Comments wanted!
Help Don McIntyre and his potential students.
Share your experience of Don’s Humanities class.
Be both honest and mature.
Other than that, say whatever you like.
Use "Comments" (see at the bottom >>>) to offer your own anonymous thoughts.
Need some ideas?: Here are some possibilities:
Best thing. Worst thing.
Expectations communicated clearly?
Fair grading?
Interesting class?
Knows the subject?
Responsive to questions and needs?
Right amount of work required?
Supportive?
Sensitivity to ethnicity, gender, handicap, etc.?
A question that should be on this list?
Or, here's another way to go -
To what degree did the class teach and equip you in the Humanities?:
-Use aesthetic vocabulary to describe creative works of painting, architecture, theater, music, literature, etc.
-Identify technical elements in creative works: e.g., line and texture in painting, melody and rhythm in music, etc.
-Compare and contrast the various themes and purposes of creative disciplines across Western cultures and time periods
-Use a comprehensive method for the intelligent exploration of a creative work
-Gain a general understanding of the flow of Western cultural history
-Understand the philosophical viewpoint that is unique to each major historical period of Western civilization
-Demonstrate how various philosophical viewpoints might apply to contemporary issues
Use "Comments" (see below >>>) to offer your own anonymous thoughts. Remember - this site covers more than one class, and even more than one educational institution. Not all comments apply to all classes.
posted by dlm | 7/08/2009 10:53:00 AM
173 Comments:
This class has been one of my favorites. This instructor has been thorough with giving the class instructions. He grades assignments quickly and personally repsonds to them in order to give you help with the future assignments. You aren't forced to write about things that are boring and you are given lists of topics to choose from. I have throroughly and completely enjoyed this class.
I thought this class was great and I have learned many interesting things about the turn of the centuries and informative facts about art.
Professor McIntyre was wonderful and when we needed his help, he was VERY QUICK TO RESPOND BACK. Not purchasing any material for this class was a BIG PLUS.
Thanks Professor for being a superb istructor! :)
I have learned ALOT in this class about Humanities, Art, etc.. Don is a great teacher. He gets back to you fast on emails and answers all questions fast. I liked that we didnt have to buy a book. I also liked how we had a bunch of topics that we can choose to write about, that way, its something that I am interested in and not boring.
Professor McIntyre was a wonderful instructor. I appreciated the continuous interaction with the class whether it be personal or group wise he was always there to answer questions quickly and I must say I've NEVER had one to respond so quick. I also enjoyed the topics we were able to pick to do our postings for the week on. I learned a lot by doing those and plus having to respond to others made you research a little more and I found out a lot by doing that as well, and I learned about dfferent cultures and the different creative works (which I never knew that was what they were called).I must say we had to do a field trip report on an art museum and I went for the first time in YEARS and I really have been missing out so I thank him for that as well as like I told him my children enjoyed it and we plan to go back to the others. I will recommend others to take him.
Professor McIntyre's Humanities Class was an online class that didn't feel like it was online! The teaching was relevant to the topic and never steered us away. The material presented in a manner that a variety of learning styles could adapt to. He was engaging and interesting. It was not a "chore" to come to class, it was an experience! I highly recommend this class to anyone and would not offer any suggestions to change it because it seems to be so well suited to the course requirements.
This is the best class I've had online. It's very interactive and you are in touch with Professor McIntyre many times throughout the course. Even though there is a lot of required reading, it is somewhat interesting and not at all dull. Keep up the good work! :)
I have always had a problem with seeing past the obvious. Professor McIntyre has a brilliant way of challenging his students to open their eyes to the world. This is the first class I've had that I really looked forward to and will miss as it concludes.
I really enjoyed taking this class online, I liked how we went through so many points in time and posted on something to expand our knowledge of that time period. The class was really inviting and made me feel comfortable in posting my discussions. Professor McIntrye was a very good teacher and made Humanities fun to learn!
I think that Professor McIntrye is brilliant. I absolutly enjoyed this course. I understood all the instructions, he was very informative and explained every detail. What I really liked about him that he is there always helping when you need help. The course was a great challenge. I seriously like his way of teaching and his organization of the course ciriculum.
This was one of the best classes I have ever taken on-line or in-class. Professor McIntrye was right on target. All questions were answered very fast and if you needed a answer right then you could find it somewhere in his notes. I really enjoyed learning new and different things in this class..
Great class. It was a lot of work but as long as you stay on track with the due dates, it was somewhat easy.
This has been the best online course I have ever taken. Professor McIntyre has really good communication with his students. Whenever I had a question, he was quick to answer it clearly. He is a great teacher, who really cares about what he is teaching and about his students.
GREAT CLASS!
This is an excellent online class! Normally it can be very trying to communicate with your instructor or even receive feedback on assignments. Professor McIntyre really knows what he is doing and the students can sense that he really enjoys teaching. I highly recommend taking this class.
Humanities is the best course. Professor McIntrye is supportive,fair and highly communicative with the students...I love his "take" on things as well as his light hearted sense of humor.
He knows his stuff and truly cares about his students!
Potential students you are lucky!
I can't believe I read your post and I got emotional. I never thought in a million years a college course could bring up such a reaction in me. ..but then again this class taught me about "expression"
I am almost finished with my BSN and this was the best course I have taken. My classmates have generated such wonderful discussions and I learned so much from everyone.
Professor I wish I could meet you in person..you are really good at bringing out the "humanities" in all of us..
Thank you , Professor and all of you fellow students for my wonderful 8 weeks of "enlightenment"
May you all enjoy blessed, peace filled and joyous holidays!
I have enjoyed the class- there were days when I had a very hard time thinking of something to post as one of my fellow students would post exactly what I was thinking. This course has made me schedule more time to pursue my favorite things and to look into areas that I would have previous had a closed mind too.
Wow! Just finished the exam, and it was a hard one. I have to say though. I have learned so much in this class, and found myself enjoying the topics so very much. I thought I had never really had any experience with humanities before, but I quickly came to realize how much of a part of life it truly is. This course forced me to stretch my mind beyond what I would normally. To try and see what the deeper meanings were behind the topics. I thank all of you for helping me to grow in this class. Thank you as well professor for guiding me on this journey, I truly appreciate the effort you put into this class.
I have to admit I never anticipated an educational experience such as this one. This class has taught me how to think outside of the box, deeper into the meaning and the origins of many things that before I would of overlooked. I never usually fill out the survey at the end of the class (I admit it!) but this time I plan on going out of my way. You truly are a teacher, and few have that gift.
This has been a great class. Professor McIntyre made learning fun and interesting. I would never have given art so much thought without him. There was alot of research, but he makes the class so interesting, you hardly notice. Wish I could take another class from him. Thanks and Merry Christmas.
It was a great class. It made me go back and think of things I saw everyday diffrently. Professor McIntyre was awesome. The class was heavy on research but all in all you came away with an appreciation of the arts.So thank you for allowing be to see the world around me diffrently.
Thank You.
I have to agree with pretty much everyone here and say this class was excellent. For a while, I was worried when MyScribe didn't download a book, but when I read the syllabus and saw there was no book, I was surprised. I've never had a teacher do that, and I honestly think it helped the overall experience. We weren't confined to the textbook and the supplemental lectures, but rather were able to venture wherever we wanted, posting lectures about pretty much anything, and also literature that supplements the lectures. It figures that my other class had me download two books (the teacher screwed up and gave us two editions of the same book), so I can't say I saved myself money. But nonetheless, I still enjoyed not having to read a whole textbook plus lectures in 8 weeks for this class.
The instructor made a lot of interesting posts in each threaded discussion, giving plenty of chances to respond, and put a lot of thought into those posts. I even learned from his posts in the threaded discussions, and I can't say that of any other class I've had.
In my nearly two years of taking classes here, this was easily one of the best ones. Extremely well done, and he had tips and guides for anything you could think of, plus sent out regular emails offering advice. I wish he could teach all of my classes! :P
I will not come in here like others and kiss butt. This class was a JOKE plain and simple. It promotes racism, discrimination and one sided fairness, or lack there of! This is the worst class and worst instructor I have had in two years of classes at Devry... and I am a Deans list student...or was until this class!! Thanks for nothing...wait, I take that back, I learned humanities is a joke! I also learned that the better one does in this class the more they are scrutinized and look upon with a judgmental eye! Respect is lost in todays society and this class is no different! I learned I will never take a class again with this instructor as a teacher as this class has been full of nothing but double standards, one way streets and blatant unfairness!!
Student BEWARE!!!!!!!
wonder if because this post is not bandwagon praise, if it will even remain or be taken down so as to display nothing but lies of the good in this class and cover up a poor instructor!!!!
Thanks so much for your honesty. I was beginning to fear that folks would think only positive feedback is published here, since that's all there has been until now.
I regret that your experience of my class was a negative one, and I will continue to try to improve myself as a teacher. I wish you the best in your future educational endeavors.
Hello Professor McIntyre!
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for everything and for being such a helpful and wonderful teacher! This class is definitely one of the best classes I have ever taken, or maybe it's because of the random discussions as well and the never-ending-questions I've sent you. And I am so grateful that you respond to every single one of them, so thank you!
Dearest Professor McIntyre,
I want to thank you for a clear understanding of what the Humanities is all about. This course has allowed me to give my points of views of the past. Outstanding human activities and events are unchangeable; however your lectures and discussions helped me to comprehend the minds and perceptions of human interaction. Thank you, it was certainly a pleasure to have taken this fantastic online course!
To Professor McIntyre, with love
Margie Macias
The overall course itself was a good outlook on the Humanities subject. I am disappointed however, in the grading system of the class as I believed I have tried my hardest to get the maximum points on the discussions and yet I don't. I don't know what else to do in order to get the maximum points on those discussions, I've clearly followed the directions and that's plan and simple yet no light at the end of the tunnel. Are there hidden details to the grading system that I don't know, just like those hidden details you don't know when you sign a contract? Who knows. Next I want to elaborate on the website. For me it was not an easy to access the certain information I need for the class. I suggest either redesign the website so it'll be easier for students to find what they are looking for, or create a syllabus and email it to the students. On a higher note, I think the class was overall a good experience. I just wish my assignments where graded to the format I followed.
Thanks so much for this feedback. I am very sorry that your experience was not entirely satisfying.
Let me provide my viewpoint on these criticisms. Hopefully you can provide additional feedback, and help me see where my viewpoint might need to be reconsidered:
Regarding, "I believed I have tried my hardest to get the maximum points on the discussions and yet I don't."
I don't know how I could have communicated more to students whenever they did not receive full credit for their discussion participation. As I said in one of the earliest class announcements, the grades were almost always accompanied by specific comments explaining what requirements had not been satisfied. Did you know how to find those comments? Did you read them? Were they not clear?
I am sad that you did not feel you could contact me for help. I try to communicate my willingness to give personalized assistance to a student when there is confusion. Did you contact me to say you did not "know what else to do in order to get the maximum points on those discussions"? First, I would have confirmed that you had read the instructions and the comments I had already provided. This usually solves the problem. If there still had been confusion, I would have gone out of my way to explain further.
