Studying in Group at High School in Beijing: a Survey

Studying in group at high school in Beijing: A survey

吕宇佳
LV YUJIA
Louisa
Student Number: 09010022

Name of the Lecturer: Edwin Baak
Date: 12/26/2011
Renda B 09

Acknowledgements
Thanks for my friends Zhao Shanshan and Hu Surui helping finish the research questionnaire to students. I am very grateful to teacher Mr. Baak to his useful guidance to write this paper.

Table of Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………....3
1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………..….5 1. Background……………………………………………………………..…....5 2. Statement of the problem……………………………………………….……7
1. Review of the literature………………………………………………………….....8
2. Design and measurement used…………………………………………………….10
3. Results……………………………………………………………………………..11
4. Discussions…………………………………………………………………….…..12
5. Conclusions………………………………………………………………….….....13
6. Recommendations………………………………………………………….……...14 1. Research recommendations…………………………………………..…..…14 2. Issued-related recommendations…………………………………………....14
References…………………………………………………………………………...…15
Appendix A………………………………………………………………………….....17

The Abstract:
Nowadays, with the speeding up of world economy, the world is becoming smaller and smaller, so that the competition among people from different countries is becoming fierce, which is the motivation to promote people to study hard so as to survive in the competitive world. People always try to find the suitable study methods to upgrade the effectiveness. Either studying in a group or studying alone is the better way has caused public debate. Some people hold that there is no denying that studying in a group exerts positive impact on many aspects. First and foremost, studying in a group, the principal methods in many schools, is beneficial to mutual understanding, which will enhance students’ communication abilities. Besides, the efficiency of solving problems will definitely be improved, for they can get help from partners. Last but not least, Student can study well when he is studying with a group of students because he can get good ideas from others which he don 't know and more over he will not feel bore while he is studying. If he got any doubts while studying, he can clarify the doubts immediately. Other people strongly claim that there are many students who have got great achievements by studying alone insisting that independent study is feasible and more effective. To put it another way, one can study without any disturbance. While studying alone he can 't get good ideas. If he got any doubt, it cannot be clarify by his own. Then it will be time waste for him. For example, while he is studying alone if the subject is not interest to him, his mind may get divert from the subject and concentration will be lost.

First, I will go to the school to do a survey about study in the class. Second, the questionnaire topic is probably about do you think study in group? And, which way is better for you? Is studying in group or studying alone? Third, I would ask some questions to some parents and teachers.

Key word: good way to study, group study, study alone, high school, distance education, one-on-one tutoring

1. Introduction 1. Background
In the 21st century, most of the family has an only child out of the police in china. Such a child is an apple in the eyes in a family. It is every parent 's desire to give their children the best start in life, they would like to search a best way to their children and get a great education. Almost all students were tutored by one-on-one. And some students have an experience of distance learning. At the same time, the traditional educational means confronts a huge challenge. Some parents support their child study alone because of they believe that it is a good way to concentrate on his or her study. Currently there has been a fierce debate over whether students should go to school study in group or study alone at home. Views on the hot issue vary greatly.

Advocates of studying alone hold the benefits of students are well documented. Students who study at home by themselves are often described as more confident, independent and worldly wise than schools’ student counterpart. Because of they need to independently read more books and webpage to look for more information. Moreover, there are many ways to acquire knowledge, such as distance learning, one-on-one class and soon on. Students can choose a good way to study according to different situation. Worst of all, reports are often heard that some students committed suicide or murdered their roommates. So that, some people choose to study alone and even gave up the opportunity of go to school due to severe pressure from the student will be compare with others. On the other hand, innovative as distance-learning technology may be, it can supersede classrooms altogether. True education should not be confined to the delivery of information. It should involve the cultivation of effective learning habits, the development of group discussion skills and the encouragement of collaboration as well, which we cannot find in online course. More importantly, campus-based education tend to foster a mentoring partnership between educators and learners while in reality, distance education rarely helps to establish a mentoring relationship between the faculty members and the students, due to the long physical distance.

