3.1
Quality3.4
Difficulty36%
Would Retake87
Reviews36%
Would Retake
87
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
27
4
16
3
10
2
10
1
24
What Students Say
“But watching his online lectures is PAINFUL”
MATH227 - 3.0 rating“It was my biggest mistake taking this class because it was simply awful”
MATH226 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
24%
Textbook Required
66%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.22 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH380
5.0
(1)STATS124
4.5
(2)MATH219
4.0
(2)MATH226
3.4
(32)MATH227
3.3
(34)Difficulty by Course
STATS124
5.0
MATH124
4.6
MATH225
4.5
CALC226
4.1
MATH219
4.0
Reviews (87)
Professor Goetz is a really cool guy. He is extremely enthusiastic when it comes to math. He is very helpful and will explain something until you get it. His interesting accent makes him cool to listen to. I highly recommend him for CALCULUS 1. @_@
it was fun having a class with Dr. goetz. real helpful and not confusing!!
The class is hard but i mean calculus is going to be hard with anyone! He helps out a lot and FYI Math 219 is the same as Math 226 so if you think you need more help in math then you should take 219 with him.
Prof. Goetz is an excellent teacher with true understanding of Calculus. He most certianly has control over the course materials and stays on top of his schedule no matter what. The homework he assigns can be frustrating at times, but it'll truly help you on the tests he gives. Plus, his tests aren't tricky, but you have to be careful.
I love this guy... He's the best math teacher ever.. he's so clear in his lectures and if you miss lecture, there's video of it online... but you should show up cuz homework is due everyday.. I'm actually understand calculus... and I'm enjoyin the class
Arek Goetz is very articulate. The man's a nerdy geek: he hosts a website with video lectures, speaks in a mouse squeaky pitch, and has a funny accent. Unless you absorb and understand highly abstract theory and complex thinking, he is NOT the right teacher for you.
Took the online class. You have to be pretty savvy with technology to keep up, using skype and gmail and scanning hmwks to upload into albums through gmail. He records his lectures from his live 226 class and you watch those to learn the material. 2 lessons a week, each with hmwk. no midterm or tests, final at the end. hmwk 65% of grade. Very good!
Was nervous and intimidated to take M227, but Goetz, a very smart professor with a geeky humor made the subject easy and clear to understand. Homework was 25%, online assignments 5%, midterm and final 30% each. A great professor that knows his stuff and how to clearly communicate it to his students unlike other professors that read out of the book
I took the online class and though Prof. Goetz was extremely available for online help, after taking the final with him in person, I wished that had the time to take the actual lecture class with him. Watching his lectures, he seems to be extremely interested in the topic and tries to make it interesting and as easy as possible for the students.
A very wonderful teacher~!^^ What if you need help? Well, just ask! He explains everything you need and more. Calculus is a very hard subject, but he makes it much easier.^^
Calculus is a really hard subject for me. I took a couple of calculus class, but couldn't understand what the instructor was saying. But when I took Prof. Goetz online class, he made it easy and clear for me. He is a really good teacher. His lectures were very understandable with doing the homework. He really knows the material he is teaching.
I didn't want to take the class because it was online. I thought that I wouldn't learn as well as in class, but boy was I wrong. Now I understand why people from other cities are taking this class. Great class, great lectures,and great professor. Make sure you are not sensitive to using technology. Scanner, fast connection and open mind recommended
just finished the online class a few days ago, and i greatly enjoyed it. i took the class over summer so i knew it would be more intensive, and it was, but very manageable if you keep up. very clear lectures with good notes, forum is awesome and helpful, Goetz is a programmer i think, and it shows in the very straight forward and well made website
If u want a math class that u dont learn anything & can pull off an A take Goetz. Not helpful in answering ?s. Student answers eachothers ?'s while he watches & gives u RIDDLEs on how to solve ur problem. Its an easy class but its shameful & waste of time to take his class if u want to learn. SFSU should let this online class go down the drain.
Are you !@#$%^ this teacher is by far the worst teacher I have ever had.No one feels like they know the material when the quiz rolls around, and people ending up failing. Lastly, he thinks he isn't at fault for that. As if we are the ones who aren't trying, when he is the horrible teacher.