To be frank, at this point, I find the suggestion of "hidden details" to be quite saddening. At this point, the opinion does not seem warranted, but I am willing to be corrected.
Regarding, "For me it was not easy to access certain information I need for the class. I suggest either redesign the website … or create a syllabus and email it to the students." -
I'm going to assume that you used all the links, FAQs and other helps that were there to help pave the way through all the class content. (This may be an incorrect assumption, but as I say, I will make it anyway.)
When a new student sends me an email to say s/he has registered for the class (as the catalogue directs students to do), I send a welcome letter that contains a link to the syllabus. Since I don't know who you are, I don't know if you sent me the initial email and therefore received the welcome email from me.
There are also several links to the syllabus and all other documents and helps once class begins. I try to make all these easily accessible, each week of class, via the "Start Here" section of each module. Did you use this and find it unhelpful in managing each week's work? If so, please tell me how to improve it. It has evolved over time thanks to suggested improvements.
As far as, "create a syllabus and email it to the students," the irony is, I used to do this, but most feedback on the subject (from students and others) reflects the opinion that students want to access as much of the class material as possible via the internet. For more than a few students, sending a large document as an attachment to an email almost guarantees that the document will not be read.
I admit that the course delivery "system" can be a bit unwieldy at times for some students. But please understand that for many aspects, as soon as I make it easier for one kind of student, I've made it more difficult for another kind of student.
In developing an on line course, there are many conflicting agendas: state educational mandates, technical issues, honoring different learning styles, using good online resources, etc. Choices must be made. To do my best to solve such problems, I have decided to go with the use of many links. To me, it seemed a simple way to get students to where they needed to go.
I very much regret that it presented difficulties for you.
Please know that I will continue to try to make improvements based on student feedback, including yours. I'm so glad that the experience of this course had positive aspects also for you!
Out of the seven online classes I've taken at LACCD, Humanities and Music Appreciation were by far my favorites. And Prof. Don gets extra points for the creative way in which he delivered the content through the use of multi-media. Very modern. Prof Don is ahead of the curve! First class in which I didn't have to purchase materials which came at a great time as my other class materials this semester were very expensive. Content was never boring. I liked the interactive posts with the other students. This is the most interaction and sharing of ideas I have had in any online class. Open to student suggestions at making the learning experience better, I felt we could communicate with our teacher quite easily and timely. Does Prof. Don teach any other courses??
"Does Prof. Don teach any other courses??"
I do not currently teach any other classes at LAHC, but I have in the past. Perhaps in the future...
Thanks for asking, and thanks for your feedback.
I enjoyed the content of the class and definately left with more knowledge of art and how it intertwines with the world and history. But I did not appreciate the stereotypical remark that the professor made with another student on females and how they "need to have their accomplishments praised" during the feminism threaded discussions. Not all women are like that, therefore it is a stereotype. I would not want to take a class with this instructor again and I hope this viewpoint does not reflect grading.
Dear Student,
I'm so glad you generally enjoyed and benefited from the class. That's definitely the most important thing. Regarding the negatives you report here, first let me correct some errors and possible misconceptions:
-Since student comments to this blog are anonymous, I do not see how your viewpoint can "reflect grading"
-I went back and looked at all the discussion posts from the week that we studied Feminism. I found no occurrence whatever of the "quote" you refer to: "need to have their accomplished praised." As far as I can tell, no such phrase was written, not by me or by anyone else.
-I feel quite strongly that I have not expressed, anywhere at any time, the stereotype opinion you have attributed to me. In any case, it is not my opinion that the members of any gender want (more than the member of another gender) to have their accomplishments praised. Our longing for affirmation transcends gender.
In order to communicate as clearly and thoroughly as possible in this, I have quoted below, in full, the post I believe you are referring to. Please correct me if I have chosen the wrong post. I apologize if my communication skills for this post were poor, but the point I was making would work toward defeating a stereotype, not perpetuating one. (As you will see, I was responding to a student's comment.)
The post in question (posted May 31):
[student's name],
Regarding, "...it is not always beneficial to keep pointing out the mistakes of the past," here's a thought:
Whenever women make great strides or become accomplished in areas that are traditionally male, there always seems to be a great self-consciousness about it. For example, it never seems to be enough to say, "She is REALLY good at that (or really accomplished)." There always seems to be the added comment, "She is REALLY good (or really accomplished) - at... [this traditionally male role]."
It has occurred to me that perhaps the final great achievement of the feminist movement will be the disappearance of this undercurrent of self-conscious rivalry.
I have a friend who is truly amazing. Through hard work and wise money management, she has made herself wealthy. Beyond that, she is an accomplished artist, has raised three very healthy (both physically and mentally) children, runs a successful business, and is incredibly helpful and giving to those in need. And her husband of 31 years still adores her.
Generally speaking, I don't think of her as an "amazing woman"; I just think of her as amazing. And she has told me that is the way she prefers it.
I know we're not there yet, but won't true gender equality be achieved when it's simply taken for granted?
***end of quoted post***
This class was by far one of the best I have had yet out of about 15 classes. I learned so much and the learning environment was almost set up so that you don't even realize your working and learning but you actually are. In my opinion that marks the professor as one who truly has a grasp on both teaching and and the material to be covered. I learned so much and expanded on several things I thought I knew about. I would highly recommend this class and this professor specifically to anyone. If you have to take the class, wait for this professor! I felt the grading was completely on point and that you get out of it what you put into it, which is exactly what we were told from the begining. I also truly appreciated how the professor challenged my thinking and made be dig deeper to come to a new and deeper thought level in many of the discussion areas. I could not come up with a complaint if I tried. To those with complaints I think you are reading into things a bit much,and not being fair.
Respectfully,
-An enlightened student-
Professor McIntyre is an outstanding teacher online and, I believe, in class, also. He makes his students to understand everything that is being taught in laymens terms. He has so many helps on the DocSharing that makes the class so much easier to work with. He is very fair with his grading and he let's his students know what is to be expected of them. I have taken many online classes. So far, Professor McIntyre is the best teacher that I have had. My advice to others who will be taking his class is to pay attention from the beginning and the rest will fall into place. I really enjoyed this class. Thanks, again, Prfessor McIntyre. May God continue to bless you in all that you do.
My first impression of the class was "Oh My Goodness." I thought "What have I got myself into?" After getting into Week 3 my nerves calmed down and the professor was great. Thank you Mr. McIntyre! I now have a new appreciation and understanding of art. Keep up the good work!
Humanities isn't my subject but this class was AMAZING and so was the professor! I took this class online and a lot of online professors tend to make their online classes an afterthought but not Professor McIntyre! He gave so much feedback and started so many class discussions it was great. I could only wish all of my professors were like him!
His class is excellent, he's an excellent professor and I've learned so much during this class. It was truly a great class and I hope to have him for my future humanities classes!
Professor McIntrye has been a lot of help in taking this class. He responds quickly to discussions and questions and he has made the class to be a lot of fun.
Professor Don was a great instructor that made the humanities course very understandable and fun to learn. He made the course work with today's day and age which helped make the connections in the class. I hope that the professor keeps teaching this way and doesn't change a thing because I think the students will learn a great deal from the way it taught by Professor McIntyre.
At first I couldn't understand the relevance of this subject to my course. However later on, I began to have an appreciation which is mainly due to the instructor. He generously shared his wealth of knowledge with the class. The feedback was done on a timely basis and if needed, he would provide individual clarification. This kind of interest is rarely seen. Thank You!
I just wanted to say that I started off hating the class but it all came together for me at the end. It was challenging to say the lease...It took me out of my comfort zone and made me use my brain, and a different way of thinking than I do day to day....
Thanks for that, best to you in the future. Keep on pushing the students out of the box.
This class is so far one of my favorites. I learned so much a about several different subjects and how it all relates to our Western culture. This class will forever allow me to see things differently when I go to museums or travel to different countries. Professor Don gave me the tools to explore the past (in regards to art, architecture, philosophy and even a little politics) to better understand the reflection it has on our current culture and society.
Great experience!
This class has been one of my favorites. Professor McIntyre has been thorough with giving the class instructions. He grades assignments quickly and personally repsonds to them in order to give you help with the future assignments. You are given a list of topics to choose from wach week and I found the Basic Posts enjoyable as well. I have throroughly and completely enjoyed this class.
Richard and Stacy,
If students as excellent as you had complaints about the course, I would really have had to do a lot of hard reconsidering. Thanks so much for the incredible affirmation.
This class has been the best online class I have taken. You do an awesome job of grading quickly and fairly! Every week we know exactly how many points we have and where we are in the grading scale. Your websites are sooo helpful when you need to check what is due that week and what is due in the future as well as posting the examples for our reports. Thanks again :)
Thank you, Professor McIntyre! I can say I have a better understanding of what Humanities is all about. I truely enjoyed this course, it has really allowed me to learn, appreciate and explore the world at my fingertips. I enjoyed your teaching style, the discussions definately helped me see and understand the different perspectives every person from different cultures have. Thanks again, this class was definately a favorite and all worthwhile taking, hope to take another one with you in the future!
Happy Holidays! BBetancourt
The Humanities class with Professor McIntyre was really interesting. I learned so much information. I enjoyed all the various ways of learning. I liked how the things we were learning there were visuals like youtube or videos. The lesson plan was detailed and we stayed on course. Very helpful with suggestions when needed. I just wish that all the web pages we were given could be condensed or even included on ETudes because in the beginning of the semester it is difficult and if you are not paying carfeul attention you will miss assignments, directions, and explanations. Condensing the amount of webpages needed to obtain information might make it less confusing for people.
I didn't know if I was going to make it through the class but I did and I got so much out of it. I appreciate the quick grading and the helpful comments. Thanks for helping me to learn new information.
I'm not going to lie Professor Mcintyre this was one of my most challenging class in the beginning. Reason being is because I was forced to think outside of the box of just average thinking and expertise. I've always done things in the most simplistic way without any great detail. With this class I learned that mediocracy is not tolerated and if people want to truly learn, I mean truly learn, it takes patience, meditation and sometimes thorough research, which for this class was needed often. Thank you for enhancing me in such a way I feel my maturity level has been increased in the aspects of no short cuts. So for myself what I'm taking from this class experience is the freedom to establish ones own thoughts and gestures and the bravery to actually implement it in conversation and communication through threads. Truly truly edifying to say the least.
Professor,
I would like to thank you to giving me the opportunity to look at art with a different set of eyes! Before, I was not a person who would sit and look at a painting and wonder what the meaning of it is, or try and figure out what the artist was trying to convey through the work. Now, I enjoy looking at art and trying to figure out the meaning and then asking my kids and hubby their opinion's to. Also, I really enjoyed your interaction with the class and your thought provoking questions!
Professor and all ... I am humbly grateful for new found insight and appreciation not only for art in its various forms but also for the connections they represent for me to explore my own humanity. I've come to realize that half the growth process happens in the rest periods along the way. Like taking time to smell the roses, or to appreciate a piece of art, or even to observe someone else appreciating a specific piece. So thanks to you all for allowing me a peek into all the ways you have all appreciated the art pieces we have been exposed to here.