Amid these people who have argued in study ways the high students take up quite large proportion. According to a net of education, at least half of high schools’ students go through tutoring alone. And most students’ parents willing to spent money on study alone. Thus if you want to research the good way to study, you must focus on high school students. There are many reasons to choose the students of high school as respondents. Firstly, students have more experience than other school of basic education. Secondly, there is bitter competition for student. As is well know the college entrance exam is a real challenge to students, students want to do their best to meet the challenge. Thus they will choose a good way to study at any cost. Finally, and above all, the competition is fierce and the nine-hour test is offered just once a year and is the sole determinant for admission to virtually all Chinese colleges and universities. Moreover, the college entrance examination is seen as potentially life-changing. If you enter a university through the exam, your life career and future life will be decide. Everyone attaches great importance to this exam.

In recent years, the field of education becomes a hot industry. Meanwhile, more and more problems appear in education. For school study, they always make a ranking and everyone can see the results of other students to see all the students of all grade rankings. This measure will undoubtedly bring them great pressure to study, even affect health and life. We often read the news student suicides of form the news paper. However, student is more confidence who study alone at home. They can get the tutoring which is face-to-face. It is a very good and effective way of learning. But it is not a good way to good communication skills and has team work spirit.

2. Statement of the problem
Each one has its own superiority. During the researching course, I try to analyze and study to this problem from different point of view. I research many different questions, such as which ways of study of you like, do you think some problem exist in study in a group, how long you will study at home everyday and soon on. I survey this question due to we need know whether students more efficient who study alone, whether more and more student don’t like study at school, whether there are some problems exist in tradition education, whether study alone is better than studying in a group, whether parent sand teachers of students support to study alone and so on.

2. Review of literature
According to this literature, there are other factors affect students. Its action cannot small inspect. Firstly, it’s important to spend your time productively. Students need to make a clearly plans and schedule, meanwhile, they should to learn the top student has no intrusions on study time. Secondly, every student should seek out a method of learning which is suit to him/her. They cannot copy other people’s ways due to the different level of different students. Finally, if you don’t have any interesting in study and even don’t know why you need to study, you cannot get a high score even if you stand in a good group or have a good tutor. They need improve their skill and have fun. Indeed, study skills are not the most important things. But there are the bases of study. When you finish it, the environment will become more important.

To be sure, people are different. Everyone should to choose a way which is adapt to him or her to study. For this literature, we know that there are main ways to study. One of this is belong to studying in a group and others are belonging to study alone. They are group study, one-on-one tutoring and distance education. Group study is benefit to establish the confidence of students. It can easily build team spirit among classmate. If you are one member of a group, you will be watching by other members in the group. You will have to try harder due to you wanting to more successful and getting the credit for. Moreover, a group likes a piece. Everyone will do their best to help you when your stand in the same group. Solving problem will become easier, because you 're not alone, and there is strength in numbers! At the same time, a problem exists in the group. A member of group in charge of a part so that they cannot understand the whole of one topic which is his or her group researched. If you study alone, you need do anything by yourself. It is a better way to acquire new knowledge and research questions.

The tutoring of one-on-one is benefit to everyone due to the pertinence of student. When you distract to some things, you will not worry didn 't hear what the teacher was saying. If you could not compass the simplest problems, you could ask your tutor and do not worries to be laughed by other classmate. And teacher will follow you and choose the best way and important course to you. However, we cannot overlook the disadvantage of this way. First, if you choose tutoring of one-on-one, you will lose the power of activities with other classmates. I maybe feel tired and boring for study alone. Second, it is not easy to find out a textbook to adapt you. Third, you do not know the level of tutoring teacher. You maybe cannot meet a teacher which tutor is suit to you. Distance education has the advantage of low-cost and easy to save time. Students can study on anywhere and any time. Compare with one-on-one tutor is a good way to save money and get pointed comments on study. But it still has some problems. First, there are a lot of tutor from 3rd world due to they want to save money. They do not know the system of your country and cannot give you a good idea of study. Moreover, sometimes we cannot meet the on-line tutor to know about teaching level. Lastly, teaching on-line is not a good way to communication with teacher. Because the internet is not very stability, the speed is very slow. Sometimes we will loss some information due to the latency. If you can learning of face-to-face, you can use the body language explain your mind.

