gossip session, it’s crucial to invite only those who are willing to pull their weight. Even one rowdy or unprepared student can hold back a group significantly, since his or her presence can be detrimental to the focus of others. One way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to establish a vision and put together a checklist of tasks and dates for completion. Every week, a performance assessment to see whether goals are being met can ensure that the group stays on track.

To achieve success, it’s not necessary to have geniuses in the group! Even mediocre students can achieve great things. When the American basketball team lost the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics despite a roster of all-star players, the pundits wondered how such amazing players could lose. The answer was simple: while individually they were great, there was little diversity in talent (in particular, point guards who could direct on-court play and set up scoring opportunities) and there was a lack of preparation which hindered cohesive game play.

With the right study skills, the sum becomes greater than the individual part as the weaknesses of one person are offset by the strength of another!