# Co-Teaching the Course

In this section, Professor Karen Willcox shares her insights about co-teaching 16.90 Computational Methods in Aerospace Engineering.

## Embracing Different Teaching Styles

[W]e saw our different teaching styles as a positive aspect of the course because it meant we could reach students who had different learning preferences.

— Karen Willcox

During the Spring 2014 offering of 16.90 Computational Methods in Aerospace Engineering, I co-taught the course with Professor Qiqi Wang. We didn’t just divide the the course and each teach one half. We taught the whole course as a team. Even though we have different teaching styles (for example, I like to use the board when I’m working with students, whereas Professor Wang prefers to use an iPad and pen), we didn’t try to provide students with a uniform pedagogical experience. Instead, we saw our different teaching styles as a positive aspect of the course because it meant we could reach students who had different learning preferences.

## Offering Students Perspectives from Different Research Backgrounds

I think co-teaching enhances the learning experience for students. Because Professor Wang and I have different research backgrounds, we were able to offer students different perspectives on computational methods. This is particularly important in an advanced elective class like 16.90 Computational Methods in Aerospace Engineering.