dr vacker ...more like dr awesome

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Barry Vacker is really a robo from the MATRIX!Check out his site, www.barryvacker.net

You will get an A if you go to class; don't bother reading the book. The tests are straight from class. It's interesting stuff too, and he shows ALOT of movies so it's not all lecture. The recitations are a pain but they're helpful to review for the exams

Awesome teacher. I highly recomment him. Really interesting class too.

AWESOME!!! i had him for 11 and 20 and he is the best!!!

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kermit the frog on crack. Yelling conspiracy theory at the gatekeepers of public media, this guy's classes are really really interesting. Great teacher. Recitations suck. Get rid of those, barry.

Barry Vacker is one of the best profs I've ever had. Take this class if you get the chance.

If you can get over his voice, he's great. We watched movies in class all the time.

Prof Vacker is my favorite teacher of anyone i have had at Temple. We watched movies almost all of the time to reinforce what we read or were supposed to read. If you don't fall asleep (or get the notes if you did) and study a little, then this class is easy and awesome.

Prof. Vacker is a great teacher! He is very approachable and very quick to respond to questions. He seems very dedicated to what he does and genuinely cares about what each student takes from the class. It's impossible not to stay interested in his class. Take it if you can!!

Prof. Vacker is a great teacher. The class is easy, he makes the class fun.

voice can be irritating early in the morning and his jokes corny, but he's a great professor. nice guy and easy to follw in class. too bad the class was so big, the TAs suck. easy, 3 multiple choice exams he whole semester. just remember to go to class and taken notes!

Good teacher, he gives out study guides and is very descriptive. He loves class participation and we watch a movie every other week. Cool teacher, although he does talk about the Matrix a bit much.

Very good and interesting professor. He maintains his classroom very well. Also, his style of dress is very entertaining, so thats enough to keep you amused for the most part.

Dr Vacker is a very intelligent man who ties in pop culture references to explain his lectures. For all of you who gave Vacker a bad rating...you must either be lazy and/or retarted. His classes are interesting and easy. I had certainly gained a lot of insight on the media from his class.

One of the best at Temple... Dry sense of humor and wardrobe notwithstanding. Finds popular movies to illustrate chapters of the book. Brilliant. Tests are difficult, however I did little more than listen in class and read the material once and earned an A. Pay attention to the films, the class is based around them.

The Vack Attack is back Jack! Barry Vacker is definitely as cool or cooler than Mighty Ducks 2, he rules.

To fail this class u must b lazy. The class is not hard at all. Prf. Vack is nice and explains his lectures well backing them up with many examples and movies. His test are a little wordy but if you take notes in class and listen and understand the concepts then you should do good. He constantly goes ova the same material(helpful)and u learn a lot!

vacker is an awesome guy. he loves the matrix a lot! class is a lot of movies and the same material covered over and over again. lecture isn't even really necessary to attend because you learn more in once a week recitation. tests are a little more tough but only 50 multiple choice q's so it isn't bad. fun class. take it!

Best teacher I have had at Temple. You'd have to be stupid not to like enjoy or at least tolerate his classes. He's enthusiastic and actually seems interested in what he's talking about. Tests are a little tricky though.

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You have to like a talker, kinda like a old man with many war stories except he focuses on concepts of entertainment you'd never think about- The Matrix will never be the same (lol) Seriously, he's a great prof, real cool, kinda interesting & if you're friendly & willing he's a real nice guy STUDY for his test tho' they're not hard just conceptual

Prof. Vacker is very interested in his subject matter and teaches with enthusiasm. I learned a lot and plan on taking a class with him again. If you do thee work and go to class it's an easy A.

vacker is the man. he knows his stuff and makes the class interesting by keeping the class involved. definitely take his class and then check out his interview on cnn, its funny

his voice is killer> MUST THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX FOR HIS CLASSES

For all of you who say hes bad and horrible, you were lazy.Now im a lazy student, but this class was not difficult at all.If you go to class &take notes &spend time studying for the 3 exams you will pass.He goes over the stuff a billion times that it just sticks in your head. Great teacher,you actually learn. Tests are a lil hard but not impossible

Vacker is one of the best professors I have had at Temple his class is very straight forward and he is easy to follow. He gives a study guide that tells exactly what is on the test and he uses media to teach about media, which made for an entertaining class first thing in the morning.

