The boards are so near. Covering the vast sea of syllabus seems to be a daunting task. Worry not. Group studies can help you lessen your burden. But as we say every coin has two sides and so is the case with the group studies. Let us shed some light on the positive and the negative aspects of the group studies.
Advantages
If you abide by the rules then, group studies can work wonders. As students participate in the discussion more freely without any inhibitions, and this increases their confidence as well as knowledge. Group study is like sharing a lunch box among the friends, which is interesting as well as enjoying to them. There will a mutual transfer of knowledge among the friends. As this is an academic discussion, the concept or subject matter will be etched in their minds. One person can prepare one topic while the other can prepare a different one. Then, the two can explain it to each other making the concept clear in a short span of time. Moreover when one student explains a concept to another, sometimes using the free NCERT Textbook Solutions available, he reinforces the concept for himself. Studying is useless if the knowledge gained can‘t be reproduced when required. Group studies substitutes the role of a teacher, your own friend can be your guide. While studying in a group, different ideas fuse together to create a new one. It also enlarges the perspective of the student and makes him think out of the box. A study group is beneficial intellectually but also emotionally, as students encourage each other to study. May be the fear of explaining will compel you to go in depth of the topic and you will be well versed with it then. It also gives you a chance to evolve your thought process and give a boost to your learning.
Disadvantages
A study group only works if everyone does their part. The outcome is generally based on the weakest link rather than the strongest one. This means that, if one student is weak, his presence may be detrimental to others. There are times when there is clash of views and suddenly the calm and serene atmosphere turns into a loud and rowdy one making it difficult for everyone else to stay on track. An unmotivated or underprepared group can turn into one long gossip session. These arguments and pointless discussions may lead to waste of time and fruitless results. Studying in a group sometimes can work the other way, if someone explains< span style=”letter-spacing: -1.2pt;”> the topic incorrectly.
Thus a group study is teamwork and requires diligent work by all the members. It is all up to the members whether you turn it into a boon or bane.
