Studying with Others
Maximize your learning by connecting with peers through the Student Success Centre
Connect your Academics with your Community
Working with others is a common component of many university classes. This can include things like group projects, formal study groups, or simply asking a classmate about a missed lecture. Connecting with peers, teaching assistants, and professors is a great opportunity to get the most out of your university experience.
Below, you will find a variety of blogs, videos, tip sheets, and worksheets to add to your time management tool kit. You can use blogs, videos, and tip sheets to gain more information on a topic or strategy. You can practice applying these strategies to your own context by using the worksheets. To save your worksheet progress, review our instructions on how to use a PDF.
Working in Groups
Making a study group is a great way to stay motivated and connect with classmates. Study groups can also help you establish a routine and test drive different study practices. When starting a study group, you’ll have to consider how you’ll find members, how you’ll meet and communicate with one another, and what guidelines to set in place to ensure there are no issues with academic integrity.
Given the variety of schedules and modes of class delivery, your study group may choose to meet online. For strategies to help you make the most of your group's time, watch our Studying Online with Others video. If you're new to Zoom, it may be helpful to watch our How to Use Zoom for Groupwork video tutorial.
For more information about the process of setting up study groups, and how to troubleshoot any issues that may arise, check out of Study Group Strategies webpage.
While study groups were required to take place online during 2020/2021, connecting with classmates online is nothing new. There are a number of reasons you and your group mates might prefer to meet virtually, perhaps you have schedules that don’t allow you to overlap much, or a long commute preventing you from making it to campus at a particular time. There are a number of ways you can continue to connect with classmates conveniently, effectively, and without academic integrity issues. For more suggestions, check out our Four Steps for Working in Groups Online blog. To find a virtual study group through the Student Success Centre, have a look at our Peer Study Groups webpage to see what groups are being offered.
Working in groups can be a great way to meet other students, especially in courses outside of your usual discipline. Group projects can also help deepen your understanding of a topic as you discuss different aspects with your peers. Working in groups can also be challenging when groupmates are unclear on expectations or have different working methods. For suggestions on how you can set expectations early on, read our Setting Up Successful Group Work blog or watch our Online Groupwork video. For advice on troubleshooting issues, read our Tips for Common Group Work Issues blog.
Office Hours
Attending instructor’s office hours can be daunting at first, however, connecting with your instructors early and on a regular basis can be an excellent tool for success. Office hours can be used to clarify course content, get to know your instructors more directly, gain insight into the instructor’s field of study. If you’re considering the different paths you can take as you progress through your degree, these insights can help guide your decisions and influence your academic and career goals. For a student’s perspective on the importance of office hours, check out our Why You Should Go to Office Hours blog. If you’re wondering why instructors strongly recommend you attend office hours, check out our Connecting with Instructors during Office Hours blog. To help you prepare for your next trip to office hours, use our Attending Office Hours worksheet.
What Else Should I Know?
The Student Success Centre’s PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) program helps you improve your comprehension and academic performance through free, organized study groups for PASS designated courses. Through supplemental instruction, PASS Leaders can help you with course content through directed group discussion in a course-specific context. PASS will help you succeed academically in your course by offering alternative approaches to course material. You get as much out of a PASS seminar as you put in: if you collaborate, answer questions, and work with others, you will learn a lot and probably make a few friends too!
Maintaining academic integrity while earning your degree represents your true academic accomplishments. Many students have questions about what exactly academic integrity really means and how to avoid it. We know that this is very big concept, so rest assured that there are many ways to learn more about it. Visit our Academic Integrity webpage for a selection of workshops, definitions, and tip sheets to help deepen your understanding.
With classes and some student services taking place both online and in person, you may find yourself on campus and in need of a space to attend a lecture or an appointment. For an overview of the different study spaces on campus, access our Where Can I Study On Campus tip sheet.
The University has created a study space map that indicates the location and capacity of different study spaces around campus. Check back with this map throughout the semester for updates to available study spaces.
If you're new to campus or need help navigating campus, try accessing the Interactive Campus Room Finder or the Self Guided Campus Tour.