Vacker is the man. I've had several opportunities to talk with him outside class. Very intelligent and down to earth guy. The material he teaches is extremely relevant to everyday life. I would urge the University to make this class part of the core curriculum.

Vacker isn't really that bad. I wish that I had a better grade in his class but thats not really his fault. His jokes are horribly corny!!! But what can you expect from someone his age?? lol

HE'S GREAT! JUST DOESN'T REALLY TEACH THE EXAM MATERIAL N CLASS THAT MUCH, BUT IF YOU DO ALL THE READINGS, YOU'LL B OK.

Amazing teacher...doesn't just tell you what know but forces you to think outside of your box. Topics are interesting and gives study guides for tests, if you know the guide, you're good. Working in a group for the study guide even through e-mail is a life saver and makes the class really easy.HIGHLY SUGGESTED!!

very enthusiastic. just show up to class and take some notes and you'll do well. no tricky tests

Professor Vacker was the best teacher I have had at Temple. The class is not easy if you are lazy and do not want to think, but if you are willing to read the assingments, expand your mind, and take good notes you can easily get an A. You watch awesome films, and learn to open up your eyes to the complexity of the digital age.

Professor Vacker is awesome. He is the background on my computer haha! He has a lot of really interesting philosophies that are out-of-the box and really make you think. He gives out study guides for the exams and if you know the study guide your good. However, he is difficult, I studied for about 10 hours for the last exam and got a 79. Great prof

I thoroughly enjoyed Vacker's class. You really have to go into this class with an open mind. There are a lot of abstract concepts that are tough to get your mind around at first, but once you do it's a very interesting class. The exams are hard, but do the study guides and you'll be ok. There is a 9-10 page paper, and a 3-5 minute video

A lot of people think this class is hard but if you do the readings, pay attention, and actually apply what Vacker is saying to your life, you will do extremely well. I really enjoyed this class. I do suggest reading however because I got a 100 on the first exam and did all the reading and then a 92 on the second when I didn't read anything.

Need to work hard to do well in his class. Great professor with interesting concepts and thought'provoking ideas. Even if you don't agree with everything he says, he is a great tracher.

bvack is crazy. gives out very helpful study guides for very exhausting tests. You watch movies every other class to relate to his concepts. It's a love/hate relationship with him.

Great teacher. Theories are intense but the guy is a genius. Iif you take your time to absorb them you will be thinking about the world through new perspectives that will help you both educationally and on a day to day basis. Easy class if you do the work. He relates everything to movies so you get to watch many good ones. Very insightful class.

Barry is a great guy. I have to admit, in the beginning, I thought he was weird and he was a little nerdy. It almost seemed like he was teaching a course on living a better life. But I actually started listening to him and it made sense and I def. look at media differently. Its ALOT of work. Half ass it and your guaranteed a B

Seriously passionate about barry! I took a class with him my last 2 semesters and would take every class with him if I could. He's a genius, and yes it's a lot of work but you just need to listen to him, which I don't find difficult. He explains things clearly and is extremely helpful with questions and email responses/office hours.

Mass Comm Theory (in the summer) was such a thought provoking class. He expects you to be on time, expects work on time as well as your participation (if you're not in a class of 300 or more.) He is excellent at explaining things and although this doesn't sound like a fun class, I guarantee any of you will enjoy what he has to offer.

He is great, this class is really interesting and fun, you watch a movie every week, and write a short paper or reflection about it, cant get much better. I love this guy he is really helpful and smart and knows what he is talking about, he is really passionate about this class and the themes. TAKE IT!

