2.6
Quality3.6
DifficultyN/A
Would Retake104
ReviewsN/A
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
24
4
12
3
16
2
19
1
33
What Students Say
“Horrible professor, terrible person, unclear”
PHYS52 - 1.0 rating“Now with that being said, this guy is a terrible professor”
PHY51 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.60 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS5152
5.0
(1)PHYSICS72122
5.0
(1)PHYS53
5.0
(1)PHYS2B
5.0
(1)PHY50
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
SOLSTATE
5.0
PHYS5152LAB
5.0
PHYS2A
5.0
PHYS2ALEC
5.0
PHYS52LAB
4.9
Reviews (104)
He is a great Professors who truly cares about student learning.
Great Prof. one of the best i've had so far! would recomend
very bad attitude and bias
VERY BIASED!
yea...bias...
Biased? You're a fool. He has no time for C-level effort.
what i can say is...avoid him he only pay attention on those students who he thinks are good .
This is one of the few teachers who actually cares about students. His class makes you think, but if you put effort into the class he goes out of his way to help you. If you don't want to really learn, you shouldn't take this class.
DROPS 2 TESTS: ONE FROM OPEN BOOK AND OTHER FROM CLOSED BOOK. SOMEWHAT EASY, YET CHALLENGING. OVERALL, EFFECTIVE
hey, if you do your hwk and not slack off, then boekma is a fantastic prof. he doesnt grade you on your score but rather on the effor that you put into his class. He pays close attention to his student(those that tries only, of course)
Very misguided with his second chance theory. Although you passed lab, he still could fail you if you did not do well in his lab final. Second chance points don't count if he dislike you. Office hours don't help.
At first, he comes off as being a really tough teacher. After a while, you start to realize that he is a lot easier than you initially thought. He lets you make up every test as long as you talk to him in his office hours.
The worst professor I even had. Unreadable handwritting, hard grader, a lot of homework, unanounce quizes, unclear instruction, and confusing teaching method.
very biased towards females to the point where he discourages the men in the class, unreliable, never at office hours, very biased towards females, very biased towards females, very biased towards females, very biased towards females, and oh, very biased
You dont want this guy! Trust me! I did pass...but I hated going to lab... very biased, discouraging...
Favors female over male. Talks gibberish, hard to understand. He doesn't care if you need help or not. He thinks a lot of himself.
very picky and strict!! not the kinda instructor u would want to take!!
Shamelessly bias towards females, but cleverly uses outlets like ‘supporting women in science’ to justify his interest. As a female I was uncomfortable in his presence, since his motives for support were never really clear. Not genuinely supportive in
Holy S! don't take him for any class! Even though i only have him as a lab, it was H*ll. He actually made me HATE going to the lab. Super picky, and dont give a sh*t about males, but helps females.
he sucks! he sucks! run APPLES OR ORANGES
Really a hard grader. Goes too much into details. Tests are really hard. His lectures are useless. He doesn't even curve.Just avoid him.
simply a horrible teacher/person
Very HARD TEACHER, stay away!! There are plenty of other Lab Instructors that you can take that only give 1/5 of the work. He helps girls more than he helps the guys out! Compared to other physics 52 Labs, we do SO MUCH MORE WORK, AND get GRADED HARDEST!
He is a damn tough teacher;but has the ability to make you think.Take him if you have the GUTS to understand physics...if u just want grades ..avoid him...but if you want to learn science...he is the guy.
If you want to learn, hes the one. If you want an A, stay away. He'll reward students who show interest in the subject, and punish the rest. He requires a lot, and grades hard. If you're a physics major, take him.
OK...maybe he does favor the women, but he makes it easy enough for everyone to get a good grade! He will let you redo exams for full credit! What other prof lets you do that? Sometimes he's hard to understand, but you will definitely learn if you w
Very demanding, very clear with his expectations. Do the homework and you will get As on the quizes,Study homework for your exams,Sit in the front.Very supportive professor if he sees your interest in subject.Follow his advice and form study groups.