Thank you! This has rekindled something in me that the hustle of life, has let me forget. A passion that was buried underneath my own reality. The awe and wonder of seeing something that evokes thought and exploration. The child like curiosity to get lost in something wondrous. So again thank you all!
This class has help me have a deeper appreciation for art and help me look at everything with a "different set of eyes". I love that statement and I think that everything in life should be looked at with a set of eyes that will allow appreciation, and allow you to look deeper into it and not just the surface that we see. I think that this class has taught me that. I thank you so much professor. You made this class exciting and helped me understand a lot of information. You have help me see how humanities effects our everyday life.
When my oldest son and I were going though his college orientation the professor asked the group of kids what was their favorite class in high school. There were many different answers, my son's who is an absolute science and math guy said US government.
The professor pointed out that sometimes your best learning and the most fun comes from somewhere unexpected.
That is the way I feel about this class and Professor McIntyre. It has not only expanded my knowledge base (I had barely heard of Baroque and Cubism let alone know about their differences) but also my way of thinking. I learned so much from the discussion boards as well as the class project and although it was challenging it was a very positive experience.
Professor McIntyre, thanks for all the participation in our discussions, this was my first online class and I was very impressed with the material and how you made everyone get involved. That is very important for online classes, and it definitely got rid of the doubts I had in the past with taking online courses. Now, I look forward to the next Humanites class I will be taking, although not online, my next professor has a big challenge to compete with the level of interaction you provided.
Thanks
First, I’d like to THANK Professor McIntyre for a wonderful 16 weeks (fall semester 2010)! YAYYYYY, we did it (had fun and learned soooo much about how to really appreciate art) everyone……..
When a professor works with the student and not against the student you know you are in the right in class.
When a professor goes above and beyond his duties as a professor making everything (all links possible to be the greatest student possible) readily available for the student you know you’re in the right class.
When a professor is extremely organized you know you are in the right class.
When a professor gives you choices (Topics on written assignments) you are in the right class. Oh and by the way; short written assignments!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When a professor tells you exactly what’s on the midterm and final you are in the right class.
When a professor gives you ample time to complete all your assignments you know you are in the right class.
When a professor has a sense of humor you are in the right class.
When a professor grades all work in a timely fashion you know you are in the right class.
When a professor try’s to help and encourage his students to shoot for better grades by telling you exactly what will bring your grade up you are in the right class.
When a professor can actually make the class interesting incorporating videos and not just read, read, read, and more reading……… Even You Tube Video’s, you know you are in the right class.
Overall, I had a great learning experience! Professor, you were destined to be a teacher! Its professors like you that keep a student interested and motivated!
If I could change one thing about your class; it would be absolutely nothing! Keep up the great work! Happy Holidays!
Francisca
THIS CLASS AND INSTUCTOR ARE BOTH A JOKE. I had such an aweful experince with both that I dropped the class. Instrutor McIntyre teaches this class I feel based entirely on his own OPINION, and POINT OF VIEW. I feel I was graded down in my assignments as well as in discussions because I did not entirely agree with him. I guess if you are an easy going person, and don't mind just agreeing, then this might be an alright class for you. But I am not, and when I would debate something, I was told that I put too much of my own opinion into it and that was not allowed, and was graded down. I am sorry but it is not the instructors job to inflict his opinion on a student and to deduct points from their grade because they do not agree with him. He is too opinionated, and I because of this he is not a very effective teacher.
Also, when I did not understand something, I did not recieve help. I had a few issues in a few different weeks, in which I had asked for help. After asking for help I did not recieve any. All I wanted was for him to elaborate on a couple of different topics, and even for someone as opinionated as himself, he failed to do so.
I do feel (in my opinion, if that is allowed) he was a little racist when it came time to discuss the feminist movements.
My biggest complaint was the fact that he forced his opinion on people, not just through discussions, but all the help documents, and postings, as well as emails, and grading comments.
I'm sure I will get a long reply to this post, in which I will check back nemerous times a day for, giving me his opinion, and telling me he is in some way sorry I had such a bad experience, and he wishes it could have been better, in which I will reply to as well.
But in the mean time, for those of you who are open to just picking up on someone else point of view, and completely changing yours, this class will more than likely be easy for you.
Good luck to all who take it.
Thanks for sharing your opinions so frankly. I heartily affirm your right to hold them.
Be assured that I have read through what you have written several times, making sure that I have tried to understand, and to self-evaluate based on what you have written - without defensiveness, despite the vitriol.
Since nothing positive can be gained from having an argument with you, I will merely let your input stand on its own merits. I hope you find your future classes and teachers to be more to your liking.
First let me say, that I was always afraid to take a class dealing with the Humanities because I thought that I could never grasp the concept of it. I actually came in as a late transfer, at the end of the first week, and the first thought that went into my head was, what did I get myself into?
Taking the time to read through all of the documents that Professor McIntyre posted into the document share was very helpful. It helped to prepare my mind and start to think outside of the box. One of the documents say to put yourself into the analysis, so when I looked at a worked or art I always try to connect myself to it and by doing that I was able to analyze a work with ease. I for one never thought that this would be a class that I would enjoy, but I enjoyed it a great deal. All of the tools I needed one in the document share, when I read some of his post about stop the excuses just do the work rants, I was wow he was going to be tough. But I took what he wrote and applied it to myself; you only get back the effort you into the work. Most courses I just breezed through without doing the reading, but his rants motivated me to actually spend time studying the material, till came to the point that I actually can enjoy the study of the art.
What also clicked in my head is that we use the Humanities in our everyday life. It helps us understand the past generations; it puts us in the past civilization's everyday life.
For my counterpart comments above, I guess that we had a total complete opposite experience in the same class. I will have to say, that never did I feel that I could not express myself completely. My personal views are Christian conservative and I never thought that I could not be honest on a discussion. Even though I know that many students or even the Professor may not agree, I did not seek to start an argument or seek approval, I just wanted to be honest. My goal was to be open-minded enough to learn something I never understood, but to also not compromise who I am to please others. I believe that I did exactly that. I believe that my views completely went against the majority but I sought to connect the works and discussion to my own understanding, but also being respectful to others but never compromising.
Professor McIntyre, this was a very enjoyable class, and I thank you for all of the interaction we have had. It has allowed me to look a little deeper and improve my analytical skills. If one wants to do well in your class, all they have to do was read your posts in the document share, it truly motivated me. Your non-sense, no excuses attitude made me laugh many times, I even shared it with a classmate in one of my on site classes. I have to ensure that I have all of your documents saved for future motivation. I don't maybe my military background played into the mix a little, no one want to hear excuses just see results, that's what pushed me to complete everything on time. So I want to thank you for a great class, and a great introduction into the Humanities.
Take care,
D. Delaine
Danielle,
One of the things that was continuing to bother me about the previous evaluation was that it implied some pretty harsh criticism of any student who enjoys the class. I didn't know how to speak to that without sounding like I was just defending myself.
And then your post came along. Thank you so much for taking the time to say what you said in the way you said it.
P.S. Do I really "rant"? LBJALNOL (laughing, but just a little, not out loud)
It's not really a rant, it is just the voice I imagine you sound like in my head, which makes it a rant.
Hi Don,
I just wanted to let you know that you are easily the best teacher I have had in my college career. I am currently 26 years old and have attended different colleges for different degrees since I was 18, in these years I have never encountered a teacher with as much enthusiasm as you. I am actually leaving [name of institution removed] to start attending a "sit in" college this summer. The reason I am doing this is because I think a major problem [name of institution removed] has is staffing teachers that care. In the majority of classes I have taken through [name of institution removed]'s online program I have encountered teachers who seem to be "dialing it in". This caused me to stop caring, and my GPA to slip from a 4.0 to a 3.0.
I am telling you this because I truly believe that if [name of institution removed] always staffed teachers who have as much Dedication, open communication, and care for their students as you do, I would never have decided to leave the school. I can tell you have a passion for what you are teaching and because of that I really started to want to exceed in your class, rather than just breeze through the class with a low grade and retake it at a new school as I had done these past couple of semesters with other classes. I gave you high scores in the survey that [name of institution removed] sends, but I also wanted to send you a personal thank you because I think you deserve it. I will also be calling the school and talking to my advisers as well as emailing the Dean to let them know how much you inspired me to do well in your class, and how much drive you gave me to be a good student again. I can only hope that in my new college I will have a teacher who is half as skilled as you are.
Thank you for everything...
Professor, thanks for a truly enjoyable session. I learned a lot this class, it's been paying off when I watch Jeopardy. Seriouly though, I think you did a great job in keeping the discussions interesting, fun and insightful. The session went by very fast, too bad it has to end. I hope to get you for a class in the future, thanks again!
Professor McIntyre. Thanks so much for an awesome class. I particularly loved the discussions. They really made me think! I understand and have a more deep appreciation of the arts and the humanities.
I do want to thank you for this class, I know I still have a lot to learn, but, this class has opened my eyes to new environments of the Arts. Thank You :)
I have to say that I didn't really want to take this class, and that I seriously didn't like it to begin with. But I have to admit that I have learned things in the class that has now peak my interest in arts. I have never really taken time to explore art in any fashion. But to look at some of the paintings and try to figure out what the artist was trying to display is very intriguing.
Thank you for the time that you have spent in preparing this class and making it worth taking. I know that I will take some of the things taught here into the future and be able to remember that it started with this class.
This class has given be a better understanding of how art, music and literature paints a picture of what events were happening in that time period. I enjoyed learning about the reasoning behind many art pieces that I probably would have not understood unless I had taken this course. Thank you Professor McIntyre for your additions to the class. If the class was just reading the material I do not think it would have been as interesting but with your added discussions and lectures the class went by quickly and more interestingly.
I am sure I will continue to learn more about the links between art, literature, and music and the ties it has with our history. Knowing these ties helps us to understand culture better and understand why we are who we are. Thanks again and best wishes for the future.
I have to admit that I did not like this class to begin with, still not sure about it, but I have learned alot from it. I will probably need to take it again, but at least I know that I have a better understanding of humanities now then I did when I first started. Thank you for the insight and who knows, I might surprise myself and read more about humanities.
I would say I never was and I am still not a fan of this subject. The class wasn't hard yet I do believe the instructor is somewhat harsh and grades unfairly. I did recieve a good grade in the class but on somethings I feel should have been taken into consideration. I think the way this class syllabus is formatted really sucks. If I had a chance to take the class again I would but I prefer to do it with a differrent instructor.
Thanks for taking the time to offer your comments. Here is some feedback to your feedback:
-I admit that the course delivery system (which I think is what you mean by "the way this class syllabus is formatted") can be a bit unwieldy at times for some students. But please understand that for many aspects, as soon as I make it easier for one kind of student, I've made it more difficult for another kind of student.
In developing an on line course, there are many conflicting agendas: state educational mandates, technical issues, honoring different learning styles, using good online resources, etc. Choices must be made. I regret that it presented difficulties for you.
If you can provide me with some specific suggestions for making improvements to "the way this class syllabus is formatted," I would be eager to consider them.
