Michael Pool - Austin Community College, Austin, TX

Professor: Michael Pool

Department: Anthropology

College: Austin Community College, Austin, TX

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Very hands off and takes forever to to update grades on blackboard. The class in general is not hard, it's just a lot of busy work. Overall not bad, just a very hands off professor.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

the WORST professor i have ever had in college... he reads directly from the power point slides everyday and makes people feel stupid for asking questions. he gives you about 20 pages of homework due on test days and requires that you turn in a chapter summary almost every class. would highly recommend not taking his class he's horrible. 0/100 pts

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are well explained. He is very kind and is willing to help you pass the class no matter what. All you gotta do is pay attention in class, do the work, and take advantage of his office hours.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He helps me understand more by giving specific details. He is a great professor.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a great professor. He answers our questions with full detail. He is very specific when he teaches.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Academic pedagogue type of person. Read the text, buy a cd-rom drive reader on amazon for the 3 unit homework assignments - if you wait until the last minute it will take 24 straight hours to complete each one so don't do that. lots of technical scientific terms - best to review vocabulary. tests are open book, open ppt, 2 chances each. READ LOTS

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Painfully miserable lectures. Dull and boring practically read power points word for word. 3 Tests that are taken online and you are hardly given enough time to complete them.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Beware! I would just warn any student against taking this professor for any online course. It is not worth it. This will be my first class in 2+ years of college where I did not receive an A and I have had some difficult classes. Little instruction and less feedback. Classmates are all confused and frustrated. Most dropped.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE!!! For online class: The syllabus is horribly written and he is not responsive to emails so good luck figuring out the course alone. Must buy a CD-ROM(!?)for the class that is not compatible with macs. CD is a joke- grammar mistakes, misspellings. Obviously this professor does not even pretend to care about student success. The WORST!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

specifically for online class. Just like being in high school again, read the text book, do hand out created by the text book co. You actually have a lab manual, but you get the idea. You're pretty much on your own as he is not the best at answering emails, you don't really get feedback as you do a grade with no explanation. Only take in a pinch

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I would not recommend taking Professor Pool's class. His lectures are dry (mostly consisting of him reading powerpoint slides). He does not convey the material in a clear, understandable way. Although he is very educated and smart, he is not the best teacher.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Long boring lectures. Tests are really hard. I also had him for geography and I hated it. He does makes sure you pass though if he sees you're trying. He's a good guy but just a terrible teacher. If you do your work and go to class you'll pass, but I wouldn't ever want take him again.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You need the textbook for this class because you have to do chapter reviews. Easy, but time consuming. There is also an online lab that is so old it doesn't work with newer software, so I spent a lot of time in the library. The labs take a good chunk of time, so don't procrastinate. Pool gets sidetracked very very easily. I hated his lectures.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE!!! He does not teach anything that will be on test. Tests are online, timed, an computer generated so not even he knows what will be on them. He can say very offensive things and will make you feel stupid for asking questions. I spent 10+ hours on maps that he admits are just "busy work" and I received less than half credit. Don't take.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYSICALGEOG
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pretty monotone lectures. Hard to stay awake and lots of homework. But seems like a nice guy

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1303001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Took Online, I DO NOT recommend. His syllabus is unclear, he post the wrong edition of the book then changes it last minute, rudearrogant, he is unwilling to work with students needs, and takes forever to grade. Easy A, but a pain to tolerate.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I was originally dreading this class and it ended up being my most enjoyable class last semester. The lectures are somewhat dry if you don't get his humor, perhaps an age thing, because I got them and I split the age gap between him and "traditional" freshmansophomores. He gives a full letter grade of easy extra credit and the tests are online!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ANTH2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Class is Easy as long as you study. Many errors on syllabus and instructions not very clear. His lectures were very monotone so it was hard to get myself to show up to class. He gives you 60 points towards good attendance. You have to write summariesChapter which is easy and the virtual lab is a pain because the disk kept freezing my Computer.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GEO
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

When you ask for help, it sometimes doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about. And I think that's because he's not a very good "teacher," although he does know his stuff! He can rant about things that don't really pertain the the class, which was annoying. You CAN get lots of easy points though, so that's good. But I don't recommend him.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GEOG1301
• 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:

If you are good at taking open book tests, then take him. If you are slow at it, then probably take someone else. A LOT of information, but easy to get an A if you are a quick open book test taker. The homework is sometimes confusing but he takes the time to answer questions in each class. The lectures were very tedious and detailed, be prepared!