Dean Cocking - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Dean Cocking

Department: Biology

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GSCI104
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I took a one credit lab for a gened req and honestly it was hard to get myself to go to class because we literally did nothing. He doesn't use canvas at all, the whole class is a mess, and it's confusing BUT if you go and are willing to pretend to care you'll get an A. He's a nice guy & the class was easy. I'd take it again even though I complained

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ISCI104
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Cocking is the worst teacher I've ever had as far as learning material. It's been 12 weeks and I can't even tell you 3 things Ive learned. Mumbles, very rude, confusing, doesn't understand his own assignments, gave "extra credit" to my partner and I for telling him the project he assigned had incorrect measurements even though he doesnt grade

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ISCI101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

If you love hearing about how we are destoying the planet from climate change for 3 hours every week you will love this class. Incredibly disorganized, youtube lectures and falls asleep mid lecture. Also shows you how to make a basic powerpoint presentaion, in case you didnt learn that in middle school, DO NOT TAKE!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO354
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I left this class after the first 'lab' section. Waste of time. Mumbles throughout any of his 'lectures', puts on a movie, then falls asleep. It's unfortunate, because I love the subject he teaches. His 'teaching' patterns compelled me to leave. If I have anything positive to say, it's that he is occasionally funny. If you value your time, avoid.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO354
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

You learn strictly from videos and group work in class. Exams are straight forward and right from videos/text. Lab sections do individual & group presentations, but he sleeps through them so don't worry. Sit close to the front, he mumbles and you won't hear a word if you're too far away.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO354
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

As long as you show up and care just a little bit you'll do fine. He notices the effort you put into the class and grades you accordingly. Not a hard class at all.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO354
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Unbelievably bland lectures. Scratch that, HE NEVER LECTURES. He just shows a movie or youtube. You may learn a couple facts in his class, one of them being how to make a powerpoint presentation in under 20 minutes. I swear the man does not actually grade your work, he simply gives everyone a B+ if you show up and a C if you don't.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 354
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Cocking is a nice old man. He has trouble projecting and is sometimes hard to follow but, listen to the man through it and he is a wealth of knowledge. He generally has you watch videos and has you do assignments during them and are tested on the and you do several power points on random research topics that are graded by peers and by him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO354
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Please do not waste your time. Tests are hard and you never know what to study because all you do is watch videos! Professor can't work youtube! Tests can be on anything from the book or random emails he sends out. His tests are worded poorly. He sleeps during class presentations. He takes 15 minutes to form a sentance.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO353
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very boring and rude at times. Will randomly grade assignments really tough or really easy. The class drags on a lot. Doesn't even stay in the room during tests and will randomly have us watch videos. Lots of pointless busy work.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO353
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

he is a really sweet old man and he means well. he is VERY knowledgeable and helpful. he may drag on at times but he does it in a loving manner, as if we were all his gradnchildren =)

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO124L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I seriously dread going to lab each week. He takes forever to explain concepts, and at that he does not explain them well. Don't even bother to ask him questions; he'll talk a lot without clarifying anything. He loses patience with the class when we don't understand and he uses profanity - and will then blame his grouchiness on his diabetes.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO124L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

SOOO SLOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW. The class isn't hard, but it's so frustrating because he can never just say what he wants to say. He has a big problem with talking over people, and he will just wait and waste more time until you be quiet so.. in order to prevent the rest of the class from hating you.. be quiet. it takes long enough as it is.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO124L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Oh wow...he's a character to say the least. I would say avoid if you actually want to learn something. Takes him a while to articulate a point...but not because he's unintelligent, but because he isn't very clear.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO124L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

So boring... he talks so much that it takes 3 hours to finish something that could be done in 45 min. I seriously dread this lab, it's hard, not because of the content, but because this guy can't effectively teach the statistics to go along with the experiments. The grading on lab reports is pretty harsh too. Avoid him if you can.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GSCI104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

easiest class ever but he is a pretty arrogant teacher. class moves wayyyy too slow and he gets off subject a lot. easy A but very borring.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO456
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

i really liked this class with him- you must read the book on your own to do well on tests but his class is slack and you almost never have to attend lab.. there are few assignments and he's lenient. it was a small class and he was always really friendly and even took us on a field trip to DC. go talk to him personally for clarity on assignments.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECOLOGY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

horrible teacher...doesnt explain things well at all and is so ambiguous with questions. grades everything like you are an ecol major and its gotta be perfect. avoid at all costs if possible. tells you that you basically suck at life.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO325
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Worst teacher ever. do not take. incredibly mind-numbingly boring. once you get on his bad side, you never get out.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Overall, a great professor when you get to know him. He is extremely helpful with questions and help. What is cool about his class is that he gets you to think instead of just memorizing facts.