3. Design and Measurements used
There are three kinds of people are relative to this survey. They are parents, teachers and students. Thus, the questionnaire includes three aspect questions to different people. However, the high school students who will accept more in-depth questions as the main respondents. The questionnaire consists mainly of three parts. In the first place, the question is about the basic information of all participants. And, the participants will be arranging to different groups according to the basic information. For example, girls and boys will have different choice when they face to some things. If students can choose the school, girls maybe focus on school uniform which school’s is more beautiful and boys will be attracts to excellent sporting facilities. In the second place, the question is about the extant problems and advantage. Such as, what problem you face in study in a group or study alone. This part will be conducive to we find out the problem in the two ways and help us solve current problems more correctly to choose a good way to study. Finally, the investigations are focus on the expectantly things. Such as, which ways you want to add in your study process. We need know which ways of study of people like in further and therefore further research.

4. Result
The survey shows that there are seventy percent students choose studying in a group is a good way to study. There are two reasons: Two-thirds of this people gave reason is that they cannot make a good plan and control themselves. One-thirds of this people gave the reason is that they can make new friend and have activities with others. But sixty percent of these persons have experience to study alone by one-on-one tutoring. And nearly ninety people would like to try to study alone in future.

Students who support study alone are a good way to study about thirty percent. Most people think that it is a great help for my quick improving the score. However, nine out of ten people claim that it is a method to help study but it is the main way to study. One ninth of the students choose to get the tutor by one-on-on due to they need to be target. A tenth of the students choose the on-line tutoring. They believe that it can save money and easy to control the teaching time.

The last part is about the parents and teachers of students. Almost all parents and teachers support study in a group. But they always believe that if their children and students would like to improve the level of student they will to encourage these students.

5. Conclusion
My question is that what is better way to study? It can be found there are many ways to study. Firstly, study skills are important whatever you studying in a group or study alone. Secondly, the research show that most people think group study is better to study. Lastly, studying alone only as the assistant study method. However, some students are favor to study alone who are an average student or a poor student. They believe that they can get the effective guidance from the one-on-one tutoring. Other students are support studying in a group who are top student. They claim that it is unnecessary spent to a private teacher. For teachers and parents, they have the same viewpoint. Study alone is a way to help student to improve themselves, but it is not the best way to study. If the student can understand the knowledge in the class, study alone is not necessary.

6. Discussion
The survey only includes the high school student, and only search the answer form my brother’s class. The class only have 60 members is not enough to a prefect research. For the party of teacher and parents, the research is more imperfection due to small group in search. So the study is no authoritative answer to these questions. And there also have some problem in this research. For example, there have many ways to study, such as, study in a teaching center, study by yourself and soon on. But I only search the study in group. And the way of study alone also has many ways. This paper only aim to a small group who study in high school. Actually, there has a small group study alone now. All in all, the survey has its limitation.[pic]

7. Recommendations 1. Research recommendation
Firstly, you need to read a lot of articles what you want to research. Because this can help you gain a main idea of the field. Meanwhile, you will get the different perspectives from different authors. Moreover, making notes is also important to search a problem. Due to we need to understand what the articles say. It is not only to copy it. Next, most information is coming from the Internet which is not regular compare with other academic books. We should go to the library to find information. Lastly but not least, the investigator needs to search from different groups in a particular community and different level. One fields people is different to other fields.

2. Issue-related recommendations
First of all, the people should focus on a variety of ways to ask questions. For example, Likert scale guarantees a survey to including the overall aspects of the problem which is very useful. We can ensure that the length of the questionnaire, which respond may a few time. And, there has a easy way to ask questions of the model. Another example is APA style, it is also a good way to sure where the literature. It not only useful to writer to found out more point, but also telling the reader where the point from. It is a good way to make you researcher more regular and have authority.