WORST TEACHER.regardless of how much u attend it doesnt mean squat!All he does is go online and shows us graphs and trends. He never shows a problem on the board, you have to ask over and over and hope he actually does. He even tried showing us a formula using wikipedia.WTF hes a teacher that cant teach. You wanna be lost and fail be my guest.
The worst teacher I've ever had, hands down. He doesn't understand what he is teaching nor does he explain it correctly. He goes online the whole class for spreadsheets and doesn't help the class with example problems. He tells you to do it yourself. The worst teacher I've ever had.
Goetz is extremely hard! The first day of the course he tells the class they have to put in at least 8 hours of just studying a week or you will not succeed! He expects way too much from his students & believes we're satisticians. DO NOT TAKE HIM! This class will have you stressed out!
I took the online class. There are two lectures a week - HD videos - and two assignments. It is hard work. I spent way more time on this class than any other college course. He is very good at explaining concepts and walking through the process. The class is very interactive and designed for multiple learning styles. He also is very responsive.
Hardest class I have taken in many years, and I'm a senior! Prof. Goetz explains Stats assuming students have basic Math knowledge. Big mistake. Most of us were completely lost all the time so at least half of the class ended up giving up and doing nothing. Goetz got very frustrated and didn't slow down. Painful class!
his class is hard!!most of the time i was lost in the class but i think he is worth taking. If you ask for help, he is always there. he is very smart and expects you to know the basic. Take him if you want a challenge. I worked hard in this class and ended up with an A.
Glad I took his class. very knowledgeable guy. Always ahead technology wise, he will computers more than often to teach. he likes to joke, but sometimes people dont get it and its not funny. but very sweet and humble guy.
Took an online course with him and it was amazing! For the most part the examples he provides in his videos are extremely help as well as the online notes. There are forums to also guide you through this course by interacting with other students. GLAD i took this course online!
Two hw per week. Full credit if all hw answers are right but shouldnt be hard since there is an online forum to talk with other students. DO THE HW + PARTICIPATE! It affects your grade a lot. Take this class if you want to learn and know you won't slack off b/c it's an online course. Your grade will reflect how much effort you put into the class.
I took his online math 226 class. His video lectures and notes were very clear and overall, he was very good at helping students online. Make sure you participate a lot in the forums and do all the homeworks. They actually count a lot toward your grade.
As someone who is not good at math, this class was heaven sent! I was worried about it being online, but it wasn't bad at all! Just do the work, participate, and learn! I was surprised at how much I understood and am continuing my math education this way! So, if like me, you're worried about it being a online class, DON'T!
Possibly one of the best professors I've ever had, period. Crystal clear, gives plenty of examples, very lenient with homework, and shows a genuine interest in the individual student. Very intelligent, and VERY good at teaching difficult concepts in ways that make it easy to learn them. Truly a gem.
He is so passionate about his teaching I love his online class. This is my second semester taking him, currently for CAL2 and previously for CAL1. Both have taught me so much:). You MUST watch his lectures and if you can, work in groups for the hw or use the forum. +You're allowed to use a cheat sheet for the final, which is awesome!
Sure his class was disorganized and out of place with a few horrible TAs but overall, he understands his faults and im sure he learned from them. The final exam is VERY similar to the practice exam so do yourself a favor, get a tutor, and have him/her help you get the answers and you should be able to get AT LEAST 85-90% of the final exam.
This was Dr. Goetz's first time teaching Calculus II.There were some delays but he is really reasonable with accomadating losses.Dr. Goetz will have a better TA next semester to help you out since the ones this semester did not provide you promising help.Dont hesistate to pick this class!Put in your time it will not be easy but you will do fine.
This Professor is one of the most insightful and committed teachers. Puts in tremendous time and effort in setting up this course. Although delivery is a bit dry,butpertains to somewhat outstanding.Participate in the forum & it can benefit your grade by ALOT!Only way to get an A in the course is reviewing& redoing all Hw problems to prep for final.
Lectures are clear,to the point, and easy to understand. Hwk correlates with lectures and due every 3days.Forums are helpful and everyone shares thoughts,ideas,formulas,and answers.Participate in them b/c it WILL boost your grade at the end by A LOT! Overall grading per person is kind of horrible so calculate it yourself.
Really a great professor. Lectures are given through pre-recorded videos, but they are engaging enough that you retain material really well. By far one of the best online classes I've taken. The homework can be a bit tricky but with practice, it should be a breeze. Highly recommended.