I can't believe he is a professor. He is unprofessional, has a poor accent, old fashioned, and biased. He basically grades you on whether he likes you or not. You get an A if he likes you. Avoid him.
Prof. Boekema has an interesting class setup - all the extra credit makes it nearly impossible to fail, yet you walk away from the class without learning much of anything. He enjoyed telling his other physics classes how dumb our class was. Really arrogan
He is crazy. He never has any lecture in his lab but requires so many works. Grade is just depend on that he likes you or not, I check it. Terrible... You will get just stressful in his lab instead of knowledge.
I never recommend him at all, although I get a good grade. Lots of works and takes plenty of time. You may not have time to other classes. What the hell of his attitude.
Taking a course from this professor is one of the worst thing that has happened to me. He is very arrogant and grades you on whether he likes you or not. Physics is a beautiful subject. Do yourself a favor and choose another professor. This one sucks!
simply horrible. never seems to really lecture. just sits there, asking random questions. he's hell bent on asinine research topics like 'frustration' and expects students to excited about it. admin should review him as a professor.
An absolute travesty that a topic such as solid state physics is being taught by such an arrogant charlatan. Absolutely takes the fun out of Physics.
This teacher is an ****!!! Expect to do A LOT of unnecessary work for your lab, and A LOT more work then other labs are doing. He acts as if his lab is the only class your taking and he'll ride you about every little mistake. STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE!!!
without a doubt the most arrogant teacher i have ever met. when i need help with my homework, he gives me stupid riddles and tells me dumb stories and then sends me away. he also has a thick accent that is very hard to understand.
VERY BIASED.FAVORED FEMALE STUDENTS.Extra credit will not help if he doesn't like you. I should have an a with extra credit,instead he gave me a D-!
terrible lab teacher.you will do more work in lab than lecture.you have no idea.genuinely a bad and mean person.never goes over lab or helps student.literally grades you on how he feels about you.screwed particular students.RUN AWAY.
i got kciked out of lab, for having 2 partially wrong problems out of 6 on his quiz. i get a zero on that lab tha week; my report that i was supposed to turn in is considered late. this is for no reason, hez bias, ****, unfair, arragont, grader;SUE HIM!
AVOID!!! ABSOLUTELY horrible lecturer. You learn nothing. You learn more watching your toilet flush. He never takes you seriously. Grades you on how well he likes you, not on how well you do.
He's not that bad. But then again...I am a girl and it does seem that he favors me. Observations...he seems not to like guys. hahah maybe cause they don't listen to him and are hard headed. Get on his good side and it'll be fine.
this guy is totally biased. he's a very strict grader and i think he's a damn ****. he treats guys like trash and girls like they deserve the best. AVOID if possible...yea he should be fired.
this guy looks evil even when he smiles. don't know what his problem is but we the students pay for it. for you hot girls i actually recommend him. p.s. wear something hot to lab.
Condescending & arrogant. His lectures are bad & he reuses the same slides every semester. His test though do cover the sample homework so make sure you can do all the homework. He is a very bias so you have to somehow get one his good side. Only take him if you HAVE to take the class
He's, um, ok. He demands a lot out of you and his lectures towards the end dealing with quantum physics were extremely unclear. His tests are difficult as well.
This profs lectures are worthless. You might as well just read the book and go in for tutoring if you can't learn it on your own. Very hard class. Lots of chances for ex credit and you will need all that you can get to do well.
Straight up A
Integrates Calculus into Trig-based Physics class ... very hard and arrogant, open book tests are taken directly from homework - like on the test it will say do Problem #2 on page ... of the physics book. Has to do things his way - even though it gets you the same answer as your way. Don't take him
Read the book, otherwise you will fail. Do all the homework, because that is exactly what his midterms are made from. Go to class just to do the PI instructions. Also, he gives a lot of extra credit assignments, so do them. If you can do all this you will get a C+/B-.
i ended up doing more work in the lab than the lecture..and ended up with a B+ because of his stupid lab...DONT TAKE THIS GUY HE SHOULD BE FIRED FOR BEING SUCH AN ASS
To start off I must say that this teacher gives A LOT of extra credit (get every point you can!!). This teacher unfortunately does not actually teach. It is the students that teach the class. He is very unclear on grading and what you did right or wrong. Luckily he does grade fairly and is nice, but DON'T take this teacher if you want to learn anyt
Super easy. just draw pictures for everything.
