Evaluation Comments

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Summary View

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major strengths are ability to connect with students despite the online environment. Another strength is knowledge and passion about the field.
He relied on the past videos he made and told students to review the videos if they were unsure about the content. He rambled on about topics that did not seem to be as important as actual data structures. He would cut class short even though he should have used it to go over the content in the video because that is a more engaging way for students to learn. Not many students can learn from just watching videos. I have to retake the course because that is not my learning style.
Strengths: thorough explanations of the material (both in his website and class), he was easily accessible outside of class.
The professor's availability was a great strength. Having the class Discord set up, he was able to respond to questions rapidly and have the answer visible to all other students who might have similar questions. I really wish all professors were this easily reachable.
He knows a lot about the subject and is very helpful when students seek help.
Needs to do a better job explaining code and how data structures work

SI Session's
the recorded lectures along with in class lectures
going over the homework
Professor James reviewed all the homework and quizzes during class and answered all the questions. Also, the videos in his website were extremely helpful, in the case where I did not understand the textbook's explanations. The Graphviz was another aspect that was beneficial because it gave me a better sense of what I was coding.
The homework explanation videos were great. They really helped break down what was expected of you, as well as giving a few hints here and there as to how the problems might be accomplished.
Going over the assignments and quizzes to help us understand where we went wrong
it was beneficial to have lectures that were recorded so i could go back and re-watch if i needed clarification
Learning the basics of data structures and being reintroduced to Java.
Reviewing in class and going over homework.

finding a proctoring service for exams that would allow for testing of code asked for during exam. I found it hard to perfect my methods without at least having a limited amount of times to run the program. That is why I feel I did not do well on the first exam, and that I was under the impression that the test would be primarily multiple choice for some reason.
more discussion on concepts that the book discusses
Not to have it online and to not just go over homeowrk during class.
When there's extra time in class, we could go over other practice problems that you may have on the side. In other words, just having more practice and discussion during class time.
I think a more in-depth introduction or easier introduction to Java would help improve the course.
The videos lecture could be organized better, and more useful information would be beneficial. I feel that there wasn't a sufficient amount of information in the lecture videos to properly complete the homework at times.
He could understand that there are students who are going through some rough patches and that it's ok to dial it down a little and not be so harsh with grades. He could also have actually went over the material in class that he put on his exams.

The midterm and final were graded very harshly in my perspective. I feel that way since there is no real world situation whereas I cannot test/run my code before submitting it.
Didn't like the online exam, but also taking the exam is not an option in person. Wished that the grades for homework were explained in more detail
Examity was nice but a bit extreme and invasive to privacy because i did not realize that i would have to show a complete stranger (who i couldnt even see) my room my living space.
I think the exams should somehow incorporate running code and debugging but I am not sure how that could be implemented.
I feel that they are graded too harshly.
he was way too harsh and he put things on the midterm and final that he did not go over in class.

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I had a very hard time keeping up with the class and it was very frustrating that the professor did not just go over concepts on his own but only did if students asked. He acted as though this was an asynchronous class which it CANNOT be. I have to retake this class because I got stuck and I spent most of my time with a tutor who also did not like the way my Professor did things. The prof expected us to understand his lectures right away. It felt like he spent more time explaining nitpick things rather than actual data structures.
no.