About half to two-thirds of classtime will be taken by your instructor communicating material to you via lectures. This is not a time to be passive; unless you are engaged, and ask questions when necessary, you are wasting your time (and money), as well as your instructor's.

Other classtimes will be spent on in-class Activities in groups, as well discussions. Occasional quizzes might be given (announced in advance) so your instructor (and you) can verify whether indeed everyone is "on board", or whether there are some problem areas for some students. The in-class Activities will not be graded (excepting those times when your instructor might assign that an Activity be completed for Homework) -- it is part of the classroom participation that is expected in the course.

Instead of the traditional three Prelims plus Final, there will be a "Nuts and Bolts" exam with a focus on calculational techniques (in contrast and to complement the more "applied" feel of much of the Projects and Activities), a Midterm, and a Final.

There will also be one night during the semester (the same time-slot as when the Third Prelim would have been given) where you will give short presentations (about 5 minutes per person) alone or in groups, to your classmates, on topics covered or related to course materials. Your instructor will specify suggested topics later in the semester.