Small Group Study Habits

The U.S. Military asked Harvard a question: “How can we maximize the learning outcome for our people when they are sent to seminars and classes?”
Harvard took up the challenge and launched a study to try to answer that question. They found that there are three things that, when combined into one learning experience, maximize the learning outcome for participants.
Here they are:

1. Set high expectations.

• The study found that when participants went into the class expecting that they would get something out of it, they learned more. The attitude of the individual plays a major role.

2. Take good notes.

• Not just any note taking. Good note taking. The study found that when the participants focused on the content and intentionally made the effort to take good notes, the note taking enhanced the participant’s ability to understand and remember what was being taught.

3. Discuss what was learned.

• Someone once said, “The proof is in the pudding.” What happens when the participant has high expectations of the event, intentionally takes good notes and then has an opportunity to discuss what was learned? The discussion itself is the “proof” that the learning outcome was maximized. The participant was able to recall from memory and notes what the points of the teaching were, and was also able to re-communicate those points. The discussion also helped to reinforce the participant’s understanding and correct any misunderstandings there might have been.