This is one of those college professors to avoid at all costs. He is an ineffective communicator and teacher. He does not teach, instruct, or give you any clue why he marked you down. He gives extra credit to those he feels should pass without trying. Word to ENGINEERS: This guy hates you, straight A's on tests = D+ "F**K YOU" overall in Physics
this is the worst teacher for lab. i read the bad reviews, but figured im only going to have him for 3 hours/week. but now i should have taken the early morning lab to avoid him. his ego is huge, and if you ask him a q, he'll say "read the manual!" he is an ****, but if you're a girl, he's really really nice to you.
As said, lectures are horrible, but the professor is really a nice guy. You can learn a lot in the class, especially how to learn from the book. Get on his good side by talking to him a lot and asking questions in class and you will get better grades on the tests.
Not too bad. Heard that his labs were horrible but i only had him for lecture. Lectures were too fast. Blackboard performances were intimidating but they help u learn material and earn extra pts. Many say he grades by gender but it wasn't really evident. Those that worked hard & showed interest in learning in his class got the best grades.
Boekema is misunderstood. He teaches you to find your own motivation for a class & to learn & teach YOURSELF, with the textbook & your peers as help. If you make an honest effort and visit his office hours, I guarantee you he will do everything he can to help. He comes off pretty badly at first, but after two semesters, I’ve found he’s a great guy.
If you participate, you'll do well in his class, at least for lecture. Blackboards are scary but it helps you learn how to do the problems and understand the concepts. Lectures can be hard to understand but it always helps to ask questions. He is very picky about doing problems his way but you really learn the concepts better.
he's an alright teacher, but he's lectures were very hard to understand, and we had to learn physics on our own. but despite of him being hard on us, he is fair at the same time, he'll allow u to redo a problem u missed on a midterm and you'll recieve more credit on it. do the suggested homework, and read ahead, they should really help u.
Good teacher in that he really wants his students to understand the concepts. However, his lectures are a bit unclear and the book is just a jumble of formulas and equations. I highly suggest using study guide books, like Physics the Easy Way or something, to give you a better picture of what's going on.
I've heard he isn't a bad lecturer, but I took him for lab and man it's a load of work. You do the slightest thing wrong in lab and he will embarrass you for it. He is, however, very helpful if you see him during office hours. As long as you stay on top of lab work and reports, you should pass but don't fall behind. 5 people failed when I took it.
Optics and atomics is a tougher subject I guess. Still kinda tough to understand what's going on in lectures, so you're on your own. Nice guy and fair grader I guess. Do the redos and extra credit and show some interest in the class. He expects you to STAY ON TOP OF THINGS. That's really hard, but try to at least keep up with 1/2 of what's going on
Don't take him for lab. He is a total jerk. If you do something wrong he will ream you. If you go to his office hours to ask him a question he ends up quizing you and making you feel stupid. He has ridiculous rules and always answeres with "Read the manual" Way too much work for lab! Don't take him even if he fits nicely in your schedule!
Very flexible professor. Many, many chances to improve grade. Comes across as inflexible and judgmental. Has a habit of embarrassing you in lecture and class. You are a graduate student to him and he treats you accordingly. Can get good grade but only by hard work.
He's tough, but actually shows interest in your success. He doesn't have time for slackers but is willing to sit down with anyone to answer questions or discuss grades. Overall, he's a pretty good professor.
DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER! He is absolutely horrible. His lectures r reading off slides & it's hard to follow or understand. He uses wierd examples which don't help u learn anything. He doesn't tell u what will be on his exams so you're on your own when it comes to studying. He lets you redo some exam problems to make up for points which help.