Barry is a great guy. I leave every class with my mind blown. He goes hard on explanations and keeps everyone in it. We watch a lot of movies. I bought the text book... big mistake, its still plastic sealed. It says to read it but i still received an A on my midterm without picking it up, and a lot more easy classes to come for me.

I love the way he talks. Movie almost every week. PowerPoints are straight forward. Midterm is fairly easy. Expect to hear the word 'Meme' in every class. Only thing I don't like about him is his love for the Dallas Cowboys being a Philadelphia Eagles fan. Textbook isn't that bad either he edited it himself. Fun class. I support taking it

Professor Vacker is great! He is the best professor I have had in all my college experience. His Media and Society class is so interesting and engaging, and the material he presents is out of this world..literally! He is also a really funny, interesting guy who can teach you a lot about life, beyond what is being taught in the course :)

This class was extremely interesting. The professor is nice yet he can be condescending at times. the class is not hard to pass but make it a habit to study. Dont be fooled by the big class size, he does take attendance every class. he grades fairly easy on the video project and paper however,the tests are are based heavily on the book so read

Vacker is a cool and funny guy. Attendance is mandatory but it's not bad because we watched a movie once a week and discussed it the other half. A lot of the stuff he talked about was really out there but it always gave you something to think about. The TA's that I had were really harsh graders so I did not do as well as I had hoped.

Prof. Vacker is a great professor. He may seem "out there", but he is definitely passionate about the way media affects society. You must enter the class with an open mind; he will definitely change the way you think about media. Video project was a lot of fun! & he grades fairly.

Actually one of the best classes I've taken. very interesting

He is such an amazing teacher! The course was interesting and the tests were easy. Especially if you did the readings and paid attention during the films. He also gives study guides that are almost the exact same questions on the test! Definitely a must take.

Vacker is the man. I took 2 of his classes back in 2010 and he makes you aware about the the pros and cons to technology. His class was semi hard but I learned a lot, more than what my grade showed. It's 3 years later and I still refer back to his philosophies. The dude's got a weird voice but he's super smart. Pay attention and learn from him

Vacker is very passionate about what he teaches. If you're interested in media, you'll like his class and appreciate his thoughtfulness. Expect him to repeat certain concepts though, like memes. Attendance is mandatory with only 1 free miss, but at least half the time it's a movie for class. Tests are pretty average, not easy or hard. I liked him!

He's crazy, he's passionate and knowledgable but tries to force his opinions on the class. As long as you understand his crazy thought process then you're good. Dont try to understand why you are learning the irrelevant stuff in the class just accept it and memorize it for the tests. Class can be interesting but frustrating as its a required class

Very interesting course and professor. I enjoyed his lectures and learned a lot of stuff. I would highly recommend reading some other books by Vacker, The End of the World... Again and Slugging Nothing. They will give you a big leg up on the material. Also pay attention to the lectures, readings and movie questions, they are very relevant!!

I cannot say enough about Professor Vacker. He is interesting, funny and helpful. The class ended far sooner than I wanted it to. There were 2 tests, Midterm and Final.The study guides covered everything needed for the tests.One written critique project, with a partner(or not)and a video project(2 partners or not)Great class! TA's were fabulous too

Great Professor! Love his lectures we get to watch and critique many movies and videos. Project is fun and you get to work in a group. He inspires us to be better . I disagree with the comments below who say he is opinionated. His lectures are on what were supposed to learn! Id take his class over if I could. He wants us to pass and also learn.

Vacker's Media and Society class is very interesting. He's a bit cocky but for all the right reasons. I had a good experience in his class and would recommend anyone going into any sort of media related field to go through a class of his. Takes attendance every day, expensive textbook required.

Vacker's a cool dude. Kind of cocky but he's accomplished a lot. His lectures will get you to think, whether youre paying attention or not. He's organized and so is the class. Class isn't very hard. He's a teacher you should take, his lectures are often about sciene, which is cool and he met beyonce

He shared stories with students and did a great job in keeping the class interesting. The videos he prepared is instructive and inspiring. I enjoy his class very much.

