Colleen Penrowley - British Columbia Institute of Technology

Professor: Colleen Penrowley

Department: TBD

College: British Columbia Institute of Technology

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Enjoyed puzzling, spring 2013, 73%. Penrowley & acolyte Rana, great team, 2 for price of 1. Feedback sporadic via class communications threads--throwing careful hints to send us in right direction. People stumped and chatting, playing hot-warm-cold-medium for Eurekas. Classmate said, "See that guy? Didn't learn a thing," was double glad had best.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She spoke clearly but her explanations and lectures could have been worded better for clarity.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 1451
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Too lazy to be an instructor! teaching time in each session was only 10 minutes reading slides!!!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Taking this class with her was one of my worse experiences at BCIT. Her lectures are confusing and she says something on the lectures and something completely different will come on the labs. When I asked her about a question which I was very confused about: HER REPLAY WAS I CAN ALWAYS GET A TUTOR. She is has a poor teaching style.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 1409
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

not good

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I had prior self taught programming experience so I found this class rather easy and got an A+. She's really a nice lady, and recommend to take comp 1409 with her, and if you can't learn the material on your own without so much handholding then maybe your not cut out to be a programmer.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The course turned to be a disaster. Very bad time management: after 10min of lecture, she'd always say 'why don't we take a break'; then, 15 more minutes of lecture, and a lab that you do on your own. The material in quizzes and labs is not covered in class. I spent lots of time on figuring everything by my own. If you can, chose other instructor.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• 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:

Colleen's teaching style is brilliant. Do NOT go to class without pre-reading the text and slides - the lecture will only highlight important concepts - the real learning comes from the text. Weekly quizzes give instant feedback if you've missed a concept. Weekly labs make sure you've grasped the new material before you leave class. Tests are fair.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• 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:

Horrible instructor. Does not teach at all. Class in one big lag "Read chapter 8 and do the assignment". Nothing I could not do at home. No added value to the textbook at all! after 3rd session I came to classes just to have attendance checked and left right away. If you don't like to teach why then???

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took these two courses with her. She is really boring and lazy! Don't know why BCIT let her to teach there!! almost 45 minutes of the class goes for useless breaks, and when she wants to teach, she just read the slides (Not even sometimes completely), and does not explain the real fundamental concepts well!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• 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:

I took COMP1409 at the Burnaby Campus in SE12. The conditions horrible! ComputerSsss crashes, the BCIT net work was flaky on days, and the room was dim and shady when the lights were on. If seated at the back corner, you can easily cheat if your not claustrophobic. As for the instructor Colleen, there is no difference learning the book on your own.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• 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:

I took COMP 1451 and it's really hard discouraging class. I like programming class but the way she explain is very unclear and boring. a lot of times giving the assignment which haven't taught yet. Overall her class is SUPER BORING!!! compare to Paul Mills. better avoid her class in the future.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took COMP 1409 and finished with 88%. Im now currently taking COMP 1451. Both courses are going to be self taught. Though Colleen is a nice lady...she does very little to prepare you for the take home labs. Material outside the scope of the course are often used which makes labs difficult. I think shes been teaching this course for too long.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Colleen: "Ok class, read the java API and do the lab. When you are done learn about this new concept and apply it to your assignment". I dont know what the purpose of me paying tuition is when im teaching myself.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very effective teaching

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• 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:

One of the best instructors for beginning Java courses. Made Java alive and interesting, use REAL LIFE analogies to explain concepts. Very good!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: COMP1409
• 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:

Teaches introductory object oriented programming in java. Very well prepared for each class, well-organized, enthusiastic, overall, an excellent educator who made the class fun and made me love java.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: COMP1451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Decent instructor. A bit dry at times, however, the material is delivered well. She is organized and fair. Pet analogies used often to explain object concepts.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: COMP1450
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I found the course load quite high, even if the concepts are not so complex. Colleen was very committed to making sure you understood, made lots of time for her students and was very prompt at marking. Pascal not the most exciting course, but I think Colleen makes it a good experience.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 1450
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

took it online - whoever said it's not an easy course, i hope you're not going into comp sci - this was way easy, even online. wish i'd been in the classroom, she seemed fun