Cons: Ambiguous, nit-picky, and speaks irrelevant/redundant nonsense too often (especially during exams when we're trying to concentrate); condescending (some professors don't like him either); favors girls: if you're a guy, he's impatient/elusive during office hours and grades harder. Pros: Allows fair amount of extra credit and makeups.
He's actually not a bad lecturer. I wound up with a higher grade than what I got in the previous two Physics classes. He encourages study groups for particular reasons. Try to pass all of the proficiency tests! I would say you should find someone who has taken the class before to give you further advice.
So I had him for both lecture and lab. In lab, he does not help out for anything except the holograms. Your grade is based on advance lab work (for all the labs), two reports, and a lab final at the last class. You can get extra credit by turning in a third report and by turning in short accounts after doing the labs.
Dr. Boekema makes sure you really learn - he gives prompt feedback on your work/tests/exams and many chances to improve your grade, plus he is VERY available for help. Attend class, participate, & stop by office hours - he will reward it. Important to pass all proficiency tests, do all XC, and brave a little scrutiny for a blackboard performance!
Dr. Boekema is an excellent professor. He will make you work HARD, but rewards your efforts. He gives lots of extra credit, and is happy to answer questions during office hours. If you're really interested in learning Physics, take Boekema. If you just want to get through the course, take Berman.
I had professor Boekema for Phys52 Lab. He is VERY condescending whenever you mess up and shows no sympathy. He also favors girls and hates guys. I asked him the same question a girl asked and got a totally different and condescending response. If you love Physics, take him. He will teach you a lot. Don't if you want to just cruise through college.
Only take this lab as a last resort. He does not help at all during lab and criticizes you for every mistake you make. He does not prepare you for the final and is very vaque. He wrote the lab manual and every week he tells the class its wrong. ALWs every week, 2 Reports and a final. Life would be easier if you did not take his lab.
What the person said directly below is 100% right. He is a useless excuse for a teacher. Teach yourself and expect to have a rough semester if you take him. Warning! there is no point in asking him questions.
Rushes through lecture very fast. Very intimidating and hard to approach. He seems like he wants us to learn, but he doesn't have the best methods. You can learn more from the physics tutors.
Just listen to the lectures, do the homework and getting an A should be no problems. Physics tests don't get any easier than this.
The best physics teacher I have ever had. Very clear lectures and easy tests.
Really knows his stuff when it comes to electricity and magnetism. Just go to class and getting an A is no problem.
Maybe he's not good at teaching other physics classes but for 51 he is. Everyone in the class had a great time because he taught so well.
His tests are very reasaonable
This professor uses the overhead projector like no other. His lectures are sometimes hard to follow but he will make you think in class. If you have him be prepared for proficiency tests
Spends too little time on slides and concepts, too much time on classwork, which sometimes involves solving the same problems over and over. Lectures were useless to me, I had to get almost all the information by reading the text. Tests are super easy because of the (excessive?) extra credit.
Gotta love his easy tests and ridiculous curves!!!
I really enjoyed his class. If you pay attention and do the homework the tests will come ridiculously easy to you.
A lot of people give him a bad rap but those are mainly the people who don't come to lectures or do the homework. How can you expect to get an A if you've never even opened up the book before?
His tests are incredibly easy especially with that gigantic curve of his. I barely studied or did anything in this class and still ended up with an A.
His tests are fair and easy also gotta love his extremely clear lectures.
Boekema definitely knows his material and can help you understand it if you go and talk to him. The only reason people have trouble learning is bc in class, no one really talks and he wants it to be interactive. He is a fair grader, diagrams are a must for his exams and everything. Overall a good professor if you're interested in the subject.
Have to clear up how people feel about his labs. They are really simple. That's it. He will not "help" us, because most of what we need to know is written in the lab manual, but you have to know enough from lectures to see the manuals mistakes! That's really important! Do well on the 3 reports, and you don't have to stress for his lab final!
