"3.53 is an elective. It is a technical elective in the graduate program here in the Department of Material Science and Engineering. That it is to say it is not a core requirement. So that poses some different challenges for the instructor. In a core class you have a captive audience. The students have to take the class because it satisfies some degree of requirement and so they are there whether they like it or not. In 3.53, the students who are taking 3.53 are taking it because they want to learn the material because presumably it is of relevance to their research. So you have the luxury of teaching a group that is self-selected..."