James Blustein - Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

Professor: James Blustein

Department: Computer Science

College: Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CSCI1107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Really this class was just a convenient means through which I was able to enjoy the profs lectures.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CSCI6606
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You need to participate in in-class discussions, and you need to understand the course content very well, rather than memorize it. He is very caring and friendly. He will show you exactly how to get an A+. As long as you do what you should do (participate in discussions, understand content, do assignments), you'll pass with a high grade.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CS3160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Class about interface design. We got to build and test ideas. The point was to use agile.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CSCI1107
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Super easy, easy assignments. Gives pop quizzes. You don;t have to study much. Uses common sense.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Unclear expectations for tests and assignments. Arbitrary grading practices and ambiguous deadlines. Fell asleep during final presentations for projects worth 40% of grades. Unable to answer direct questions about grading schemes, rubrics, and expectations for assignments.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Read Don Norman's Design of Everyday Things... most of the class is content from the book. Save yourself $720.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He fell asleep during final presentations.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CSCI1107
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He just need to organize and give students clear timeline from the first day. You might plan your time to finish some tasks for other courses, then suddenly he sends you an email about assignment.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Honestly it feels like the guy has no idea what's going on. He gave us a group project that's worth the majority of the % for the course, but then doesn't have a clear timeframe for anything. At some parts it felt like he was making it up as he went along. That being said it's a very easy class, and as long as you just show up each week you'll pass

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The teacher know nothing about the material and mainly teaches directly from slides and the book.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3160
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Worst professor I've ever had. Hardly taught anything. Blamed students for poor marks on tests. Blamed ITS when assignments weren't able to be submitted. Blamed TAs for poor assignment marks. Talked for 20 minutes one day about Kinder Surprise eggs (which was not related to the class). His class was a complete waste of time.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CSCI1107
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Jamie is a great lecturer and his lectures are generally interesting. Like other commenters have said it can be very hard to determine what was a tangent and what is going to be on the next pop quiz (which are only kinda poppy, warnings are common).

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CSCI1107
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Super nice guy, who cares about his students. His lectures are easy to follow, but sometimes it is hard to tell what we should remember for tests/quizzes and what was a simple tangent in the lecture. Other than that he is very helpful and my favourite prof of the year. (he is also a snazzy dresser)

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CSCI6606
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is very helpful person,

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CS3160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Inspired me to learn. Late twice but only a few minutes. Simply awesome. Great examples. Everything on CD but you need to be part of the discussion to learn. Students even design the test questions (but the tests are fair even when they are hard).

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CSCS3160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I read the comments here and so was worried about the class. I didn't need to worry. Jamie is very caring about his students. You can tell he wants us to do well. No question is too ridiculous for us to ask, he wants to answer. His examples are often strange (but that's because his interests are endless).

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CSCI6606
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

On of the best profs

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CS31604173
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A very kind, caring prof. Very bubbly, energetic, and full of jokes to keep you awake. He genuinely cares about his students and is probably the most down-to-earth prof CS has.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 4173
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

good teacher.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CSCI3171
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I can’t figure him out. The class/text material and assignments aren’t difficult. Some exam questions are ambiguous. Some answers seem apparent, but later find he was thinking of something else (no points). I got “A” range on everything, took the fina