DO NOT TAKE THIS GUY. He is EXTREMELY unclear and often times changes his mind, especially during office hours. If you want a good grade, suck up to him and attend office hours almost every day. He does offer some extra credit but his grading in general is very hard and he's a really picky guy. Crap teacher, learned the most from my lab teacher
Guy is great at teaching. Offers many extra credit opportunities and is responsive to questions. Is a master of the subject. First time ever getting an A in any physics class. Also curves grade, but I did not need a curve because I did well on all his tests. Greater teacher and tests aren't hard if you attend class. Would recommend!
Terrible professor, cannot teach if his life depended on it. Lectures are useless. He's generous on grading and has some nice curving techniques but overall it will still be a struggle to get a B in his class.
His lectures and slides are kind of useless and sometimes hard to read if you have little or no knowledge of physics going into this class. He does give you lots of opportunities to improve your grade: retake PT tests, improve exam scores, and a C is a 55-69. He may be intimidating to talk to, but he isn't mean. Join a study group if you need help.
I came to SJSU with an AA in Engr w/ honors. This was my first C I have ever received in my edu. career. This Prof is not clear on lectures, he still uses his overheads from 1993. He doesn't give feedback. This was by far the most frustrating, worthless professor I have taken. Heed the warnings!!! Spent about 30+ hrs a week, only to get a C+.
Very picky on grading, class is boring, tests were somewhat simliar to homework problems, not an easy class. He gets on your nerve, requires you to do more than other physics classes. Don't take this class unless you're out of options. Learned more from lab than in his class.
He definitely holds students to a higher standard than many (if not all) the other SJSU physics professors. He expects independent thought and initiative from his students but if you show those characteristics, he will help, and you will leave this class UNDERSTANDING the material. I completed my MS here, and his class was the highlight.
Sometimes hard to understand his accent. Uses an old-school projector, hard to see sometimes. Goes through most material quickly. Have to read the book to really understand. Homework isn't required, but DO IT or you won't understand most of it. Must include ALL the little things he wants for full credit.
Taking Boekema's class was a once in a life time experience. Never has a professor made me feel so welcome and comfortable in class. He made sure to show real-world examples to engage the entire class. The only thing I looked forward to more than seeing him in lecture was seeing him in lab!
Absolutely horrible professor and human being. You can't argue with him, even when he is completely wrong. He just dismisses you. He grades arbitrarily. He does not explain anything. His class gives me headaches
Horrible professor, terrible person, unclear. Uses 1950's overhead slides that are smeared and illegible. He emails them out at the end of the day but don't even bother looking at them because they literally won't make any sense. Grading is completely arbitrary and it'll be a surprise every time test grades come around. Do not take. Please.
Don't take him. His grading is unclear and he gives 3 proficiency tests that are hard and you need to pass them to pass the class.
A little background first: I show up to every lecture, put in tons of effort, excelled in first 2 midterms so far. Now with that being said, this guy is a terrible professor. Lectures are hard to understand, especially with the transparencies from WWII. Absurd grader, and cant understand corrections. Teach yourself at home, read text, avoid boekema
His lack of clarity in all aspects made this class an absolute struggle throughout the semester. In lectures, he poorly attempts to cover way too much content. Working with the textbook is an absolute necessity; endless hours with the book and Slader are th only way you'll pass. Overall, he makes this class way harder than it should be.
He expects you to learn the material at home and then go to lecture just to ask questions. Which is the main reason people struggle so much in his class. When will teacher understand that doesn't work!?! Anyways, as long as you work your butt off the curve will bumb you up tons!! Like 60% will be a B on a test. *Focus on the law of refraction*
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.60 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS5152
5.0
(1)PHYSICS72122
5.0
(1)PHYS53
5.0
(1)PHYS2B
5.0
(1)PHY50
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
SOLSTATE
5.0
PHYS5152LAB
5.0
PHYS2A
5.0
PHYS2ALEC
5.0
PHYS52LAB
4.9