Spencer Buckner - Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

Professor: Spencer Buckner

Department: Astronomy

College: Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Good Professor funny , but you have to pay attention to the professor to pass.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Quirky guy. Seems to know a lot about astronomy, but not much of a teacher. Luckily, he compensates for his lack of teaching skill by grading leniently and providing extra credit options. You can make a decent grade with average effort, but unless you are really into astronomy, you may not actually learn much.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Buckner is hilarious, but also an amazing professor. He makes complex things seem simple, and is very good at curving grades correctly. He also hosts dark sky nights, which are a little disorganized, but very interesting. The man is a living meme, and gives extra credit for wearing Hawaiian shirts to class. Would recommend if into astronomy!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1221
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

lovely.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr Buckner really knows his stuff about astronomy and you can sense his strong passion for it! Really shows good enthusiasm in his lectures. Highly recommend.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1011
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Had him for lab. He uses student graders so you won't ever really know your grade. All labs are mandatory.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• 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:

Dr. Buckner is an amazing professor! He is entheustic during his lectures. He absolutely loves what he does, which helps bring interest into the class. He has an excellent way of presenting the information so everyone can understand. I am a very visual learner and I'm doing well in this class, whereas in other sciences, the struggle is real.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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:

He really understands what it's like to be a student. He's very invested and clearly loves what he does.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you are taking this course as a prereq Science, take Buckner! Easy to get a B or C. You'll have online hw that is easy. Workbook pages, easy. Takes attendance that counts toward final grade, doesn't take it on a regular basis. 5 tests, drops lowest one. Hard tests but gives study guide. Lab is difficult but it balances out with easy lectures.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ASTR2011
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Hadhave Dr. Buckner for ASTR 1011, 201 and 2020. Great guy and very helpful. If you fail his I beg you to please not breed because you have to be brain dead. The amount of help and extra credit he gives is insane and I'm pretty sure he has like a 30 point grading curve. Do the work (and you don't even have to do it well) and pass.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Buckner is a pretty great teacher! Not only does he give a ton of extra credit opportunities on tests, but he also grades on a curve! A small tip: buy a Hawaiian shirt for his class - wearing one is often good for extra credit on tests. ;D He teaches at a level that even non-science majors can enjoy, so don't be afraid to take the class!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Buckner was an awesome teacher, lab was fun and an easy A... sometimes, pair up with a smart kid if you can =) Other wise, his class lectures were pretty cool, sometimes boring, make sure you do all the online homework as well as attending observing nights or you will die =)

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a good professor, knows his stuff, but I like Dr. Smith better. Maybe because Dr. Buckner knows his stuff a lot better than I do and seems to expect me to know it just as well. He's still a good professor though. I continue to take him.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Extremely easy class. The test questions can be a tricky though if you don't watch the wording. Also, if you ask a question, he'll give you a hint as to the answer, but he won't flat out tell you the answer. It can get a little frustrating. Still, the class is so easy that it's not a big deal.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Ok, minus the inconvience of not being able to get a CD for those of us who bought used. The guy is funny in class, he teaches VERY well, and his tests are challenging but also graded on a comfortable curve. Ignore bad comments and TAKE THIS GUY FOR ALL ASTRONOMY CLASSES!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1020
• 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:

I dont know what these people are talking about. I have taken Buckner for both astronomy classes and labs. He is weird but Planetary astronomy is EXACTLY the same as stellar. There is no homework. You have online questions but that is it. Test are hard but you have to study

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Eh. It's a boring class, but not too hard. Do the practice tests, they're a big help. There's a lot of homework, but it helped.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1020
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Buckner took roll for the first week, then it was voluntary. Taught from slides, lots of /class work, lots of homework, 2 papers to write. Class over-all not bad, however Buckner is unwilling to help if you struggle, is there to lecture- not to teach. Fairly hard tests, with lots of equations and essays. I do not recommend his class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTR2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I've taken him for all my astronomy classes so far (this is a late entry). Easy class as long as you read and use his study guides.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Weird guy but not that hard of a class, posts all his lectures and powerpoints online and posts reviews with all test questions online before each test.