MCD BIO 495
Preparation for Teaching Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology in Higher Education
Description: Seminar, two hours. Designed for graduate students. Study of problems and methodologies in teaching molecular, cell, and developmental biology, including workshops, seminars, apprentice teaching, and peer observation. S/U grading.
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Most Helpful Review
Had him for LS15. My favorite professor I've had at UCLA. He was genuinely concerned that each of his students walked away from his class with something, no matter what it was. His tests were actually fairly difficult, but he curved generously, and if you go to his midterm and final reviews, then he pretty much gives you all the questions he asks on the tests. The discussion sections were interesting, and required a surprising amount of effort to do the debate and the project, but so long as you did put in the effort (and went to the discussions), your discussion grade will be good. Great class, taught by an even greater professor.
Had him for LS15. My favorite professor I've had at UCLA. He was genuinely concerned that each of his students walked away from his class with something, no matter what it was. His tests were actually fairly difficult, but he curved generously, and if you go to his midterm and final reviews, then he pretty much gives you all the questions he asks on the tests. The discussion sections were interesting, and required a surprising amount of effort to do the debate and the project, but so long as you did put in the effort (and went to the discussions), your discussion grade will be good. Great class, taught by an even greater professor.
Most Helpful Review
I took EEB 116 I found this professor to be quite adorable because he was always excited about the topic of conservation biology. He always came to every guest lecture and listened attentively to them. However, he wasn’t at his OH when I tried to go one day. And he doesn’t hold review sessions like Wayne does. His lecturing style is pretty much all pictures. He talks a lot about various animals in different parts of the world, and shows many pictures with them. Just make sure you write notes about important adaptive biology facts when it comes to these pictures. Because of all of the pictures, I don’t recommend printing the lecture slides just because it’ll just take up way too much ink and money. His lecturing style is similar to Wayne, in that it is also disorganized. But I did notice that I was able to stay attentive in Rundel’s lectures more just because he talked more about interesting biodiversity around the world. For the exams, there will always be a guest lecture question. The exams are short answer, 3 exams, all worth the same amount of points. So it’s almost like there is no final. The papers discussed in discussion are not on the exams. The short answer questions tend to be more about the concepts that you can write about in a few sentences. The 2nd midterm had more about solving a problem with the equations given. Either way, the averages tend to be high on all three exams, and the exams tend to be easier than other EEB classes. But they are still challenging, and a lot for a short amount of time. I did not find this class to be an easy A, but I also did not find this to be he hardest class. If you put in all the memorizing, you’re fine. But there’s a lot of reading for discussion, so it’s easy to get behind along with your other classes.
I took EEB 116 I found this professor to be quite adorable because he was always excited about the topic of conservation biology. He always came to every guest lecture and listened attentively to them. However, he wasn’t at his OH when I tried to go one day. And he doesn’t hold review sessions like Wayne does. His lecturing style is pretty much all pictures. He talks a lot about various animals in different parts of the world, and shows many pictures with them. Just make sure you write notes about important adaptive biology facts when it comes to these pictures. Because of all of the pictures, I don’t recommend printing the lecture slides just because it’ll just take up way too much ink and money. His lecturing style is similar to Wayne, in that it is also disorganized. But I did notice that I was able to stay attentive in Rundel’s lectures more just because he talked more about interesting biodiversity around the world. For the exams, there will always be a guest lecture question. The exams are short answer, 3 exams, all worth the same amount of points. So it’s almost like there is no final. The papers discussed in discussion are not on the exams. The short answer questions tend to be more about the concepts that you can write about in a few sentences. The 2nd midterm had more about solving a problem with the equations given. Either way, the averages tend to be high on all three exams, and the exams tend to be easier than other EEB classes. But they are still challenging, and a lot for a short amount of time. I did not find this class to be an easy A, but I also did not find this to be he hardest class. If you put in all the memorizing, you’re fine. But there’s a lot of reading for discussion, so it’s easy to get behind along with your other classes.
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Most Helpful Review
This class was for : EEB 116 (choice was not offered...) This professor always held review sessions before the exams, which was nice of him. However, it is a Q and A session. Which also can be not helpful at all. There will be a lot of silent moments. He tells everyone to read the book for the class. But if you ask him material from the book, he won’t really know what it is. So, I suggest not really wasting time reading the book for the class. His lecturing style is a little dry. He tends to talk more about the mathematical models of conservation biology, which can be dry anyways. Also, his slides are totally unorganized. He tends to have a lot of pictures along with the information that he talks about. These pictures are important for the exam, as he will ask for an example about a topic, which will be from that one picture that shows up on the slide. He also includes several important names on his lecture slides, that he won’t provide notes with. They will always be on the exam. What is nice is that he gives you equations, so you don’t need to memorize MOST of them. There are some equations he “forgets” to give you and that you should be familiar with. For the final exam, he gave no equations yet we needed one to answer a question. But in all, the exams were more difficult than I expected. They marked me off 3 points for naming a seal, instead of an otter even though I knew the concept. I thought that was pretty stupid. Although his lectures are considered very disorganized. If you actually plot them out into an outline, they do make sense. It just doesn't make sense in powerpoint format.
This class was for : EEB 116 (choice was not offered...) This professor always held review sessions before the exams, which was nice of him. However, it is a Q and A session. Which also can be not helpful at all. There will be a lot of silent moments. He tells everyone to read the book for the class. But if you ask him material from the book, he won’t really know what it is. So, I suggest not really wasting time reading the book for the class. His lecturing style is a little dry. He tends to talk more about the mathematical models of conservation biology, which can be dry anyways. Also, his slides are totally unorganized. He tends to have a lot of pictures along with the information that he talks about. These pictures are important for the exam, as he will ask for an example about a topic, which will be from that one picture that shows up on the slide. He also includes several important names on his lecture slides, that he won’t provide notes with. They will always be on the exam. What is nice is that he gives you equations, so you don’t need to memorize MOST of them. There are some equations he “forgets” to give you and that you should be familiar with. For the final exam, he gave no equations yet we needed one to answer a question. But in all, the exams were more difficult than I expected. They marked me off 3 points for naming a seal, instead of an otter even though I knew the concept. I thought that was pretty stupid. Although his lectures are considered very disorganized. If you actually plot them out into an outline, they do make sense. It just doesn't make sense in powerpoint format.
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