Vacker's a great guy. If you're an MSP major, he's unavoidable, but for good reason. The bottom line is that this guy is brilliant. His lectures are very fascinating and true (some videos are boring). A midterm, final, partner paper, and group video make up your grades. May come off as "full of himself" but the dude met beyonce. Queen B.

This prof. knows his stuff and lets you know that he knows it. Vacker embraces the post-modern views of McLuhan and Postman which Campbell renounces in his also-required 1011 class. That said, both are great professors and I applaud the university for offering two contrasting, yet equally valid, perspectives as their media-theory foundation.

Prof. Vacker is one of a kind. I took his class in 04' and 05' (two different classes) and I still remember the conceptstheories. Throughout my years of education I had learned how to be a good student (graduated with 3.8); however, this guy is one out of two professors that I actually retained information from. Prof. V. is the man!

Vacker is the man. Everyone should have him as a professor at least once. It's not super easy, but totally worth it for the experience.

BVACK IS THE MAN. I personally am bound to do significantly better in a lecture where the prof. is passionate about what he teaches about. Prof. Vacker knows his stuff, met Beyonce in Texas, and will tell you that you're insignificant in the grand scheme of things 200 times in the first half of the semester. 10/10. Would definitely recommend.

His Media and Society class was one of the best classes I've ever taken.

Prof Vacker is amazing at what he does. He does come off as cocky and loves to hear himself talk. With that being said you wont ever forget his class. He completely opens up your mind and teaches you many things that you may have not heard before. He also loves to use movies as mediums for his lectures so you do see quite a bit of movies in class

Beware of Professor Vacker in upper level classes. I had him for Media and Society and found the class phenomenal in so many ways. But in Media Criticism I found him unbearably arrogant, disturbing, and radical in his beliefs-- I think he was overdone and I did not enjoy the class. Just make sure you know what you're in for!

He is a great professor. Be focous on his PPT and reading, you will get great grades!

I have Vacker right now and he is definitely my favorite professor this semester. His lectures are so interesting and I always look forward to his class. However, you HAVE to read the assigned readings in the textbook to pass. His midterm was easy but the night beforeI studied for hours. Overall if you go to lecture and study hard you'll do fine.

This isn't a cream puff class, but honestly, it's the best thing I've ever done. It really makes you think about the rest of your life, too. You've got to knuckle through the reading, and you need to come to class, but if you do that, it's hard to do badly. He LOVES when people come to his office. Definitely would take him again.

Very challenging class, but if you do the work you will do well. 4 assignments--Midterm, partner paper, group video, and final exam. Participation 10% of your grade and you are only allowed one miss. If you don't go to lecture and read the assigned chapters, you will not pass. Know everything on study guide & you should get at least a B on exam.

Attendance is taken every class and counts towards your grade but all the power points from class are posted online so it's easy to catch up if you do miss a few classes. Lectures are boring except when Vacker starts going on rants. It's easy to just sit there and do other work or whatever you want. Make sure you keep up with readings.

Vacker: The Ultimate Meme That piercing, screeching voice that echoes Ms. Fowl from Jimmy Neutron. That massive yet dangerously fragile ego (he owns land in Texas). That incredibly abstract, laughably ironic, and hilariously misguided view of society. And that was just the first week. You may not learn a lot, but this is one entertaining class.

this guy lost his mind about 10 years ago but somehow he's allowed to teach. i can promise you that the first time you hear him talk you'll start laughing. strongly recommend him

People who dislike Vacker are more concerned about the fact that he is an adult who talks a lot about our generation in a way where they feel as though he is pushing his ideas onto them... But in reality a lot of what he says I think is indisputable ns many of those people are the ones scrolling through facebook all throughout his lectures.

What a guy. The material in this class gets pretty repetitive, but Vacker is a great guy. He'll completely make you question everything that you believe about the society we live in, so be prepared. He's the ultimate SMC meme so if you want to be able to contribute in your classmates' conversations for the rest of college, make sure to take Vacker!