-If you can provide me with an example or two of how I seemed "harsh" to you, and I am able to see your point, I'll try to improve. (If you are nervous about identifying yourself and having that lead to some kind of grade retribution, feel free to wait until final grades are in.)
-Regarding my grading unfairly, I think this is a first time I have even received such a criticism from a student who "did recieve a good grade in the class." Students who receive good grades in a class don't usually question the fairness of the grading.
Let me explain what I (and the school) consider to be the principles of fair grading, then you can tell me if these principles are flawed in some way, or if you believe I have not followed them correctly.
1. Standards of achievement must be fair for the academic level of the students (as defined in national, state and local standards)
2. Standards of achievement must be fair for the time constraints of the students, specified here:
"Start Here" >>> Got a question? >>> Earning Points >>>
"How much time is a student supposed to be spending taking this class?"
3. Grading criteria must be clearly communicated to students in writing, no later than the first week of class.
4. The instructor must be available to clarify grading criteria when students ask for such clarification.
5. Actual criteria used for grading must be identical to the grading criteria that were communicated to students.
-I do not understand your sentence, "...on somethings I feel should have been taken into consideration." Can you clarify?
-For future reference, may I offer a suggestion? A professional, academic environment is - or should be - different than just hanging out with friends or interacting via general internet chat. Your comments lose some of their credibility and force when they include a phrase like "really sucks."
Thanks again.
This class rates a 9 on a scale of 10. The instructor was very responsive to any questions which I had and his communication to us through emails was extraordinary. The class material was fun and interesting and I really enjoyed the weekly videos which I plan on going back to and watching again.
My only minor complaint that, maybe it is just me, (though I have seen a few other pinheads on here relating to the same thing) and that is I found the information highway a bit challenging at times as far as obtaining information for the class. Pretty sure that is done to challenge us, so I get it.
Other than that, everything was great and I would definitely take a class again taught by Don.
Rock on Dr D and have a great summer!
Nick M
Thank you so much professor. I will never forget this class. Your good people. An actual online class where u work and learn something, and push yourself. Who would have thought. Thank you!!
Good online class with a variety of stimulating assignments and visual aids. What else can I say?
The only unfortunate thing about taking a class like this online is that we do not get to see the obvious passion someone like you possesses for the arts, and that is a shame. Perhaps in the future you might try to arrange for the students as a group to meet on campus, voluntarily or otherwise.
Best of luck to you Don and thanks again for enduring my many PM's to you.
I want to first give my only piece of constructive criticism because it is very small in comparison to all the positive things I have to say. The only teeny tiny constructive piece of criticism I would have is the layout of your syllabus website. It is a little confusing because of the links leading to different pages instead of most of the information being on one page. I think its mostly intimidating the first time you look at it because after that I was easily able to find the information I needed. Okay, now on to the rest...Having taken 4 online classes this semester I feel that I can truly appreciate your class. Your course is organized and well thought out. There are no surprises for anyone that reads all of the available information. I will say, I was a little intimidated with the quizzes and the MiCRoCoSMs at first. The quizzes gave me anxiety because you only have 5 minutes! But, I realized after taking the first few that as long as you have read the material there is no reason why it should take more than 5 minutes. In fact, I was actually surprised that most times It would be finished in about 2 minutes and then have time to re-read and make sure my answers were correct. The MiCRoCoSMs were new to me and I was a little overwhelmed when reading about them, but after completing my first one I think I got the hang of it. I loved writing MiCRoCoSM reports. They give you a whole new perspective on creative works and are pretty cool to read as a whole once you've pieced together all the sections. I loved the fact that we didn't have a textbook. I feel that listening to music, watching the assigned videos (which are pretty good BTW, some in other classes are like torture to watch) and reading the professor's and other writers words gave the course a more realistic feel to it. I can't imagine taking a humanities course with a textbook now, I don't think it would do it any justice. The websites that you chose for material were so informative, I really feel as though I learned so much. I understand now when you said at the beginning of the class that it may be a little overwhelming but we would grasp it after a few weeks. Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that you know what you're doing. I can tell you have a passion for Humanities and "art"(creative works), that is really important in a teacher, to have passion for what you teach, and yours shines through. I have never seen a teacher give out his personal phone number or be willing to call you with help, that is amazing! I feel that I can walk away from this course with so much valuable knowledge, and I thank you for that. I now have a passion for Humanities and a larger passion for creative works than I previously had. My field trip solidified how much humanities had done for me. I was able to walk through the museum and not just look at the creative works but really see them, understand them. Again, I thank you for that. It was a pleasure being in your class and hopefully I'll be able to take another course from you one day. All the best to you and your family.
Thanks to those of you from the just-completed LAHC class who took the time to offer specific suggestions for improving the delivery system of the class content.
When more than one or two good students offer the same criticism, then one who wants to be a good instructor needs to take notice. I have heard your voice and am making improvements!
Let me thank you in advance, on behalf of future students in this course.
I have enjoyed this class. It is something different from my normal everyday nursing classes, and I certainly learned something.
Thanks for all of your attentiveness; it did not go unnoticed. You have been the most approachable and attentive instructor I have ever had (and I have had a great group of
instructors). Thanks so much for the time that you put into this class and the quick and fair response on grading.
I took this course a couple of years ago and am now working on my master's in education. I used Professor McIntyre's class, his requirements and his feedback as examples of effective teaching, assessment and evaluation in a recent paper. At the time of the course I appreciated the fact that I learned a lot in relation to humanities,however it wasn't until this paper that I realized he also taught me a great deal in relation to education and student learning.
Thanks!
I took this course a couple of years ago and am now working on my master's in education. I used Professor McIntyre's class, his requirements and his feedback as examples of effective teaching, assessment and evaluation in a recent paper. At the time of the course I appreciated the fact that I learned a lot in relation to humanities,however it wasn't until this paper that I realized he also taught me a great deal in relation to education and student learning.
Thanks!
Dear anonymous author of "I took this course a couple of years ago..."
What an encouraging thing to read. Thanks so much!
I'd love to read your paper - not just for ego believe it or not, but for the chance to become more aware about my own teaching. If you're willing, please contact me via email.
I went back and reviewed all your helps and find them to be very useful and informative... You can't do a better job of explaining what is required. I will keep pondering and review it again to see if something comes to mind, but your class is well organized and full of information and learning opportunities.
There is a reason why professional and professor share a prefix, and professor Mac might be the entire reason why. It would be difficult for an ordinary person, to fairly and completely compose a just review of Don McIntyre. Duly as it would be a person with; considerable devotion to education, and a consistent proactive attitude to understand this type of learning platform. His mode of delivering stylized and effectively transposed subject matter stands alone. So to be fair I must take what I have learned and deliver my education into the horizon. Thank You Professor MacIntyre.
I really had a good time researching and writing the project, as well as all of the rest of the class and I would like to also express my appreciation for your thoughtful words, and your exciting and thought provoking posts in the discussions as well. This whole class was a joy and has sparked some interest in alternative fields of study and that is exciting in itself. I may be contacting you in the future with some questions about this or that, if of course that is alright with you? Anyway, thanks for everything over the past couple of months and I hope the best for you in the future.
I would love to hear from you in the future - for anything that's on your mind. It would be great to interact with you outside of the formal environment.
I did not look forward to this class, but found myself quite surprised by all the information I learned. I began to look at architecture and art differently by looking at lines, patterns, colors, and how light affected it. Music gained a new perspective as I learned how to listen to the movements within a symphony. I learned to appreciate the artist and their creative works by looking at the skill and emotion that went into a piece of art. I would recommend this class to anyone wanting to learn about Humanities-Relevant Preparation...The RP's of learning more about our world through creative works of art.
Humanities 001 with Don McIntyre
I needed this class to fullfill my degree requirements. I hate how most teachers require a text book and have the students read directly from the book (word for word and the cost of text books). Text books are so standard that I feel that I do not get to maximize my learning potential,especially taking an online class. There were no text books required for this class. I love the reading material set up. The reading was simple, not time consuming and easy to understand. I like how the teacher test for understanding from each student with discussions, class participaton, quizzes, microcosm and honest feedback. The Microcosm was simple. It was much better than writing the standard boring 5-7 page midterm/final paper. Once I figured out exactly what the teacher wanted the class was a breeze!
I have been taking online classes for the majority of my degree work. Out of all the online class I have took, this by far was the best online class! I wish more teacher would structure their online classes this way. I actually learned and understood the material! I would recommend this teacher to any student. FANTASTIC JOB DON MCINTYRE!
Professor, I must say that this class and your thoughts have really provided me with such an important way of really being more open minded to everything we have covered. I can positively say that I have learned more from this class and can take more knowledge with me on a personal level than any other class I have taken so far. I really expected this class to be boring, but you are the perfect professor for this class and made it so much fun and really turned it into a positive learning experience. Your honesty throughout this class really helped me as well and your extreme detail really made it impossible to get off task. So far, you have been my favorite professor! Thank you so much for your time and patience. I will never forget the experience I gained from this class. It is refreshing to know that there are still professors out there like you who take so much pride in their work that it reflects it everything you do. I will miss being in the class greatly, but I have many more classes to take on my education path. I can not thank you enough for this wonderful eight weeks we have all shared together.
Thank You So Much!!
College, for me, has been one list of boring classes after another which are less about stimulating thought and more about reciting facts. There are few exceptions though. Humanities has been one of the exceptions. We have explored many topics that I study on my own. From prehistory and cave art to modern times, we have touched on the people and events of history. Thank you for a refreshing class that encouraged intellectual conversations and individual thought.
I am a true believer that everything has its purpose in life. I am very grateful to having the opportunity to take this class and meet my classmates and such a wonderful professor. The college is blessed to have you as part of their team.
Professor you have made this class interesting and exciting to learn very week with your interactions and questions. (some we did not understand :) but you made it fun. Professor you are awesome and a great contribution to the college. You take such pride in your students always encouraging, being very thoughtful, and expecting more because you are the kind of professor that value learning. Know that as I leave this session I will always take a part of you with me. You always inspired me from the very beginning of class when so much was going on with me. The encouragement that I would leave with you is continue to teach and care about your students. God has a special blessing for you. He has already given you the talent to teach.
Thank you for a wonderful session, for expecting more from me and pushing me when I need it. God Bless you and your family.
These last 8 weeks were an eye-opener.
The first lecture I was asking myself what domes, skeletal frame and vaults had to do with nursing, and I thought I was an architect,or grave digger. Then I realised that humanities, was giving me a new insite into life changes through history, and the motives and behavior of human beings. It is history with a difference,that explored more . Even in my project, - concrete and cement- I marvelled at its development, advancement and evolution throughout the ages. Now,I can't help but admire the paintings,and structures in my church,and all the buildings as I travel.I am looking at paintings differently.This class has helped me to explore more and to see how cultural creative these artists, were as they relate to the era in their work. I also know that when I move from this apartment or fix it up,that I am a"creative artist".
I have 2 courses,left and will hope to visit some art gallery or museum,then with a great knowlege of the art, I might even buy the cheapest piece in memory of my humanities class.
