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Tips for Successful Humanities Study Group Meetings

January 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Study groups for the humanities can benefit students by letting them explore ideas and concepts with their peers in a format similar to a seminar class.  Here are some general tips for successful humanities study groups, which will differ from study groups for other types of classes.

  • Discussion-based format
    Structuring a humanities study group in a discussion-based format can greatly help students think on their feet and learn from their peers.  Instead of bringing class materials to read or flashcards to make, which are helpful in other classes, humanities students can instead bring a list of topics and conceptual questions to share with the group.  This way, students will be able to learn from each other, practice speaking and listening, and even create new ideas together as a group.
  • Concept-focused
    Similarly, when creating study guides or practice questions, humanities students should focus more on concepts and less on direct facts, especially if time is limited.  While some memorization might be necessary for the class, most humanities exams will be focused on conceptual understanding of the material, with questions that are structure in a similar fashion.  Students can better prepare for exams and gain a deeper understanding of the course concepts by focusing on idea-based learning during their study group meetings.
  • Circular seating
    Students should make an effort to sit in a circle, or at least in a less structured format than the typical classroom setup.  This will help them feel like everyone is on an equal footing, in addition to relaxing the study group, which will improve participation and comfort speaking to the group.  Many smaller humanities classes are trending toward this seating arrangement, so practicing sitting in a circle will ultimately help humanities students in the future as well.

These tips can help humanities students grow more comfortable discussing concepts openly with their classmates, which will later benefit them in class.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

The Ability to Collaborate with Other Students via Online Education

January 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Online collaborative learning efforts were promised to provide everyone with access to the best teachers available. When the concept rolled around, digital learning was still a reasonably new idea, but the implications were far reaching. No longer were students limited to the teachers that populated their school of choice, making selection of a school the ultimate limiting device.

With digital collaboration, the best teachers from each discipline were available to the best and brightest students, who would presumably seek them out. And the system has delivered on the promise. Qualified students are now able to learn from a professor of Harvard rank, while they live in Lincoln, Nebraska, far from the hallowed ivy covered school’s buildings.

It is now possible for the best and brightest to remain in a comfortable and familiar home setting, retaining their own cultural flavor, while collaborating with folks of a similar caliber from across the nation. No longer does coming from an area as remote as Lincoln mean that one’s opportunities are limited to whatever is available in the Midwest. Now, the best minds in physics, for example, can come together and learn about one another’s regional differences as they problem solve. For example, the physicist from South Central Los Angeles and the physicist from Bloomfield, Indiana can now appreciate one another’s cultural nuances while still getting a project completed.

Successful projects and collaborations lead to further unions, and online learning resources such as elearners.com allows talent to reach across the nation. Video chats put your project partner right there in the room with you, so collaborative efforts are more convenient. After this fashion, the best minds quickly learn that remaining at the top of a field of study necessitates remaining amongst the best and brightest in that field. Whether it is in person or via technology, that is no longer relevant. Specific personal traits can also be sought, so the group remains cohesive and highly productive.

Filed Under: Collaboration, Online Learning Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Organizing a Successful Creative Writing Workshop

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Once a class has been adequately prepared, organizing a successful creative writing workshop can be relatively simple.  Here are some basic techniques for creating and leading an effective workshop for writing students.

  • Reading the Work Aloud
    Having one student read the creative work aloud provides a nice opening to the workshop.  Not only will this get students comfortable with speaking aloud, but it will also help everyone hear the sound effects of the writing.  For poems, the entire poem should be read aloud; for short stories and articles, generally the first paragraph or two is enough to get a sense of how the work sounds.
  • Using “Say Back” Feedback
    To open the discussion, have the students “say back” their initial understanding of the plot or narrative, and what they thought the creative work was about.  This will give the author a general idea of any miscommunications that might have occurred, and it will ease the class into the workshop with a more objective commentary first.  “Say back” feedback can pave the way for more constructive criticism, as well as identify any differences in general understanding of the work.
  • Limiting Author Participation
    The author of the work should avoid participating too much in the workshop, as he or she could potentially sway the opinions of the other students.  For purely objective feedback, the author should not become involved in the discussion, either through clarifying certain segments, or through pointing out places where they were having difficulties.
  • Leaving Time for Questions
    At the end of the workshop, it’s important for the author to be able to ask any questions that he or she might have, either about the feedback or about the work itself.  Similarly, the other students might want to ask the author questions about unclear sections or places where they felt confused.  This will help improve everyone’s understanding without compromising the objectivity of the workshop.

These strategies can help student authors receive the most helpful feedback and have their questions answered, while letting other students in the class offer constructive suggestions for revision.

