Before Faculty of Arts & Science (A&S) students dive into textbooks and lectures, they spend orientation week learning what some consider the most important life skill — forging new friendships. After orientation, they can continue to grow their network of friends while focusing on academics through Recognized Study Groups (RSGs).
RSGs consist of small groups of eight students enrolled in the same class. They meet weekly to review their coursework, tackle practice tests, prepare for exams and connect with their peers. Students have the option to join RSGs as group members or take on the additional challenge of leading an RSG.
Since its launch in 2018, the RSG program has connected more than 13,000 students across 3,000 study groups. In some first-year courses, including MAT135, CHM136 and BIO130, RSGs are such a hit that dozens of groups sprout up within the same class.
Andy Dicks, a professor and associate chair of undergraduate studies in the Department of Chemistry at A&S, encourages all his first- and second-year chemistry students to join RSGs. "Many students are used to solitary study," he observes. "But there's nothing quite like interacting with fellow students to test your knowledge and seek clarity on new concepts."
Dicks notes a visible transformation in students who join RSGs. "Their confidence soars, they are more likely to participate in class discussions and they're more likely to stay after class to ask questions."
Participation in RSGs provides students with a structured avenue for honing their interpersonal skills. Students see RSGs as a safe space to ask questions, which, in turn, improves their public-speaking skills and bolsters their confidence in interacting with teaching assistants and instructors during class.
Students in RSGs demonstrate improved leadership skills. Preparing for weekly RSG meetings involves organizing notes, compiling questions and sometimes even crafting practice test questions. Students who lead RSGs also receive leadership coaching from RSG staff.
Take Alex Park, a third-year cell & systems biology student and member of Innis College, who stepped up to lead an RSG for his CHM135 course during the pandemic. Besides gaining valuable leadership experience, he gained a deeper understanding of his own learning style. "Active learning worked well for me," he shares. "We tackle questions, revisit the previous week's material as a team, quiz each other and learn from one another. This way, we actively participate in each other's learning. I found this approach more effective than studying by myself."
Additionally, Park devised a collaborative test-preparation process with his RSG peers. "We'd use practice tests, complete them individually and then review the answers as a group. Since we did not have answer keys, this group review was the best way to check we understood everything."
RSGs encompass students from various disciplines — humanities, social sciences, math and life sciences — fostering friendships that bypass academic boundaries. Rabbia Akbar, a fourth-year health & disease student and member of University College, vividly recalls how a first-year computer science RSG reshaped her perspective on friendships within her classes. As someone new to computer science, Rabbia joined the RSG to get help navigating the course content. The RSG leader played a pivotal role in bringing the group together over lines of code and casual conversations.
"It was reassuring to have a group of people to connect with in my computer science class," Akbar says. "I met students from other programs and campuses, which would have been unlikely if I hadn't joined the RSG."
In addition to expanding her network, Akbar says RSGs have improved her time management skills. "I tend to procrastinate, but knowing that I have my weekly RSG meeting keeps me on track. I am motivated to review lecture notes and prepare for the meeting, which has had a positive impact on my grades."
Both Park and Akbar stress that you don't have to be a top-tier student to participate in RSGs.
In fact, by providing a safe space in which to find peer support, RSGs can be especially helpful for students who are struggling in their courses. “In large classes, especially in first year, it's not easy to raise your hand and ask questions,” says Park. “In smaller RSG meetings, interactions are less intimidating.”
The RSG program is open to students in all A&S courses. Students can join RSGs online, and if they don't find an RSG for a particular course, they have the option to start their own group as an RSG leader.