Blog Post 1, EDCI 339
Research Question: How will studying in isolation vs a group setting affect students’ long term study skills?
What I learned: This week I was able to compare the benefits and disadvantages of studying in isolation or in a group setting. My research concludes that the benefits of studying in isolation include working at your own pace, less distractions, etc Mansi (2025). When a student is able to work at their own pace, they are able to focus on reviewing areas they struggle in most Mansi (2025). This can eliminate lost time spent on studying areas they are confident in. They can also stay on task and not waste time spent on distractions from their peers while studying alone.
Focusing on the disadvantages of studying alone include students feeling isolated and making sure information is factual Mansi (2025). Isolation can trigger feelings of depression and anxiety. Students may experience these symptoms if they are isolated for long periods of time. Moving on to studying correct and factual information. It is easy to get off track when studying if there are no peers around to correct a student’s study material. Having poor study materials can lead to poor examination scores.
Studying in a group benefits differ. These benefits can include greater motivation in students, answered questions, and the sharing of new information Mansi (2025). Oftentimes watching your peers study motivates you to do the same. Your peers can be uplifting and encourage you to spend more time studying. They are also able to answer questions or confusion you may have with the content. It can quickly become frustrating when studying but you keep getting stuck on the same question. Having a peer to help you get over this bump allows for the student to eliminate some of their frustration. Additionally, they may open your mind to knowledge or topics you hadn’t thought of.
The negatives of studying in groups are distractions, being on a peers pace and coordinating schedules Mansi (2025). Young students often get caught up in conversation and chatter which can derail study time. Conversation about non school issued topics can waste time meant for studying Mansi (2025). Students may also find while studying in a group that what their peers may need to focus on studying isn’t what they need to GT Scholars. (2025). This results in too much time spent on topics the student is already comfortable with. Lastly, it can be hard to line up schedules that match.
My Reflection: A mixture of benefits and disadvantages can be found within both study methods GT Scholars. (2025). It is best for the average student to incorporate a balance of both methods into their schooling. It is hard to say which method’s benefits outweigh the other. Which is why specific students who prefer one method over the other should go with what has been proven to work best for them.
My next question: How would continuous study in isolation affect a student’s long term collaboration with their peers.
Next Steps:
-Create a survey for multiple of my peers to complete.
-The survey will contain questions based on how they feel about studying in isolation. I will question if they have felt emotions such as anxiety, stress or depression from studying alone.
-As well as if they feel greater results have come from studying alone or in a group.
-Which method they prefer.
-Lastly I will do my own research from the web and articles to see what experts have to say.
References:
Wilbraham, S., Jones, E., Brewster, L., Priestly, M. (2024, March). Inclusion or Isolation? Differential Student Experiences of Independent Learning and Wellbeing in Higher Education. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378819036_Inclusion_or_Isolation_Differential_Student_Experiences_of_Independent_Learning_and_Wellbeing_in_Higher_Education
Mansi, M. (2025, July 25). The Pros and Cons of Studying Alone vs. in Groups. Schoolhouse. https://schoolhouse.world/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-studying-alone-vs-in-groups
GT Scholars. (2025, April 25). Study Group Vs Studying Alone, What Boosts Academic Performance Better? Research shows. The GT Scholars Programme. https://gtscholars.org/study-group-vs-studying-alone-what-boosts-academic-performance-better-research-shows
Kanevsky, L. (2015, January). Do high ability learners enjoy learning alone or in groups? It depends… ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288243539_Do_high_ability_learners_enjoy_learning_alone_or_in_groups_It_depends