Filed Under: Education, Peer Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Methods of Conducting Peer Reviews

December 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Communications and discussions are greatly enhanced in any classroom with the help of peer reviews. A variety of methods can be adopted by teacher to carry these out.
General peer reviews are simple in form and the best method. These do not include any specific instructions but require an honest and unprejudiced review. Such reviews are for uninitiated teachers and students who are new to the concept.
Mini Groups
Mini groups comprise smaller groups of students. Each member of a group gives feedback to other members of his or her group. Such groups enable team bonding and effective learning.
Specific Questions
Students can have particular questions about their own papers they would like reviewed. They are encouraged to write down these questions at the beginning of the session and ask peers to take these into consideration while writing their review. This is a positive approach toward guided feedback that encourages students to have their work analyzed through questions and deliberations of their own.
Advanced Peer Reviews
Many advanced classes encourage paper writing as a mode of conducting peer reviews. This entails more complex and detailed peer reviews, requiring more lucid and effective communication. Such reviews may be saved for the latter part of the semester when students have got accustomed to writing peer reviews.
Questionnaires
A method of peer reviews that works well with uninitiated and shy students are questionnaires. These ensure reviews molded by teachers themselves. A set of questions can be set by the teachers, helping students compile their review.
Self-Evaluations
Perhaps the toughest yet most effective method of writing peer reviews is assessing one’s own work. This can be done based on some set questions such as ‘What is the biggest strength of your paper’, or’What grade would you give yourself for this paper’ and many other questions.
Peer reviews can be very beneficial for any classroom. The more a student writes, the more improved will be his or her communication.

Filed Under: Education, Peer Reviews, Study Groups Tagged With: , , ,

How to Create a Classroom Forum for Peer Review Online

December 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Computer usage among student groups goes beyond emails and instant messaging. If used appropriately, it can be converted to enhanced means of operation and collaboration.
Forums
Taking group communication a step ahead, forums can act as message boards. Posts by an individual invite comments or other responses from viewers. Moderated by teachers, forums can be a platform for students to communicate online and take active part in discussions and communications.
Nicenet
Nicenet is a free online tool that works as a class message board. It provides a secure forum to hold group conferences and share documents.
Nicenet: Steps for Teachers
Teachers can easily create a Nicenet forum within twenty minutes. Go to www.nicenet.org, click on “Create Class”. Create username and password, and class name. The optional name field should be filled so that students can associate with their teacher on the forum.
Teachers can now create topics of group conference, playgrounds for other conversations, and a “class key” that makes the forum secure.
Nicenet: Steps for Students
Student can visit www.nicent.org, and select “Join a Class”. They can then create a username and password, and join the class using the pre-created class key.
The teacher’s email address is used instead of personal ids of students to ensure security. Teachers should give students a demonstration of Nicenet to help them understand how to do group conferencing, share documents and post messages.
Class Wikis
Wikis allow online spaces to teachers and students to collaborate work easily. To create a class wiki, teachers need to create a username and password, name a wiki forum based on the class, and create a password the entire class can use. Teachers can decide the layout and create topics.
Students can access the wiki by entering the password given and create their username and password.
Online Collaboration
Online collaboration methods can truly allow for more positive education. They can widen the horizons for students by the range of opportunities and challenges offered.

Filed Under: Education, Peer Reviews, Study Groups Tagged With: , , , ,

Effective Study Group Tasks for Science Students

December 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Science course taken up in college can help shape the future of medical and nursing students. While they help in getting selected for competitive majors they also instill discipline, proper habits of studying and the determination to succeed.
The study skills offered by such courses help students to prepare better for further examinations, especially students of geology, biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology.
The Use of Index Cards
A lot of students spend more time preparing Notecards, rather than comprehending the subject of instruction. Index cards may be a more effective alternative. Tools such as prefixes and formulas can be easily memorized and carried in for tests and thus helping while answering multiple choice questions or problem solving sets. Brief definitions and vocabulary words can also be noted on cards. They should be made with little text, so as to avoid distraction. Markers and pens of different colors should be used. Index cards should be made as the lesson is in progress, rather than a week before the exam!
The Use of Mnemonics
Mnemonics help students with recall value related to specific topic and can be used by way of short phrases, acronyms or sequences of letters. Unique names and lists of objects can be easily remembered by the use of mnemonics.
The Use of Study Groups
Studying in groups is always a beneficial method for students of science. Study guides, mock question papers and more individual focus enable better subject understanding.
The Use of Note Reviews
Students in science classes should be encouraged to take notes that can help understand concepts taught in class better. Preparing ahead of the class is an excellent practice. It helps students have questions ready while the lesson is being taught at class.
Conclusion
Colleges and universities are now focusing on making the study patterns of science students more effective. Practices such as the ones discussed above are slowly bringing changes in student behavior.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , , ,

