Learning is a two-way street. Academic experimental research is a joint pursuit of new understanding. The research assistant and the faculty member each bring strengths and weaknesses to the journey. During this quest, the roles of teacher and student repeatedly shift. Such exchanges can also occur in courses when students are encouraged to ask questions which are used to mold the direction of the class.
Students sometimes can see an aspect of the subject at hand that has eluded the teacher.
Good preparation gives me freedom during class. Naturally gifted lecturers can review their notes briefly just before class and then give a spellbinding discourse on the topic of the day. Instead, I find that intensive preparation liberates me during the class. I have confidence knowing exactly which topics are fundamental to the understanding, which can be considered derivative, and which are covered sufficiently in the assigned reading. This confidence allows me to incorporate group work and other nonlecture activities that are traditionally excluded from engineering education due to the drive to cram as many facts and analysis tools as possible into each class.