EGMT 1520

This engagements class (When Scientists Change Their Minds) is taught as if it was a third year biology course. The expectations were quite high, and Prof. Pearson was going about the course as if we were all on even footing with bio knowledge which was not the case. We were quizzed on scientific papers and expected to analyze others to a high degree. I understand this was his first time teaching the course, but it was not a pleasant experience. It was about the controversy over Junk DNA and whether or not the DNA segments that do not code for protein have a function in the body.

The instructor seems really kind, but the class does not really fit the engagements model. Rather than focusing on collaboration and discussion, the professor prefers to give us essays, projects, and quizzes. They are fairly difficult as well, assuming a baseline knowledge in biology and genetics that most students do not have. I do not recommend this class if you're expecting an easy class and I certainly don't recommend it if you're a humanities major. However, you're super into genetics, maybe you'd like this class.

This course was ridiculously difficult for an engagements class. Professor Pearson teaches the class as if it were an advanced biology course, often lecturing about niche scientific topics that are dull and challenging to understand. Also, he has multiple quizzes throughout the semester that test specific knowledge about 20+ page scientific papers, and they are full of unreasonable questions. He makes no effort to engage with or connect with his students whatsoever. I had an absolutely terrible experience in this class, and I highly recommend that everyone STAY AWAY.

This class was ridiculously difficult for no reason. Professor Pearson has expectations on tests and quizzes that were MUCH too high for a class designed for first years, and expected everyone in the class to have an upper level biology understanding from the start. The class had great potential, and most of the lectures focused on the scientific community's adjustment to the discovery of DNA, which was interesting, if a bit dry. However, the projects were on trivial topics that weren't well connected to the central theme of the class, such as one in particular where he expected every group to have the exact same presentation on "proving" gravity, which is nowhere near the central theme of genetics. His projects also did not have rubrics, which wouldn't have been an issue if he hadn't also had expectations that he never expressed, and then would take significant amounts of points off for (for example, my group had points taken off a project for not putting our names on every slide on a powerpoint). Overall, stay away from this class if you can, unless it undergoes some serious revisions. It is not worth your time and you will end up more frustrated by it than you should be by an Engagement class.