Last,but not least,Professor McIntyre, you are an awesome instructor,from week to week you taught us what you knew, what we should know and guide us towards our goals.Your feed back and interactions,(even though your additional questions sent me researching again and again for new ideas) were rewarding.I like how you post our results in a timely manner and offered advise that gave much food for thought.I love them,can't stop admiring how you worded your instructions that all should heed warning.Saw the priestly training in you.Thanks for your thoughtfullness and brillant ideas.May God continue to richly bless you.
WOW!!!!!
That "wow" is for your abilities as an on-line professor. I really appreciated the extra effort that you did to make sure everyone understood what needs to be done in this class. I, like the others, was not quite sure about humanities...but I was able to open my mind and thoughts to many different things, again thanks to your vigilant questions and insights. Best class I've ever taken and most certainly the best on-line class. The school is lucky to have you as a teacher! This class has rejuvenated a somewhat tired 50 year old, full time nurse director, mother, wife, student. Thanks doesn't seem to be enough to say. Best wishes to you and your family.
Professor I want to thank you for your wealth of knowledge relating to Humanities, this class has been an eye opener for me also. When we first started this class I did not know what we where really getting into. I thought it was going to be boring and just about what happened in our past. Well to my surprise It was nothing like I thought. I wanted to get into this class so I could have discussion with my husband about History. As I learned from this class I was able to share things with my husband that he did not know. I even got him interested. The knowledge I have now of what humanities is all about will forever be with me and I see things so different now. I look at myself as an artist in many ways. Art is Cool!!! The diversities we have in it is awesome, from painting, sculptures, literature, poems, music, photography, etc. I have really really enjoyed learning. I find myself looking at building, painting on the walls at work and in the malls. Thank you for making this class exciting and pushing us to think and be creative. I will miss you and when I see paintings and art in many forms I will think of you. I wish you well and keep up the good work that you do it shows in your discussion that You love what you do. BE BLESSED. Thanks again.
P.S. My favorite paintings where the ones that related to Christ Our Lord. They really told the story.
Don, I have to give it to you, I was never a fan of online classes, humanities, written reports or mainly anything that this course pertains we do. BUT within this course my mind has expanded to think outside the box especially in art, philosophy, society and humanities and much more. I can now say I have a modest "expertise" of the areas we discussed especially the art area. Viewing the wonderful and beautiful pictures and text that were in our book and the one's you encouraged us to look at have overwhelmed me with happiness. Happiness in the fact that I have learned and had fun at the same time. Writing a paper, putting in a little extra effort for online as opposed to onsite and humanities are all things I don't mind dong at all. I can't even surface what all I have learned but if I had a great time getting to this point, then my time was well spent. On behalf of many of the people in this class if not all I thank you for such a wonderful experience and I hope that one day we may "virtually" meet again!
I think the study of humanities, promotes a more comprehensive and holistic conscience on all professionals. I believe the formation of new professionals must require a society of knowledge. Professional environments should be a space that is alive, where intellectual and affectionate relationships will be measured by ethics, quality of learning, searching of the truth, integrative, constructive, and humane.
From my perspective, it is of remarkable importance in all careers a formation in areas pertaining to the humanities, that will allow the individual the possibility of a global culture, hence, it will be able to perform with better human sense and ethics to a society that expect the best of everyone.
I will continue to learning. My goal, is to accomplish Advance Practice Registered Nurse level as an Acute Care & Family Nurse Practitioner. Try talking to a patient about any given topic . . . Humanities rock !!!!!!!!
I liked it before this class, now I know more about it!
I just sat the Final and now I can breathe a sigh of relief. I guess this is it for now at least! and I wanted to say a HUGE Thank you for your dedication to use throughout the 8 weeks. I have learnt alot, and yes, I definitely want to gain more understanding and knowledge on this subject.
I have completed by BSN now and I have to say, you have been Up there at the top when it comes to Student Interaction, you led us to where you needed us to go, you providied endless documents/information for references, probably the most of any class I have taken in this 14 months.
I felt that you gave us all the attention we needed and I valued all of your teaching
Best wishes with your upcoming publication, your music, your blog
God Bless
Honestly, I just want to say that this is one of the only classes I've taken- be it online or in person- where I not only feel completely comfortable asking questions, but I actually want to. You created an environment where everyone speaks in a public way on a weekly basis. Because of this, even if I don't know how many people I may help out by asking the question, I choose to do it just in case it's only for one other person. Or maybe I'm the only one, but for a future assignment someone else will be frantically looking through the site and never find it until they come across my thread.
On top of the entire forum, the way that the assignment due dates are laid out actually helped me tremendously with my other classes. By being in the "I'm going to get all of my work done today" mode on a Monday or Tuesday, it means that most of my other work gets done before Wednesday also. This has helped a lot with the new job that I got solely because of the email you sent about the Disney internships! So really, the biggest thing I can thank you for is my new job!
I have actually learned a whole lot this past semester. We read and learned about people we don't really hear about in our history classes (and I think we should)and I have learned to appreciate art and its artists more than I did before. I have always been a fan of creative works, art, architecture, writing, etc, but have never FULLY appreciated it and understood it. At first, I was iffy about the MiCRoCoSM reports but I actually liked doing them.
I think you're a great professor and never hesitated to answer our quesions (and quicker than any other professor I've ever had in the past 3 years)and I appreciate your dedication to your students.
If anybody has doubts on taking this class, I recommend it!! And if anybody says it's hard or that he doesn't grade fairly or bla bla bla, then most likely they're just a sucky student (no offense).
Enjoy your summer, Don!
I have actually learned a whole lot this past semester. We read and learned about people we don't really hear about in our history classes (and I think we should)and I have learned to appreciate art and its artists more than I did before. I have always been a fan of creative works, art, architecture, writing, etc, but have never FULLY appreciated it and understood it. At first, I was iffy about the MiCRoCoSM reports but I actually liked doing them.
I think you're a great professor and never hesitated to answer our quesions (and quicker than any other professor I've ever had in the past 3 years)and I appreciate your dedication to your students.
If anybody has doubts on taking this class, I recommend it!! And if anybody says it's hard or that he doesn't grade fairly or bla bla bla, then most likely they're just a sucky student (no offense).
Enjoy your summer, Don!
I have never heard or done MiCRoCoSM report before. It scared me a bit when I read it and thought, wow, I do not think I would be able to get this paper done and I wont know where to start. However, my two papers have been 35/35. It is because I read the examples and followed the directions on the syllabus. The very detailed explanation and examples of what MiCRoCoSM had helped me write my paper. It truly gave me a sense of understanding on how to disect the subject or topic I have chosen whether it is with music, a poem, buildings, sculpture, paintings, etc. I could not believe it that I was able to go on and on in details of what I wanted to write about. On top of that, I learned to research my subject and I was able to apply it to my feelings and experience. Thank you Don!!!!!!
This class was by far my favorite class I really like the structure of the class and how it's put togeteher. Don mcintyre is great at communicating and getting the student to follow simple and easy instructions. I really like microcosm reports, they were new to me and i really enjoyed them. My favorite part of the class was not only how easy the professor made it for us to understand the requirements, but the way every studen had a different topic to post about instead of everyone writting on the same topics, i feel i learned 100 rimes more this way because not only did i learn about my topic but every other topic i responded too or choose to read on my own. Bottom line it was a great class, subject, and a wonderful teacher truley my favorite in my academic career.
And thank you too!
For any who do not know what a "MiCRoCoSM Report" is (I do not use them in all my courses), they are a tool for thoroughly exploring and evaluating any creative work.
My book explaining MiCRoCoSM Reports in detail will be released in 2012. Look for it (or order it) wherever books are sold. It is entitled, The Human Design.
I'm really glad that I took this class; it was really enjoyable and even though I was extremely nervous about taking an online class, you explained everything clearly and made it a wonderful experience. I really appreciate how much effort you take to try and help all of your students. There aren't a lot of teachers like that anymore, so it is always nice to run into one. I hope that you continue to teach and that you have a wonderful summer. :) Thank you for everything, I had a great time!
i just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed your class this semester. The content was great and I learned many new things and expanded my knowledge. Thank you for giving us all the tools we needed without making it too easy for us this was my first online class and was definately a learning process for me. I hope you have a great summer and perhaps we will run into each other again on another online course
Your teaching methods work. This was the first online class I have ever taken and I greatly enjoyed it. I was always a fan of art and creative works of many kind, but taking your class has taught me to appreciate it much more than I did. Not only art but architecture, history, important people of our past, writing/literature, and much more. And also, your dedication to your students. You never failed to answer anybodys' questions and/or concerns. Keep it up :)
Thanks and have a great summer!
This class has been one of my most enjoyable classes. It has opened my mind and soul to new thoughts, ideas and interest. I never dreamed I would enjoy this class. In fact I was dreading it. Thank you so much for making it so interesting and for providing documents of exactly what you expected from us. Following your guidelines, there was no way to make a bad grade. Your guides and expectations were very much appreciated. This left nothing for speculation. I look forward to searching for your publications and will enjoy reading them. I may even mail one to you for a signed copy.
I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this class! Especially when I had near heat failure realizing I had selected it in error. The level of engagement and brooding of minds that Don provides is just incredible! The clear way in which you provided the information, the emails that reminded us of what to do and the ones predicting the mindset of some helped to keep us all on track.
So many classes are about just simple restating what we were taught and staying within those guidelines. What I loved most is the encouragement for expressing ourselves (respectfully) and sharing knowledge that you don't get from a textbook. If I had one word of advice for any future students it would be to embrace and enjoy a teaching style that doesn't set you within limits, but encourages you to step outside your own box and enjoy the ride!
I found this professor to be smug, self rightoues, and a sorry excuse for a professor. He only welcomes the weak minded and whoever agrees with his viewpoint. The moment that you challenge that he brings out the smug and self rightoues part of himself. I tried (notice the operative word) to disagree with his grading. And he suggested that perhaps I should one of many (garbage) helps that are anything but that. Not only does he not use them, he does whatever he pleases. We really should band together and get him taken off faculty at any college. I'm sure he will try to dispute what I'm writing but trust me if you ever see his name you may as well drop the class and add another so you don't have go through 8 weeks of pure torture with him. I really can't understand how he 'brainwashed' all of these people that actually think he's a good or even useful teacher. Of course these must be the ones who can't think for themselves. Do your worst with this one you worthless excuse for a human being
No response necessary, except to say that your negative characterization of the majority of my students is inappropriate. There are lots of intelligent, mature, accomplished and delightful people in that group.
I’ve appreciated your input during this class. Some teachers in the online courses I’ve taken have been disengaged from the discussions and have been generally unresponsive to e-mails or other requests for feedback. That was thankfully not true in your case. Your presence in the discussions showed not only a dedication to the students but also showed you were truly passionate about the subject you’re teaching.
Thank you for all the communication! This is the FIRST time I've ever had a professor reach out so much!