It's a lot of work, but his lectures are very clear, and you can download them and rewatch them, even after the class is over. Feedback on how you're doing is maddeningly difficult to get, however, and the forums are a terrible way to get help, since it's mostly just students asking each other questions.
Ok, Dr. Goetz definitely knows his stuff, and succeeding in his class is absolutely possible. But watching his online lectures is PAINFUL. The way that he presents it is very clear, but he talks so sloowwwwwww that half of the lecture is waiting through his awkward pauses.
Not sure why so many people like him. It was my biggest mistake taking this class because it was simply awful. The lectures are not helpful at all. He rarely does more than on example, and is poor at explaining them. Learned more on the forum and on youtube. The forum is a hot mess btw. Words problems terribly. Work load is HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY.
Pay twice as much and learn half as much. Yes, it's true. Online courses are simply no match to traditional 5 meetings per week + recitation courses. Brick and mortar courses are cheaper too. Also, this class is not easy. In fact, you'll work harder teaching yourself calculus. The forum is cool but its a very lonely place for a motivated student.
I listened to his first lecture and couldn't even get through that. He takes long pauses after each word, and I'm pretty sure he pretends to have people in a class room. I taught myself everything for this class, and am thankful to have passed, but I would not recommend him unless you want to spend money on a tutor.
8 weeks is not enough time for this course. I would only recommend this class if you are taking it over a normal quarter. 8 weeks is not enough time for the workload.
I've taken lots of online math classes and this was the best by far!In general, Goetz's chapter notes are extremely helpful. Never had to buy the text. No exams other than the final! You're allowed to share homework solutions on the forum and seek help from any other resource so if you're willing to put the time in you should be able to do well.
I was really nervous to take this class due to the review here and because it was my first online math class. However, everything turned out great! I'm not very good with math and i felt like it was easy! Homework is easy you get help from students and the final has some exact HW questions! Would recommend to anyone. Participation, HW, and a Final.
take him only if u plan to study urself or repeating a class. u get 0 help from him. the online forum and classmates are your help. TAs grade ur homework based on final answers does not check work. i get a good grade only because im re taking it. and the class is pretty easy if u want to learn math, get someone else
I've taken Goetz for Calc 226/227 and I have to say this is online math class is very well taught. Goetz records his lectures that he conducted in class and posts them online so you get the same lecture as in class students. Forum is extremely helpful because students interact on there constantly. I would recommend this class for sure.
There isn't enough space for me to tell my entire story but DO NOT TAKE this class. You have to pay to take a readiness exam and if you can't pass it you are dropped from the class with no money back from the school. I have taken 6 semesters of college math but apparently the only prereq for this class is the readiness test not your former math.
I took calculus 1 as an online course, and I really enjoyed his teaching style. An assignment was due every other day and you were taught by videos he uploads of himself. Post on the forum multiple times, turn in your homework on time, and study for the final exam (you get a note page). I'm horrible at math and was surprised as to how well I did.
As a full-time mother, wife, employee and student, I was able to take this class with no problems at all. Just watch/take notes on the lectures, look at the live notes, do the homework and be an active participant on the forum and you will pass. Professor Goetz is as clear and easy as can be in my opinion.
I took Dr. Goetz's online class. It was ok but his lecture vids are often unnecessary or too long (he talks way too slowly). Usually you can do the homework using the online notes without having to watch the online video, or you can just skip to the part of the video where the professor works on a problem similar to the one you've been assigned.
I took his 227 online course. For the class, homework is due every two days & must post on the piazza forum at least three times per homework even if you can't actually contribute. Lengthy lecture videos that aren't all that helpful; I ended up having to outsource explanations on material to do assignments, & still failed. Take in person if able
I took Math 227 online. It was hard to study constantly. You need to submit homework every three days. His grading system is unique. You can choose 25 percent or 40 percent for the final, but I recommend you get points on homework and participation. Extra credit is available after submitting every homework. (2.5 points 10 questions out of 40)
There is NO help from the professor. The homework questions are always more complicated than the lecture examples, so the lecture doesn't help. You're required to post on the forum, but you will only get help from other students who are just as lost as you. Solutions are posted for only a few of the problems. ONE office hour AFTER hw submission.
His lecture has nothing to do with his fxxxking homework. The hw is so hard and you can only discuss it on the stupid piazza.