References * Brain Stocker: How To Study Alone, August 26, 2008 from http://www.test-preparation.ca/study-center/how-to-study-alone/ * Francois Betim, Reference and Education • Published: December 9, 2008 How to Study Alone and Pass Exams, from * Dr. Bob Kizlik,(1997) Effective Study Skills. How to Study and Make the Most of Your Time September 19, 1997,from http://www.adprima.com/studyout.htm * Wikipedia contributor(2011) Distance education, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education * Tutorfi(2009), Benefits of One on One Online Tutoring: Specialized Teaching Methodology. From http://www.tutorfi.com/OnlineTutoringDefined/oneononeonlinetutoring * Merryjazz(2006),The Advantages and Disadvantages of Study Groups, From http://www.studyskillsblog.com/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-study-groups/ * Grace Fleming(2009), Would Group Study Improve Your Grades? About.com Guide, from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/study.htm * Bruno Linhares(2005), Distance education or distance learning, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_education * Anton Lebedev(2011), The Disadvantages of Online Tutoring, from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Disadvantages-of-Online-TutoringHYPERLINK "http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Disadvantages-of-Online-Tutoring&id=4781285"&HYPERLINK "http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Disadvantages-of-Online-Tutoring&id=4781285"id=4781285 * Guestbook(2001), Group Tutoring vs. One-on-One Tutoring, from http://www.squidoo.com/group-tutoring-vs-one-on-one-tutoring

Appendix A Questionnaires What is the better way to study?

1. Tick your gender group. Please choose only one of the following: □Male □Female
2. Tick an age group. Please choose only one of the following: □16-19 □20-23 □24-27 □28+ If none of these, please state what you think here__________
3. Please take your grade in school or your child(or students) in? □G1-G6 □G7-G9 □G10-G11 □G12 or over
4. Tick where do you study now: □School □Home □Others
5. Tick you get good grades in school: □Great □General □Lower-middle □Bad If you like you can write you score__________
6. Do you think the academic environment is important? □Yes □No □Doesn’t matter
7. Which is better way for you or child? □Studying in a group □Studying alone
8. Do you please a tutor of one-on-one? □Yes □No □Never
9. Could you listen attentively and carefully in class? □Yes □No □Most □less
10. Do you want to study alone? □Yes □No
11. Are you always discussed the problem with your classmate? □Yes □No □Sometimes □Never
12. What would you like to do at home? □Study □Play □Housework □others
13. Do you think the distance education is a good way to study? □Yes □No
14. How many hours did you have for learning everyday? □1-4hours 4-8hours □8hours or over
15. Are you always reviewing your lessons carefully after going back home? □yes □no □sometimes
16. Do you have the initiative for learning? □Active learning □Can finish □Can not finish
17. Do you have confident in your ability? □Yes □No
18. Do you always attend the discussion in the group? □Always □Sometimes □Never
19. For study, do you to send from your classmate? □Always □electric toys □camera □other
20. Do you have a good plan for study? □Yes □No
21. If you have a study plan can you insisted on implementation? □yes □no
22. What do you think the most effective ways to study? □self-study □Listen to the teacher □others
23. If there have a study group, would you like to join it? □yes □no
24. What do you think every need study in the school or in a group? □Yes □No □Can not sure

References: * Brain Stocker: How To Study Alone, August 26, 2008 from http://www.test-preparation.ca/study-center/how-to-study-alone/ * Francois Betim, Reference and Education • Published: December 9, 2008 How to Study Alone and Pass Exams, from * Tutorfi(2009), Benefits of One on One Online Tutoring: Specialized Teaching Methodology. From http://www.tutorfi.com/OnlineTutoringDefined/oneononeonlinetutoring * Merryjazz(2006),The Advantages and Disadvantages of Study Groups, From http://www.studyskillsblog.com/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-study-groups/ * Grace Fleming(2009), Would Group Study Improve Your Grades? About.com Guide, from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/study.htm * Guestbook(2001), Group Tutoring vs. One-on-One Tutoring, from http://www.squidoo.com/group-tutoring-vs-one-on-one-tutoring Appendix A