Great class! Just do your work and you'll do good. I really enjoyed microcosm reports and the field trip report because they are great alternatives to regular essays. They also made me feel like I was specializing in a subject :) The only thing I would say was that there were a ton of emails in the beginning of class, so that was a bit confusing, but one will quickly get used to it and understand how the announcements work. Highly recommend this class!!!! Thank you professor :)
Thanks so much for taking the time to provide feedback. I am so happy that the course was beneficial and enjoyable to you.
Regarding "...a ton of emails in the beginning of class," you'll be surprised to hear that I agree with you! It's a constant struggle for me - trying to communicate everything that seems important, without being too overwhelming.
It's made doubly complex by the fact that some students are immediately on top of things without too much help at all, while other students seem to go the entire class without seeming to "get it," and then blame me for not communicating enough.
If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears!
Thanks again.
It seemed like every time i emailed him he was waiting for it at his computer, i can chalk it up to technology- that lets you know when you get a new email. Or attentiveness of the professor, I prefer the second. :D I learned plenty in his class and found the assignments to be very interesting. I also learned cool facts from the discussion, if school is cool. lol.
As much as he communicates with us through email, he seemed to be a little bothered when I asked him about SPECIFIC times for due dates. Rather than answering my question he would send me several links as to where he had posted the answer. I get he wants us to be independent -totally understandable- but sometimes a response with an answer rather than links would be appreciated. That was the only hurdle I had in this class it simply happened twice, it would have been less time consuming for us both to just have answered the questions.
thanx prof. Happy Holidays
Thanks for your feedback. First, let me praise you for your ability to be understanding about my efforts, and appreciate the class, even though one of my practices was not what you would have preferred. That maturity is wonderful to see, and never taken for granted.
I know that students sometimes get frustrated when I do not just give a quick and easy answer to what seems like a quick and easy question. And you're right: if the one question was all I had to deal with, simply answering it would save me time. However -
When I have provided information, due dates, and help already (usually at several different times and in several different ways) and yet a student does not know that information, that is an indication to me that the student may not have given adequate attention to other information as well. If this is the case, the student might be unaware of other things that could impact his/her grade, and there are likely some questions that s/he has not thought to ask.
Thus, simply to give a quick and easy response would be doing the student a disservice. If indeed the student has not read some of the requirements and help material, I want to encourage him/her in the right direction. "Quick and easy" does not usually lead to good grades.
I hope you see the reasonableness and legitimate concern behind my thinking on this - even if, admittedly, some instructors handle it differently.
I don't recommend this class for those people who wants easy way out and to add easy A in your transcript. Unlike any other online class, it is not easy to cheat your way up without actually reading and watching videos he provides every week. Don't take this class if you are lazy. However, If you are tired of professor who lacks passion in teaching and unfair grading, I highly recommend professor McIntyre. Though there are a lot of materials and reports that you have to right, the direction he provides is so clear and as long as you follow it you'll most like to get a full credit. I did poorly from the beginning of the semester because i spent barely an hour like i did in most of the online classes. I actually had to challenge my self and after that most of the assignment that i completed was with full credit. Most of the online class that i have took was completely useless in my opinion and as soon as it was over, i realized i didn't learn anything. However in this class, i learned a lot. It is time consuming but knowledge you'll get by the end is definitely worth of your time. I had easier class and you could probably find easier professor, but i highly recommend this professor and his class if you actually want to learn about humanity. Why can't all the online classes like this class?.
I enjoyed this class. its not an easy one and whoever wants to take it needs to follow the professor guidelines and do a lot of reading.
Hello Professor McIntyre,
I hope all is well. I first want to thank you for your comments. They are much appreciated and I do try to use the insight to improve.
I hold myself to very high standards and take my academics very seriously. You have been one of the most interactive professors I have had and I appreciate all of the course announcements that you post. They really help me and give me guidance. Please do not let my poor grade reflect on your teaching abilities at all. You have done a fantastic job and I know you will continue to do so.
It is very unusual for a student with a less than stellar grade to take the time to express to the instructor that s/he takes responsibility for that grade.
Generally, the trend seems to be toward jumping right into "the blame game," with the assumption that the instructor is somehow unfair or incompetent.
Thanks so much for your refreshing maturity. It will serve you well in life.
I really enjoyed your class, you are a great teacher!. The way you interact with the student's throughout the class makes students gain interest in the subject.
Thank You
Professor, All I have to say is Thank you. This class has been absolutely incredible and you are an excellent teacher. Thank you again and I am glad you liked my report.
I came into the class very apprehensive, and I did not have a clue about the study of humanities, but now I am glad I took the course, and with a truly amazing professor.
You truly help me to explore other aspects of life, and looking at matters from all perspectives instead of based off my own values.
You were a wonderful instructor by providing constant feedback and study aides, so you're not that bad of a guy after all :)
Thanks.
When I first register for this class, I didn’t have any expectations whatsoever, except to take it because my adviser told me so. But, I have to say taking this class thought me to appreciate the world’s art, literature and music. It was really interested for me to learn about people and culture that are different from us. And all the stories that I haven’t paying attention when I was in High School and the new information’s. It all changes my perspective for better and I know for sure I won’t just pass by ‘Art and Literature’ section when I go to Barns and Nobles from this point on. Thank you Professor and for all the students Good Luck on the exam.
Hello Professor. I would just like to say thank you. I had no idea what to expect when I registered for this class. Although at times I didn't think I would make it through you made it possible. I am glad that I took this class and now have a better understanding of the humanities. You gave me a new way of looking at things. Good luck to all my classmates on your future endeavors. Once again thank you Professor.
Thank you Professor McIntyre, for helping me get over my fears of intering into your class. I won't say it was easy with your support and family I made it through. I will take away past history is beautiful and worth learning about. I will start looking at our buildings and paintings much different then what I have in the past.
I really enjoyed this class. I needed one elective to finish my bachelors, and I chose Humanities. Wasn't sure what to expect; most people don't feel they need Humanities (and initially I was no different). Don did an excellent job directing the conversations and encouraging more thoughtful analysis. I appreciated his feedback as it was never negative; it only offered additional thought to help me take my points further.
I would take another Don McIntyre class any day!
Although this class is packed with so much assignments and discussions, I think that Professor McIntyre did a great job at encouraging the students to do everything as much as possible by providing reminders through etudes and personal e-mails. This class is surely not an easy A, but I definitely learned a lot and I think that's what really matters in the end; regardless of the grade I would have to get.
I enrolled into this online course of humanities, and I must say it was worth it. I am still not sure of my grade while writing this post (as the semester has not ended yet), but I am glad I took it (even if I need to retake). I would take it again, same class, same format, same teacher! Although, I felt at times...I just need a straight answer...well...you will not get that from this teacher. You will be directed to search the site and locate your answer. Not a problem! I am glad I took the course, because I learned alot and it helped me do better throughout the week on my work. Thanks Prof. Mac...hoping I don't have to see you next semester...lol...enjoy your summer
I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for being so understanding about everything. Thank you for really caring about each of your students.
I hope you get a little bit of a break and get so quality time with your wife.
And once again thank you
You made Humanities fun! I actually really enjoyed this class, I am happy I took it with you. I dreaded taking it in the beginning and didn't really like it but i've learned so much and enjoyed it! Thank you! :)
Although humanities was a tough subject to keep my attention some of the things I learned has really opened my eyes to things around me. All in all I think you were a great teacher because you had passion for what you were teaching and wanted your students to succeed, but I think that you could have a little more compassion for your students. You should remember that a lot of students are parents or work full time trying to get a degree at the same time and some it is a little more difficult to achieve for some, but doesn't mean they are not meant for college classes. I don't think that you should be lenient,but you should trust your students to some degree(shouldn't argue with students when they say the sites not working properly)or make them feel stupid for asking a question when the answer is somewhere in the student resources(sometimes people forget). It actually discouraged me from asking questions.
I'd like to ask you to hang with me maybe for one more post as I seek to wrestle with your less positive comments. These thoughts came to mind, and I'm wondering if you could comment further on any or all of them. Thanks:
Regarding my lack of compassion, and making students "feel stupid": Mere words on a screen can be a cumbersome form of communication, since we don't have the benefit of tone of voice, facial expression or body language. Since we have never met, please be willing to consider the possibility that there might be some inaccuracies in your perceptions of me. Sometimes, a caring instructor needs to try to correct a student's approach, for the student's benefit. In general, people are not eager to be corrected, and if we feel bad about being corrected, it's a natural defense to assume that the corrector is somehow flawed in character or intent. Is it possible that my attitude toward a student while writing words might be different than what the student assumes when reading those words?
Otherwise, please provide me with an example of where lack of compassion or kindness was inherent in the words I wrote. I very much want to avoid such misrepresentation of my attitude toward my students.
Regarding my lack of trust in my students: Part of my response to this is the same as above. I could be wrong but I feel that most of my students feel that I am basically trusting toward them. However, it depends a great deal on the context and the specific student(s), and what you mean by "trust." If I trusted all of my students all the time in all things, I would not last one semester in any good school. Almost all of us, in certain situations, are capable of being deceptive or manipulative in order to gain an inappropriate advantage. I expect that all experienced teachers have horror stories about previous students that have taught them to be circumspect regarding trust. But again, if you could provide me with an example of when you are certain you deserved trust but that I did not trust you, I would appreciate it very much, and would consider it very seriously.
I am unaware of any time where I have "argued with students when they say the sites not working properly." I can think of a couple of times in recent classes where students alerted me to a problem and I needed further information to fix the problem, or situations where students did not seem to know how certain sections of the class worked (and had not read the instructions). But without examples, my tendency is to feel that the word "argue" is a bit too strong.
Regarding "...make them feel stupid for asking a question when the answer is somewhere in the student resources(sometimes people forget)":
I know that students sometimes get frustrated when I do not just give a quick and easy answer to what seems like a quick and easy question. And you're right: if the one question was all I had to deal with, simply answering it would save me time. However -
When I have provided information, due dates, and help already (usually at several different times and in several different ways) and yet a student does not know that information, that is an indication to me that the student may not have given adequate attention to other information as well. If this is the case, the student might be unaware of other things that could impact his/her grade, and there are likely some questions that s/he has not thought to ask.
Thus, simply to give a quick and easy response would be doing the student a disservice. If indeed the student has not read some of the requirements and help material, I want to encourage him/her in the right direction. I believe I do so with a properly gracious attitude toward my students. Again, please help me with examples of what I need to correct in my communication style.
I apologize for the length of my response, but these matters are important to me. I would appreciate further clarification from you - either here or via email.
I really enjoyed this class. I can actually say that I learned something and not just passed the class and got nothing out of it. At first I thought it was going to be boring and a lot of reading, even though it was a lot of reading I enjoyed reading and getting all the information that was given. The very first time before I took the test I didn’t know what to expect, I thought it was going to be really hard but the quizzes were easy as long as you did what was on the module for that week. You always responded quickly to my emails unlike other professors who don’t even bother at all and I thank you for that. You made everything very clear. This last project which was the field trip one was interesting because I never thought about looking at a museum online or actually knowing what I was looking at or the history behind it. I would recommend this class to whoever has to take to take it with you. Overall I had a great experience in class and once again thank you for the fast emails and clearing things when I needed help.
