FACILITATE YOUR OWN STUDY GROUP

HOW TO:

Pre-Group

o Take Initiative Meet with the professor about

starting a group. Professors may help guide your

topic choice.

o Be Decisiveo Establish time & public meeting

place; let others know details.

o Think About Ito If possible, could you make an

announcement in class? Would the professor send a mass email to the students with study group information? Could you collect emails and then send a mass email?

o How do YOU get the word out?

o Create Objectiveso Group must have purpose.o Use four

topics/questions/concerns as a guideline.

o Be Consistento Don’t get discouraged if the

group isn’t popular at first.o Keep meeting time & place

consistent.o Announce the group in class

every two weeks? Before tests?o Think QUALITY (of session) over

QUANITITY (of attendees).

During Group

Be in Charge Be a leader early on in the group. Lead enough to get things

started, then…

Be Calm Work together towards group

objectives. Allow for tangents. Remember: objectives are a

GUIDE, not the RULE.

What YOU Know Draw on current knowledge. Build on concepts that everyone

grasps. Use that information to better

understand more difficult information.

What you DON’T Know What questions do group members

have? What don’t you know? Is that info important?

Ask? What happens when group members

conflict? Use this to move toward group consensus.

Ask professor to clarify those concepts which the group is struggling.

After Group/ End of Session

What Now?o Review? Summarize?

o What was covered?o Relate that to upcoming topics.

o Plan another session?o Try to schedule around tests/quizzes.

o Visit All-Campus Tutoring? o They may be able to help!

o Visit with the professor?o Ask for clarification.

THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IS THE PROPERTY OF NORTHERN

MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY’S ACADEMIC & CAREER ADVISEMENT CENTER. IT MAY

NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT.WWW.NMU.EDU/ACAC

“How To” Facilitate Your Own Study Group

Special thanks to Michele Woodford for her design help with this presentation.