Truly a legend of Klein College, this guy is perhaps the most entertaining character you can take a class from at Temple. He will challenge your beliefs and expand your mind, and you wont want to miss a second of his lectures.

I really liked Barry. The dude knows what he's doing. There aren't any curve balls with him. Just go to the class and pay attention and you'll be fine. I'm an average student and everyone told me his class was tough. I walked out with an A- without going above and beyond. Its good. He's good. You'll be good.

He talks about himself the majority of the time. But on my midterm I got a hundred, but I skim the assigned readings, I don't really take heavy notes, but for the most part you just sit and chill in here. 2 tests (midterm and final) 1 written critique (w/ partner) and 1 media critique (w/partner)

I was part of the group that studied away with Temple to Arcosanti, AZ. Vacker was one of the instructors for the trip and he's very passionate about the subject, and teaches how media intertwines with the environment. Very interesting subject material, and he asks many philosophical questions and gets you thinking.

Vacker is a good, guy and means no harm. He has a bad rep but only because he's so into what he is teaching. As an MSP major chances are you're going to have to take his class. Only 4 grades so do well on both of the exams and the paper and you should be fine.

Barry is pretty chill. The class isnt too hard but you need to put some time in to study for the midterm and final. I would definitely take him again!

Barry Vacker is a bit strange at times, but overall a solid professor. The projects are a bit specific and subjective in terms of grading, but it is easy enough to make up those losses with the tests. He's always available for office hours and very easy to talk to. Make sure you read and study and you'll be fine.

Barry is a great guy. Just open your mind to his peculiar ethics, learn to go with the flow, put forth a strong amount of effort, and you will gradually be able to find ways to enjoy the class. I initially wasn't a fan, and I found it to be rather frustrating at times. But, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. He just wants to open students' minds.

It's surprising to see how many people gave him a bad rating. He's a great professor; there's no homework, and he gives you study guides that exactly mimic the tests. You do need to show up, but that's about it. Really goofy guy, and if I could take him again, I would.

I understand why people are put off by Vacker, but I personally love the guy. He's got lots of strong ideas and is super knowledgeable about the various topics he lectures on. One of the most eccentric professors I've ever had, there really is no one quite like him. As long as you put in some effort and open your mind to new ideas, you'll be fine.

great guy! his class is interesting, but you must get his book!! questions from there are on both the final and midterm but his test are fairly easy. For this class and him as your professor just keep your mind open to all things!

Overall, really great guy, class isn't too difficult. Just show up to class and study for the Midterm/Final and you'll be fine.

I love Barry Vacker! I was surprised to see all the negativity from others. He is very smart in an unconventional way and its refreshing. The concepts he covers are ones that go mostly unthought of by many, but I love them and they should be contemplated. Overall very pleasant guy. Im not one to write reviews but Barry deserves the recognition!

People give Vacker so much hate for the way he runs his class but tbh it's very easy to pass you just have to follow the syllabus. There are only four assignments that you have to do but it's really not the end of the world. He is the MOST interesting professor I've taken, he has a wide range of topics I could listen to him talk about forever.

Mr. Vacker is kind of a weird dude and can be a bit self-centered, but he clearly cares about his students and TA's. He is obviously passionate about his subject and is an expert in the field. There are very few grades in the class, but they are pretty easy tests and interesting projects that allows for some deep thinking. We watched many movies!

Overall I enjoyed Dr. Vacker as a teacher. He was very fun and light-hearted. He seems to care about his students and I found his lectures interesting, even though the course is very lecture-heavy. There are only 4 things that you get grades on but if you pay attention and do your part it is an easy pass.

you need to go to class & listen/take notes. lots of movies. make friends in the class it will help. such a great person/caring. don't buy the book. mid-term has opened ended. really interesting class. one paper that had to be decently long.

Vacker is the best professor I've ever had (I took him pre-COVID). His teachings are genuinely interesting, and it's impossible not to pay attention because the man is hilarious and really smart. He comes off as full of himself at first but don't worry you come to appreciate him. The paper and project are actually really fun too. Amazing dude!