It will be difficult to follow Dr. Goetz's lectures without doing any preparation to absorb the material. His explanations to theory might not sink in the first time listening through it, which is why I recommend reading the material prior to class to have an opinion on the theory. This will help with engagement and staying on track to passing.
He grades your homework super harsh and the homework is 60 percent of your grade and you can only submit it once. Therefore each homework feels like a test without practice. His homework questions are more complicated than the lecture. With the amount of homework he gives and the length of the lectures you'll be spending each day just on his class.
Took this class Summer of 2021 and it was a great asynchronous course. As long as you do your lessons and submit your homework you should be fine. They only grade 2 problems per homework and most of the grade is based on homework only.
Homework did not really align with the lectures; most of the time I found myself using outside resources to understand the material. Classwork is graded harshly and takes a lot of time to complete. However, there was no final so it was relatively an easy class.
This online course required extensive time/attention to complete the assignments. Homework was due almost every two days and took a few hours to complete. Two questions from the homework are selected at random for grading and was graded generally fairly. Does provide an extra credit opportunity towards the end of the course.
2 HWs (few problems each) were due each week. He accepts late work as long as it hasn't been graded yet. Try not to fall behind because the material gets harder. No exams and the "final" is just a set of HW problems that you can choose from. Some discussions were done, but I'm not sure if they were part of the grade. Study well and you'll be good!
Extremely confusing and makes everything much more complicated than it has to.
I took this professor for a summer online course. The entire class was hw assignments. the lectures were long and pre recorded but i found that the attached notes worked just as well. There were a few quizzes and a final assignment that was also just hw problems. overall the class was hw heavy because it was fast paced and there were no exams
He teaches two topics a week, both having their own separate hws, each one is anywhere from 5 to 7 problems. Quizzes can be twice, once or none a week, count for 20% of your grade. Two questions usually 10 min, but instead of practice problems, they're asking about the littlest thing that seem obvious assuming you've mastered the topic.
This professor does know what he is talking about, but surely doesn't know how to explain those knowledges in his head to his students. Way too many useless points and perspective of knowledge given in class as a mathematician instead of teacher, if you are super enthusiastic about math, go to his class. If you just want to pass that class, don't.
It's an online class so don't expect much but he doesn't follow his syllabus. His online lectures don't make sense. A lot of homework every single week. Not organized. Finals are online. No midterm. Take if you are good at self studying
Not a fan of him. wants students to ask each other for help more than the teacher. Don't like him and I probably wont take another class with him as the teacher.
Online lectures were confusing and didn't make sense. Syllabus said homework would be assigned 2 days a week(Tuesdays and Thursday's) but he assigns it on Fridays as well. Homework was a lot, took a lot of time, and was hard. Expected us to get help from classmates, instead of him. Not a good teacher and wouldn't recommend taking his class.
Homework was due Tuesdays and Thursdays, Lecture videos were due Mondays and Thursdays, this class is not for you if you are not willing to sacrifice your time watching long lectures and doing long homework assignments. Never taking a class with him again. Super unorganized as well.
The lectures are almost an hour and a half long twice a week. They are confusing and do not really explain what is in the homework. The homework is also long and equally confusing. There are so many formatting errors and the questions themselves are often misleading. This class made me cry every week. I will not be taking a class from him again.
I swear not only the homework is confusing and does not always match the lectures, but why do we only get 1 attempt? It's like we are taking a test for gods sake. Never in my life will I take this class from him again.
There were so many things wrong with this class I can't even list them in this rating. One is how long it takes for the professor to respond to emails. Another thing is the very late assignment for due dates on Canvas, causing me a lot of confusion about when assignments were due. I'm never taking a math asynchronous class ever again after this.
Took this class because I thought it would be convenient since it was asynchronous but man I was wrong. His pre-recorded lectures have some problems done incorrectly like in his fourth video "Volumes by Cylindrical Shells". Not just that but his TAs are very tough on grading, I did most of the problem right and they still dropped my score by 35%.
If you want a caring professor who wants you to succeed with his amazing TA, take this course. You will not regret it. Professor Goetz inspired me to be a mathematician.
I felt in love with the TA in that class. Even the TA is failing me, I still love him.