Sincerely,
Yvette
You will learn a lot from this class. If you keep up with the works and read all the instructions given, you will get a good grade and enjoy the learning process that this class provides. Make sure you pay attention to all the due dates and follow all the Instructor's advice. The feedback for grades and questions is great, don't be afraid to ask questions in this class. The best way to describe this class is like a ride on a magic carpet, back in time to some of the greatest events and ideas in human history. Enjoy your ride!
This class was very interesting. I really did enjoy the discussions and post topics. Professor Mac was always in touch with his students. We were able to get immediate "feed back" on everything having to do with this course,like questions, homework assignments,anything..This course is structured well too. Everything is laid out clearly in the beginning of the course, stating what work needs to be done, his rules,time frames, sources,everything. I really like this instructor, and he has a great sense of humor.He is open to his students,and allows us to be the same way to him and each other,in a respectful clean (language)way. I learned A LOT!! This class is structured in such a way, you will cover everything on the syllabus,and wouldn't even recognize it. You get so into the discussions and readings,next thing you know,your half way through the course, then before you know it the course is over. I would definently recommend this course, Humanities 001 with Professor McIntyre to anyone who wants to learn in a creative,organized, and expressive enviornment, and have fun doing it.
Iris G.
I learned a lot in this class. I was skeptical at first because the class seemed so demanding. But after awhile it got easier. Professor Don was very helpful when it came to answering questions, and providing feedback if you did not understand. He was very prompt when returning emails. He does give you all the information you need through links and class announcements, to be successful in this class. He is also fair when it comes to grading. Overall I enjoyed this class.
Thanks Professor Don for the experience and professionalism you brought to the table for students like myself. It was a pleasure being under your instructions, you teach in such a profound mannerism. I was able to perceive most of the material and instructions you laid out. Being my first time online, I was frustrated trying to budget my time and meet online deadlines until you reassured me that I could do it. The time spent was certainly worth it and an experience to remember. I hope I wasn't too hard on you. I didn't just feel like a number, I felt motivated and determined. Your emails and brief calls kept me in the loop. Your criticism was needed at times. I didn't do as well as I expected because I raise the bar very high for myself. However, I can't think of one thing you could have done differently. Again thanks,
Lory Stanton
Greeting Professor,
Thanks for being the type of instructor that stimulates the thought process of commitment and discipline.
Although it has been a challenge for me to apply myself, I appreciate Humanities based on what I have learned.
You're absolutely correct when you said that,
"If you have really put an appropriate amount of effort forth in this class, then I hope the class has been both enjoyable (happy) and beneficial (good) for you."
This comment allows me to reflect on my challenges, as well as the pleasure of being honest with myself about the areas of lack of effort, and that i must challenge myself.
This course has been informational, and motivational. I appreciate all that you have said, because in one way or another, it was to help us as students become better and disciplined. This is something that will last me a lifetime as i pursue my upcoming semesters; taking everything into consideration.
This quote is been a deposit of wisdom to me.
"Never be so happy that you're not good, and never be so good that you're not happy."
Again, Thanks Professor, your are changing the lives of those who are willing to recognize the need for change.
Thanks,
Timiko
I thoroughly enjoyed Humanities 001 and learned quite a bit in the process. Professor McIntyre provides clear instruction, detailed syllabus and constant interaction with the class. The coursework and requirements to succeed are plainly stated. Professor McIntyre was completely accessible and provides positive feedback. Reminders for upcoming work, deadlines and due dates were regularly announced. You need to have some self-discipline to do well in this class. You will work for your grade. “With hard work comes great reward.” It was really fun interacting with the other students during our response posts and discussions. I hope my next online class is as enjoyable as this one was. ~Debra
I want to thank you for teaching this course. I learned a good amount while taking your course. Since most courses i take are science or math, it was very refreshing taking a course that made me expand my knowledge. I will definetely refer any of my classmates to take your course. Thanks once again.
I greatly appreciate your different take on this course, and your thoughts and ideas in the discussions. This is not a subject that I have great interest for or an in depth knowledge of, but do to your posts, I was able to see the connection between this information and some real world applications.
Hello everyone!! I literally just finished taking my humanities exam with professor Mac! I thought it was very fair and exactly what was taught in class, textbooks, and in lecture/ discussions. The class was very interesting and it was such a pleasure meeting Professor Mac and everyone else in class. Professor Mac is a very fair teacher and will give you a grade that you deserve. I thought the class was awesome and the topics that were brought up in the discussions were very thought provoking and it helped me open my mind and channel through my creative thinking. I got to appreciate different types of art and see them in a way that I have never seen before. I was mostly interested in a lot of the Feminist movement and some of the readings provided were from Virginia Wolf and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I have taken a Feminist class years ago and read "The Woman's Bible" by different feminists. Over all , I thought this class was amazing!!
I really enjoyed the course! Whew It came a little overwhelming in the beginning, but I managed to hold onto the reigns and stick it out. You are a striaght forward teacher, and I noticed you force the students to read further into the material for their answers (kind of like researching). Winking No answers given and none taken. If the work is done the points are given, but the readings and videos are a must. Lightbulb It would be wise for most students to read and watch as required. Nothing hidden in this course...pretty d*** good...
Really enjoyed Professor Mac's Humanities class! He remained engaged throughout the threads always encouraging all to dig a little deeper. Course expectations were crystal clear, assignments were clear, a perfect roadmap to success! Thanks Mac for a great term!
one of the thinks i really enjoyed about this course was that we were able to see our entire course schedule and what we were supposed to do. Like the basic post i did all of my basic post ahead of time because i was afraid that i was going to fall behind do to my pregnancy and my due date was on February 15 i didn't want to miss any work. I really appreciated that because in my other online classes unfortunately i didn't have the same advantage I had in this course.
I really enjoyed the course! Whew It came a little overwhelming in the beginning, but I managed to hold onto the reigns and stick it out. You are a striaght forward teacher, and I noticed you force the students to read further into the material for their answers (kind of like researching). No answers given and none taken. If the work is done the points are given, but the readings and videos are a must. It would be wise for most students to read and watch as required. Nothing hidden in this course...pretty d*** good...
I think he is the best professor I have heard in my almost two years in school. He not only was quick to answer questions but he provided great feedback on each assignment he handed back. Thanks for the great learning experience. Patrick
One of the thinks i really enjoyed about this course was that we were able to see our entire course schedule and what we were supposed to do. Like the basic post i did all of my basic post ahead of time because i was afraid that i was going to fall behind do to my pregnancy, i didn't want to miss any work. I really appreciated that because in my other online classes unfortunately i didn't have the same advantage I had in this course.
I know this is the best class I have taken at Clark so far. I think the class is set up so that everyone can earn an "A" if they put forth some effort. This class did not feel like work to me like my other classes often do. I was happy to do all of the assignments and I actually looked forward to the quizzes. I saw them as a way to see how much I learned that week, and I didn't put too much pressure on myself because I knew I had the extra 14 points in the grading system. This is VERY nice. I like how I could relax and enjoy the course and not be too caught up in always getting a high grade. I was able to earn high grades because I wasn't so worried I think. The extra points available through turning the reports in early was also very nice because I think often times in school there is no incentive to get work done much before it is due. This class is set up to benefit people who work hard, but it is not a class that is so hard that it was difficult to earn high grades. I was very worried about the time limit on the quizzes, but I found them challenging in a fun way and I was able to get only one or none wrong on all of them but one. I will recommend this class to everyone and I am so glad that I took it. I think Professor Mcintyre is a very fair professor and I have had no issues with the way he runs his class. The best professor and the best class I have had! I do not have any suggestions as I feel this is just about the most perfect course. I learned a lot with out feeling like I was struggling and what we learned was useful, unlike a lot of what is in other classes. He was easy to communicate with and cares about his students.Thank you, Professor Mcintyre!
-Jessi Shelton
This course was one of the first ones that actually pushed me to the best of my ability and i really liked that. At first i thought about just giving up but i managed to get passed this class. Professor you have a good teaching technique going on, the way you do not just give the answer away and make a student read is very good. You have every question a student will ask in this course already answered for them and as long as they read that and follow the instructions you will be fine in this class.
Very straight forward class and teacher
I must say that humanities was one of his most memorable subjects. It may be I have found a minor subject, I actually would even consider teaching it. I really enjoyed this class but I have to admit that Professor Don you have made this possible.
My humanities studio was a great tool to explore the basics behind creative works. Your lectures were straightforward and informative. The readings included were interesting informative as well. The topics for our weekly discussions provided useful and interesting facts that were learned. The MiCRoCoSm Reports were newly introduced assignments however I enjoyed working on them. The field trip to an art museum was beneficial to understanding and applying what I learned from this class. Even though I may find a piece of art work distasteful I can “intellectually” interpret why (if I choose not run from it :)
Thanks Don for all the work, time and passion you have put into your course and to your students. I have truly benefited from.
You have made this a great outline course and experience.
Thanks so much for your awesome class and for teaching me to take the time to find the meaning behind the picture.
The class was great, Don. I particularly enjoyed writing the microcosm reports since the approach was so dissimilar to most other papers I've written. I also thought the Annenberg videos were great and I appreciated how well you communicated with all of us through email.
Don,
I see that everything has been graded and I wanted to take the time to write you to thank you personally for being a wonderful teacher. I wanted to do this after you had graded everything, I'm not trying to butter you up for a good grade (though I suspect you are impervious to such efforts).
I enjoyed how you engaged the students and how your passion for the topic and its many facets shone through clearly in your communications. You were also very quick to respond to emails, or any technical issues that came up. You clearly have a vast knowledge of the subjects (really humanities contains more than one!) and I didn't feel like you were ever speaking down to me (I've had teachers do this). I also really appreciated your efforts to reassure me when I first started this class. A part of me was very discouraged at the first grade on my quiz, but I'm glad I stuck it out!
The fact that you described my second paper as "incredible" has really struck a chord with me. I was elated when I saw that. I've never had anything I've turned described as incredible. I even told my husband, as I was smiling with glee. I honestly feel like I could have done better on the third report, and I won't try and make excuses, I just wanted to say, while you gave me full credit, the perfectionist in me expected more. I suppose that is the nature of writing though, things can almost always be improved.
I was afraid that I wouldn't enjoy this class. I thought the subject was too dry, and that I would have to strain to retain any knowledge. I actually looked forward to the weekly videos (in particular). The reading was usually ok, at the very least it was moderately interesting, sometimes I just devoured the entire chapter. I agree with your assessment that this should be a required class for all degrees. It seems to be fundamental knowledge, at least to me. I didn't think that before I took the class!
Thank you Don, for being such a great teacher! You really provided a good environment for learning, and you really opened my eyes to the beauty and wonder of the world.
Thanks for being the type of instructor that stimulates the thought process of commitment and discipline.
Although it has been a challenge for me to apply myself, I appreciate Humanities based on what I have learned.
You're absolutely correct when you said that,
"If you have really put an appropriate amount of effort forth in this class, then I hope the class has been both enjoyable (happy) and beneficial (good) for you."