I strongly believe Dr. Vacker is a professor worth having, especially in his 1021 course. Even though his course is lecture-heavy, and often with many other students, he is a very interesting and inspiring guy. He gave me a new perspective on things, but not everyone enjoys him so much.

Prof. Vacker is very passionate about what he teaches. He addresses interesting concepts and topics, but is lecture-heavy and rarely makes time for students to chime in on discussions. There was only a midterm, final, one paper, and one group project. Paper and project are straightforward but prepare at least a little bit for the exams.

Dr. Vacker really understands American media ecologies from an academic perspective and an upbringing probably on SciFi movies. His art is also pretty cool. His perspective is great for grads and undergrads interested in working in the American Southwest after college, especially those who like futuristic technology and gazing out into space.

Really not a challenging class. Vacker can be self-centered, but he has a right to be. Dude's kind of a beast. Not many assignments, so do well on the few ones there are (they're fairly easy) and you'll be ok.

Overall Vacker is a great professor and passionate about what he teaches. The textbook can be found online, but I suggest buying it. It's a heavy reading course. You have a chapter or two to read every week, Along with group projects. As long as you do the work and reading you will be fine.

Yes, Vacker is a really weird guy. Yes, he does spend a lot of time talking about space and his vacations. But if you can get past that, he has a lot of interesting ideas regarding media and society that are worth thinking about. Most of the bad reviews on here are from people who didn't want to put in an effort. Pay attention and you'll be fine.

Vacker is a fair prof. He has an interesting message and is a pretty fun guy. I am going to agree with a below commenter and say most of the people who leave bad reviews put 0 effort into the class. If you actually put effort in you should be fine. Vacker is not a super difficult prof, but you do have to buy his $100 textbook.

Attend class, because not only does it count for 10% of ur entire grade, but it makes it so that u don't have to study. Really just pay attention to his somewhat whacky and interesting lectures and ur pretty much set for the exams. Only negative is that each assignment is worth 15-25% of ur whole grade, and they're all in the 2nd half of the sem.

This class can be an easy A with a medium level of dedication. The reason why he has such low reviews is because this guy can ramble nonsensically, and sometimes it has nothing to do with the course. But the class itself is pretty fun, and as along as you give some attention to each class, you will be fine.

I miss Professor Vacker. I would take all of his courses if I could! Inspirational and intriguing.

A lot of people complain about Vacker and his MSP 1021 class. He does talk about the environment and the stars n stuff for a bit here and there, but there is value in the things he discusses. He sounds a bit intense about things, but just focus on the heart of the message. I left this class happy about the perspective offered in his class.

A lot of people complain about Vacker, but having him virtually is quite literally perfect. I never felt stressed in this class, and he provides the perfect amount of assignments. I took him in person previously and that was a lot more tricky, but this virtual class was a walk in the park, and that's mostly thanks to him.

Professor Vacker is kind but his lectures feel long and not engaging enough. This class is pretty straightforward and clear. Two exams and a podcast/video project. If there was an online class, I suggest taking it.

Vacker grew on me. His required Media Analysis course was not my favorite, and the material didn't seem to match the subject, but by the end, I learned a lot. I'm glad I took him again for ASYNCH Tech/Culture. Unlike other professors, he actually puts effort into his online classes. He's also been very kind by allowing project extensions!

This class was pure brain rot. Phoned in projects and still got all As. Sat in the back of the class playing wordle. Dr. Vacker is very kind and passionate about the subject, but he immediately lost me in the very first lecture about memes when he showed the word "Beyonce" on a white screen and said "This is a meme"

I'm very interested in the deep topics Vacker talks about in his Tech and Culture class, but I really resonated with him and was able to connect a lot of the topics with my personal life. If you just take classes for credit and stare at your phone the entire lecture, you will be proving the entire point of the class. He is a great guy!

Prof. Vacker was very understanding throughout the semester and it is clear he is passionate about his job. As long as you put in the effort you should get a good grade. would take again.