Professor Goetz is the goat. The grading is fair, the TA that he has was extremely helpful. When ever we needed help, he would walk us through the problem step by step, ensuring that we understand the problem. He should win an award for being the best TA. If you take this course, you will pass this class 100%, I promise. I love you guys
Do NOT listen to the other troll/sarcastic reviews. Professor Goetz was actually pretty caring and responded to emails very quickly. His asynchronous lectures were very straight to the point and actually related to the online assignments he gave. The TA can be a little tough sometimes but they are checking if you have the correct answers, thats it.
Professor Goetz is the best math professor at SFSU. His lectures were easy to understand, he made a lot of jokes to make the learning experience fun. The homework was easy too, they are related to the lectures. The TA was amazing too, he was always helpful and understanding. I became better at math, and now have a passion for it.
Professor Goetz is a great math teacher at SFSU. His classes are clear and fun because he tells a lot of jokes. The homework is simple and closely tied to his lectures. The teaching assistant is also very helpful and kind. Thanks to this class, I'm now much better at math and really enjoy it.
Dr. Goetz is an amazing professor, the only problem is his TA being a tough grader, however, if you understand the material, then take this class. I'm a bit bias because I took AP Calculus, so it was pretty easy. There were no "finals," the only finals he had is 5 problems of past homework set which is done in campus (at least to ours).
Hard to review. Felt lost and stressed in the class, but I think he was very fair with grading and was more focused on getting the concepts across. Just wasn't great at communicating. Turn everything in and participate and you should be fine. It can be a lot of work at times.Though I can't say it was the best set up for me to learn, personally.
Professor Goetz, off the gate is incredibly unorganized. I signed up for this course with the understanding that it was online asynchronous. To my surprise I was found with homeworks due tuesdays and thursdays being posted only a day or two in advance. Prof. Goetz also does not help, and instead tells you to ask your classmates.
The worst class I have ever taken hands down. He's disorganized, doesn't care about us, and gives us pre recorded lectures from 8 years ago. Homework is much harder than what is taught in lecture and he tells you ask classmates instead of helping himself. His graders are harsh too and don't explain why you lose points.
Absolutely horrendous. The worst class ever. Do not listen to the many fake/troll reviews here that rate him 5/1. People are being funny but for real only take his class if you absolutely have to. You will suffer deeply. Nothing positive to say. Easily the lowest effort and care I've ever seen in education. Embarrassing for public schools. Tenured.
Horrible, wretched class. Professor was basically unreachable and most of the communication came from his graders. There is no clear feedback on why you got a hw question wrong, or what the right answer is, which makes learning extremely difficult. Video lectures are from 8 years ago and there is no cohesion among them. Do not take this course.
Tenured professor who leaves all the grading up to his TA's who mark you down points based on note taking ability. Zero feedback on why your problem is wrong. Half of the grading is done after the final exam. Lectures are 5-10 years old. Worst experience from a math class ever
SUCH A CONFUSING CLASS. Assignments due Tues/Fri, and won't be graded for a month. They grade your handwritten PDF so you don't know if you did the homework right and they heavily penalize you if you get it wrong. I had a 75 until like mid-March because I couldn't read their minds in terms of grading criteria and they punish you for that.
notes and hw are assigned every tue and fri. hw problems are graded based on correctness of your answers from two random questions. the hw contains confusing questions the videos don't cover, and the videos are from like 13 years ago. if you can, find an in-person calc 2 class that fits with your schedule rather than taking this.
I took his class online during summer and I felt like it was really well organized and even though the lecture videos are old theyre very useful if you pay attention and take notes. Homework is very clear and videos are very helpful. The only thing is you need to turn in handwritten lecture notes and homework which can be kinda annoying.
While the class is note/homework heavy, all online, and mostly independent learning I think it is easy as long as you complete the notes and homework he also suggests you to use AI and any math resources to help you which is more worth it than most in-class lectures.
If you're able to be independent and don't need much help from the professor, then this is the course for you. Homework due every MWF (for summer class) and TA graded based on lecture notes and 2 random hw questions even if the hw was 5-9 questions. Old pre-recorded lectures, a few quizzes, and an in-person final.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
24%
Textbook Required
66%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.22 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH380
5.0
(1)STATS124
4.5
(2)MATH219
4.0
(2)MATH226
3.4
(32)MATH227
3.3
(34)Difficulty by Course
STATS124
5.0
MATH124
4.6
MATH225
4.5
CALC226
4.1
MATH219
4.0