This was a good thing my university did in first-year physics -- we had one hour a week of problem sessions where we were forced to work through a bunch of ques

This was a good thing my university did in first-year physics -- we had one hour a week of problem sessions where we were forced to work through a bunch of questions in groups of four. This made sure everybody was basically on the same page vis a vis the basics. I don't know if it would work once you got beyond first year and into the more difficult material.