Mastering Your College Final Exam with these Study Group Tips

December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Final exams are crucial for students to pass and that too with excellent grades. They cover course material studied during the term year, which may seem enormous but can be studied efficiently.
The Most Important Sentences
The key ideas or concepts are explained in either the title sentence or the key sentences, that is, the first few sentences of a topic. Going over these ensures students understand a particular topic or concept.
Useful Reviews
Tests, quizzes and homework assignments over the course in a year can be the source of many of the exam questions. Students should carefully review these before the final exams.
Study Cards
Flashcard from elementary school can be converted into index cards that can contain important terms and concepts or formulas. Information on these cards can help students remember material or sections during exams.
Study Group
Study groups help break classroom numbers into smaller groups of students. This activity enables better focus on students, thus helping them resolve individual queries and questions. It also enables discussions, per reviews and mock tests that can enhance their learning experience to a great extent.
Students in a study group can compare notes; help each other identify problems and their solutions, thus enabling them to work together for completion of assignments. When uncertain about any topic, they can seek guidance as a group.
Explain to a Friend
A simple yet effective way of learning is to explain what you have learnt to a friend or even a roommate. This gives the student a chance to explain the course in an unhesitating manner and also gauge what the areas not fully understood are. This can help ascertain those sections that need more concentration.
Conclusion
A wide variety of methods are available for students to prepare for their final exams. These not only reduce time spent on studying but also help in achieving quality results.

Filed Under: Education, Study Groups Tagged With: , , , ,

Organize an Effective College Group Study

December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Effective study groups often help college students reduce time spent in studying and organize their studies better.
Planning the Study Group
Getting together a study group also entails determining the place, date and time. It could also imply booking a study room, section of the library or other such venue.
Preparing Mock Test Questions
An effective method of initiating study groups is to ask each member of the group to prepare mock test questions that can then be answered during the meeting.
Allocating Topics
Different topics can be given out to different students of the study group so as to make each student an expert on a topic. The notes, material and research prepared by a student on his or her topic can be shared with the rest of the group, with important sections emphasized. While a number of topics can form part of the study group, only limited time needs to be spent by each student on researching all these topics.
Completion of Review Guides
Study groups often get review guides to be filled out before their meeting. These offer practice questions and introduce concepts expected to appear in the examination. Completed review guides can be discussed and shared during the study group meeting.
Study Groups: Enabling Better Understanding
Study groups offer students a comfortable environment to pose questions and understand topics in better way. They can also be useful in comprehending difficult sections of the course material. Students can prepare a list of all their queries and issues before arriving and discussing them during the meeting.
Not only do study groups help students grasp course material in a better manner, they also help them prepare more efficiently for the final exams. With the aid of review guides, mock exam questions and study group guides, students have the opportunity to fare better and learn more.

Filed Under: Education, Student Teacher Reviews, Study Groups Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to Managing Peer Reviews

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Peer reviews enable students to engage in writing process and them to share their work with others before submitting it to the teacher. One drawback of this is students hesitate to share their work with other classmates. Managing an entire and huge class becomes difficult in case of peer reviews.
Unpreparedness to Avoid Peer Reviews
There are lots of students who do not wish to participate in peer reviews. They attend classes without carrying a rough draft or enough copies that can be shared with the peer group students. Often students are found giving excuses that there was a fault with the printer and so on.
Teachers are left with two options. They can warn the students in advance that students will not be allowed to sit in the class in case they fail to come unprepared. The other option is to allow the students to attend classes during peer review for a certain period of time.
Asking those students who come unprepared allows the instructor to manage the small peer groups. On the other hand, students who don’t show interest in peer reviews feel happy that they have a free period.
Managing Peer Groups
If the period lasts for one hour, the small number of peer group students will have ample time to engage in reading and discussing nearly five pages.
Students should not be given the opportunity to pick up their own peer groups because they tend to form groups with their friends. Instead, teachers should assign students to different peer groups.
As short writing assignment is given to every student involved for peer group, in order to determine students having the same kind of writing skills.
Peer groups can be organized and managed in different ways. After two or three peer review sessions, teachers can find out what works out well.

Filed Under: Education, Peer Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Peer Reviews Improves the Essay Paper Experience

December 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Several students reviewing an essay make it even better.
Meaning of a Peer Review
It is a review session held in a classroom setting where students are asked to review each other’s work. Normally, instructors ask the students to just review and offer constructive feedback, whereas in some cases, special instructions are given to the peer group members.
Reason for Participating in Peer Reviews
In schools as well as colleges, peer review sessions are conducted by instructors.
Since, the students are working on the same kind of paper (say for instance an English essay) they know what is expected of each other‘s work. The students can give feedback that would have otherwise been given by the instructor. It’s not possible for the instructor to give immediate feedback as it takes time to sit and grade nearly 25-30 papers at a time. On the other hand, students can give quick and constructive feedback. The instructor can supervise the group members.
Students can learn how to give feedback as he can compare the essay with his own work. This helps him in identifying and providing constructive feedback. By giving and receiving feedback, students learn a lot
The feedback given by another student is easier to understand
How to Give Feedback?
- Being honest while giving feedback is important
-The tone of your feedback really matters. Be polite rather instead of sounding rude
-Offer constructive feedback that proves to be of great help to the receiver
-Give straightforward answers
- It’s important to respect each other’s work
Some students dislike the idea of peer review sessions. If they are new to the concept they might fear or be embarrassed to take part. It’ important to have a positive attitude and the thirst to learn, as most of the peer review sessions are useful to students.

Filed Under: Education, Peer Reviews, Study Groups Tagged With: , ,
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