This comment allows me to reflect on my challenges, as well as the pleasure of being honest with myself about the areas of lack of effort, and that i must challenge myself.
This course has been informational, and motivational. I appreciate all that you have said, because in one way or another, it was to help us as students become better and disciplined. This is something that will last me a lifetime as i pursue my upcoming semesters; taking everything into consideration.
This quote is been a deposit of wisdom to me.
"Never be so happy that you're not good, and never be so good that you're not happy."
Again, Thanks Professor, your are changing the lives of those who are willing to recognize the need for change.
I just want to say thank you! I have never got a 100% in a non nursing class. I was shocked to see my final. I was not that confident that I did so well. This comes at a rough time I am going through, and it actually helped build back up my confidence level. Again thanks for everything you are superior and very understanding professor answered all my dum questions or aided me in finding the answers. I never had a professor care so much about the success of his students. You made this class so great for me as it is a subject I new nothing about, but with your help I am better educated on this subject and feel very confident in speaking with my college going older daughter and other college professionals.
I just want to let you know how much I have absolutley loved this class. I've always appreciated art, but never really understood the meaning behind much of what I see. This class has really changed that for me. As I've mentioned in some of my discussions and reports, my husband and I are going to Italy in September. I'm so glad to have taken this class before our trip. It will make my understanding of the art and architecture we see so much fuller. And I think you have been a wonderful instructor.
Thank you again.
Great class, I learned so much and am able to interpret art pieces more carefully. I also felt like this class had a huge emphasis on history and if you've done well in your history class then you should do well here. Thanks Prof.
Thank you Don for a very rewarding class! My new knowledge of the humanities will be used to expose my students to the world around them and to help them look deeper into the arts.
Great Class!
I can't believe that I survived online class. This is the first class I took online. To be honest, I was scared at first. But because of Professor Don's words of encouragement during the first week, I was able to overcome my fear- fear of failure and fear of changes. I remember how he said that "he believes in me and he knows I can do it". Coming from a professor like him really gives hope and courage, especially that time that I was going through something and about to begin a new life.
Talking about his class:
A. the way he communicates to students- thumbs up! He makes sure that everyone is getting his emails. He keeps reminding his students what to do, due dates, etc. He answers questions from students exactly the answers we have to know and learn. He answers as soon as he can.
B. his lectures and everything we need in class- thumbs up! I like how he has the step by step way in studying the lecture. He provides all the websites, readings, and everything. For those who don't like reading that much just like me, sometimes reading lectures are overwhelming. But because of his unique way of providing the lectures and study tools (not all reading in one week, but also watching videos and listening to music), I found it interesting, and I ended up liking the course.
C. discussion- this is my most favorite part of this class. At first, it was really hard for me to communicate with others. I didn't want to share my thoughts and insights. But because of our discussion every week, I overcame my fear. I was able to talk to my classmates, interact with them, or even argue with them if needed just to stand on what I believe in. For me, it is not the grade/score that is more important that I benefited from this, but the confidence I gained in giving my opinions.
D. grades/scores- thumbs up! He is fair and gives grade that student deserves. He also gives feedback so students may be able to improve assignments, projects, and reports for us to have better grades.
E. class- thumbs up! Humanities 01 spring 2014 is by far, the best class I had in LAHC. Why? Because of Great professor + awesome classmates. It was different for me, for it was online and I am used to taking classes at the campus, but it was great journey with prof and classmates.
Thank you so much Professor Don not only for teaching Humanities, but also for making me appreciate art and teaching me something that is more important than anything else. Something I can always take as I move forward- life lessons. No wonder there are a lot of positive comments or feedbacks about you. Just keep up the great work!
Trivia: you're the first and only professor who called me with my nickname when you gave the feedback on my 2nd and 3rd Microcosm reports. I really don't like my name, and I was so happy when finally one of my profs called me -----. I kept telling my professors before to call me with my nickname but they kept forgetting. It's one of the reasons why you're one out of my two fav professors :)
Hello Professor: You are such an awesome instructor for starts. You were my choice when I was recently asked who would I recommend for Humanities. Actually I learned a lot about how to do Microcosm reports. Which was a first for me. In the fashion that you provide your teaching skills is a way that keeps your students interested in wanting to learn. Because you provide us with the adequate information I would have to say that it would be absolutely impossible to end the semester without challenging myself the value of our history in the art of Humanities. You have given us something to think, research, inform,discuss and then post about. Your subjects are topics that will benefit us not only in your class but others.
With all fairness and honesty I can not see anyone making any negative response about you. And before they do if they dare I suggest that they cross their t's and dot their eyes, re-read, study and abide by the information on the syllabus and question themselves did they meet deadlines on each discussion, test, research with a follow-up checklist.
Thanks again Professor you are the best.
Professor McIntyre,
I know you're extremely busy, handling the many students you have, with a vast knowledge base and domain of study. Like most, I was required to take humanities and to be honest, I was not all that excited about it. This semesters preview week gave me ample time to print out and read the documents you listed. I try to get ahead, whenever possible, so therefore, I took the time to carefully read over all of the material you posted. I instantly regretted entering the course with a negative attitude. You have extended yourself beyond what is expected of you, as a professor, and the passion you have for this course is obvious. I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and all that it entailed, and have enjoyed having you as a professor! My grade as it stands is a 99.6%. I say this because I don't want you to think I'm kissing a**, because I'm not. My grade is a reflection of the effort I put into the course, as you were able to draw the passion from me, as I explored what it meant to study the humanities. It was truly a pleasure taking this course with you as my instructor. I don't think any other professor would have been able to illicit the same response from me in a subject that I originally knew nothing about. This is just to say thank you! It is obvious you want your students to be successful.
Professor McIntyre,
This was by far THE best class I have ever taken! I was incredibly worried that I was going to fail due to the simple fact that the class description did not peak my interest one bit. I was pleasantly surprised at the way that you set up your weekly assignments and requirements. Everything was simplified so much that I often times had to question whether or not this was a college course. I had to remember that not everyone understands things as quickly as I do ;) The quizzes that were set up each week were just enough to keep your head in the game but not extensively long to where you felt you were being overwhelmed. I greatly appreciated your comments as well as the quick grading. But most of all I appreciated you asking to use one of my reports as a template for future classes. This not only gave me the confidence that I needed to complete future reports but it made me feel like I could do great on any assignment I had whether it peaked my interest or not. I learned way more than I have ever anticipated with the weekly topics and I thank you for that. I wish you the best, and the future classes the best. Thank you for an amazing semester!
The only thing I can say. Thank You for your time and patience.
That the start of this course I was mad because I need it to complete me BSN however, after the first week I knew that it was going to be a great class. This class gave me another perspective for class and in life. Thank You Professor for everything.
At the begin of this class it was kind of over my head being that it had been 41 years since I was in college. I was very frustrated, I would e-mail the Professor with his kindness and patient I am getting a B may an A after this essay. He is an excellent teacher very understanding but will make you find your own solution with his guidance. I get this class an A+
Hello Professor,
When I registered for this class I had no idea what Humanities was all about. I was very skeptical at the start of the semester. I was a bit over whelmed at first but like you expressed to the class to give the class a few weeks and READ everything twice or ten times like I had to. After figuring where all the information for each assignment was located I found myself feeling more comfortable. I did appreciate all the emails and messages every week with friendly reminders. I really enjoyed the short videos of the different historical periods. I recommend watching every minute that is expected because there are questions from these videos on the weekly quizzes. I enjoyed the three micro reports and field trip assignment. I also enjoyed researching the different types of creative works. I tried to write one of my reports on Citizen Kane but just could not figure out some of the sections required even with your great examples. No loss because I got to watch a great film that I never saw before. I really found all the examples and resources you provided for the assignments a great help while completing the work. I have never enjoyed a class so much and I learned a great deal this semester. Thank you for your guidance through Humanities!
I can say that I now see creative works of art with a new point of view.
Thank you again!
Jennifer
This class gave me a new perspective of life. Prior to this class neither I had a skill nor interest to admire wonderful treasures around me. What ever the cause for us to delay our initiation to go back to school, finally we have taken a step to enrich our self and embrace the knowledge. Best of luck to all classmates. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever"- Mahatma Gandhi.
Thanks Professor for guidance and great posting . Professor your posting reflected your passion towards humanity.
Let me say that the first 2 weeks of class was very challenging , I asked my self why am taking this class. The constant emails we received from the professor made me nervous as well However I want to thank you professor for such a wonderful class ' Where ever I go I tend to gazed at different arts and i now look at and,appreciate it more. I enjoyed every lecture and learned a lot about humanities. I especially love how quickly you returned our grades.
Don is the best teacher I have had a Clark College. The grading is completely fair and well done (the comments help when being marked down!) I have never had a problem with his class. The reports are creatively thought up and can even be fun. He responds quickly and gives you the info you need (even if he refers you to "files" or something) I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to take his class.
Professor McIntyre, thank you very much for your instructions and guidance throughout this course. I have enjoyed it very much and wish you all the best. To my classmates, I have enjoyed reading your posts and getting to know all of you as much as one can by reading another's opinion. Good luck with your career and personal goals in life. If the posts I've read are any indication of how well you all will do in those areas, then I know those goals will be met.
This class has given me great insight into different art forms and made me really stop and think about the messages behind them. Thoughts I might otherwise not have had if not for this course. I will now be able to have a somewhat intelligent conversation in a social setting when a art/humanities related topic is brought up.
Professor McIntyre, you kept this class interesting. You made us think outside the box. I must say this class helped me expand my knowledge. Thank you for everything.
i know this class was confusing to me, but with your help and my finally understanding I really enjoyed this class. Thank you from the bottom of my heart :)
I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Humanities. Humanities has given me a broader look at culture and how history effects us all on a daily basis. And of course how we look at, examine, and think about life, culture, and history teaches who we are and where we are going. Thank you for the opportunities offered in the class.
I truly enjoyed this class. The set up worked great for me, very organized and straight forward. The work load is perfect, and I can truly say I retained most of it. My only suggestion (and this is because it tripped me up both times I encountered it) is that on the quiz questions that ask for something that was NOT in the chapter or NOT relevant to the content of the question, then the NOT somehow stand out; like I have here capitalized or underlined or highlighted. My brain just skipped right over that word and resulted in confusion and answering the question wrong even though I knew the right answer. Over all I feel I am a more well rounded person now and have already recommended this class and instructor to others. Thank you for the great course.
That's a great suggestion. I will make that change. Thanks so much!
What a great Spring 2016 class! I thank you for taking the time and planning out our assignments and lectures instead of just picking from a book (and we end up saving a lot of $$, always appreciated!) I felt like I was attending a real classroom by getting these detailed lectures. You are very fair with grading and you give great feedback!
Great class! First, thank you for having a very organized and planned out assignments and lectures, not only was it easy to navigate but you even added extra links to help with any confusion. It also helped us save money by not having to purchase a book, always appreciated! I really enjoyed the lectures and videos and I feel like my researching skills improved as well! You give great detailed feedback and tips for improvement. Really enjoyed this class, thank you again!
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