3.3
Quality3.0
Difficulty64%
Would Retake84
Reviews64%
Would Retake
84
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
31
4
12
3
15
2
15
1
11
What Students Say
“Very unfocused, goes off onto tangents about personal opinions about the world”
GEOG305 - 1.0 rating“Very smart but terrible at teaching the material for people who don't already know it”
GEO300 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
49%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.22 avg changeRatings by Course
300
5.0
(1)330
5.0
(1)GOEL325
5.0
(1)GEOL300301
5.0
(1)GEOL306
4.2
(5)Difficulty by Course
GEOG300
4.3
330
4.0
GEOG301
4.0
GEOG320
4.0
GEOG390
4.0
Reviews (84)
Prof Jaecks is a cool guy. This is his first semster here. He has an odd but good snse of humor (matching mine, so I might be biased), and the lab is laid back but still worthwhile. He really knows the material well. Attendance not mandatory, but on low attendance days, we sometimes get extra credit. He looks like David Cross, too.
If you like to learn everything yourself with no help from the teacher, then this is the class for you! Once you do ask for help he talks in circles and makes you more confused then when you started.
I like this teacher. He is more than willing to help. Every time I go to his office he does his very best to explain difficult subject matter to me. Grades on a curve and I like that too.
Really cool guy!!! We did not use the text at all..so don't bother getting it! Have to go to class b/c that is what the tests are based on, 2 tests, uses all info covered in class. Infor presentation is a little scattered but he really likes what he is teaching! Overall if you come to class and ask question so you understand you should do fine!
Super funny!! He answers questions so you can understand, the time flies by when your in class - he's a great guy!!
Glenn is a nice/funny guy, and he gave me an A, but unfortunately I felt he did NOT make Earth science interesting or accessible. We spent each 3-hour class trying to read PowerPoint slides while he talked confusingly - THE WHOLE TIME. In a class that long, please, change it up a bit! Nice guy, but for these and other reasons, not a great teacher.
The lab is very laid back, but you'll still learn. I wish i took him for lecture as well. Highly recommended. grades on a curve too.
I took Professor Jaecks for Physical Geology last semester. He is an AWESOME teacher. He never assigned homework, his lectures were all powerpoint and only gave us 3 tests and one field trip. The tests were easy, he allowed a study card... he makes Geology fun with his silly sense of humor! No need for a book...just show up!
professor jaecks was very easy going, does not require textbook save your money, just listen to power point and use your mind, allows extra credit for a one grade bump i.e. b to a
Class is very laid back. Come to class, do the work and it's an easy A. Grades on a curve. Professor Jaecks is a funny character and is very animated. This class was really enjoyable. Definitely take this if you need a lab!
bad teacher! he's very unorganized, lectures are based on powerpoints that are sometimes very boring and repetitive...he "tries" to be funny, but he's not really..but he is a nice guy, just not a good teacher...he does do extra credit..i woudn't recommend him...
This Professor is funny and entertaining,but here is the deal,you NEED the textbook to do OK on his tests.His tests are multiple choice but are hard since he intentionally makes them all trick questions,and there is no way you can get a decent grade based on his powerpoint lectures alone. Not very clear either.
First off,attendance is pointless due to his scant powerpoints that contain very minimal information which he doesn't thouroughly explain. The book is absolutely necessary and even with studying the chapters, many q's on his tests aren't from the book or lectures. Not surprisingly,test avg. was 50%.Don't take this class you will regret it big time!
This lab class is a Joke. You basically teach yourself everything, in that you show up he assigns you work and leaves you do to everything on your own without him explaining anything. The textbook is very important, and attendance is mandatory. Do not take this class unless your willing to learn all material on your own.
Took this class last spring. There is not teaching here. Over reliance on the text. Class consists of assigning labs and leaving the students to teach themselves out of the book as he eats his lunch in front of the class. Don't bother to ask a question, he is more interested in one-upping the student then answering. Stay away.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.This professor does not know how to teach.I studied harder for this class than any other class at ARC and still barely passed. His test are set up for failure, because none of the information he taught were on his test.He tries to trick you, and when your whole class fails maybe thats a sign. Horrible class horrible teacher
Cool guy but he's worthless at teaching geology. Anyone who has taking this guy, questions how he's even a teacher. Class lectures are pointless, they do not go along with the book so it makes studying for his test time consuming and hard. His tests are tricky and his study guides are pointless because nothing on his guides are even on the test.
The M/C is tough. You get the essays ahead of time, you just have to know the essays inside and out. Awesome field trip if you take the lab, an easy A as long as you take good notes. I got an A. I knew the study guide inside and out and went over questions I had with him before hand. He is very willing to help and answer ?s, you just have to ask!!
Save yourself the trouble and DONT take him. OMG he basically says it's impossible to get an A. He does however grade on a curve. but dang his test are hard and the study guides don't help at all nor does the book because he tests off his lectures.
I did not enjoy coming to his class, although I got a B in his class, his tests were ridiculously hard. He gave everyone a study guide but nothing that was on the study guide was even on the test! He openly discussed that he enjoyed how hard his tests were and that average score on the tests was like 50 percent. I don't think i learned anything.
Lectures were generally helpful enough that I didn't need to read the book for clarification. Multiple choice exams were incredibly difficult at times (despite having a note card), but one answer was usually something like "Wizards." Field trip was a lot of fun. Fun but hard class--would recommend if you are willing to put forth the effort.
Took his oceanography class as well as the lab. One of my favorite teachers!!! You can tell he enjoys what he's teaching! Definitely take the lab if you can (its a 2 day camping trip!). Just show up to class. TAKE GOOD LECTURE NOTES (most of the stuff from test is based on lecture!!!) Allows you to use a 3x5 card for test. Awesome teacher!
Jaecks is a great intructor. Tests are hard but he grades on a curve. Just show up and take notes. He's very helpful and he knows his stuff.
point blank he is Awsome and its very easy to get a good grade in his class
Best professor ever!!!! His test were kinda hard. I believe the class average was 58% on the first test. But he grades on a curve. Made geo interesting and fun. You can tell he actually care about the subject and his students...FYI dont bring water bottles of class lol
Loves to make things sound interesting by shouting or changing his accent...Laid back, knows what he is talking about. Tests are difficult!!!
Just a warning: Geology is a VERY hard class. That said, Jaecks is a really good and really cool professor. He has a lot of experience with the subject and it shows. His tests are hard, but he gives grades based on the class average (which is currently 54%) He also does field trips, which are cool.
Great teacher. loves Geology and the Environment. Must study for his exams though but you will learn when you do. and thats the whole point.
Boring teacher, passionate, but doesn't give all the information for the tests. Flys thru the classes and gets off topic all the time. Do not take!
Had him for lab, was fun, laid back but didnt relay info I needed for the exam. But I blame that on not taking the lecture. I know he likes teaching oceanography a lil more, so im looking forward to that class with him!
Professor Jaecks class is challenging. I learned a lot about geology. Being able to take good notes quickly and reviewing them regularly is very important. Read the chapter the lecture is covering prior to coming to class or you will be at a disadvantage.
Professor Jaecks class is challenging. Keeping up with all the work and attend class is important. If you are productive during class home work is light.
You really have to be interested in Geology to enjoy this class. Glen makes it easy to understand and his lectures were pretty good. He has a lot of energy and is funny. His lab class however is difficult. I don't mind the independent study, but the noise level was out of control and made it impossible to finish anything in class.
From my experience, this class was very boring and not engaging at all. The entire semester consisted of Jaecks reading off of power point slides & not interacting with students. On my midterm, there were barely any questions on things that were taught in class. To pass you must read a lot in the textbook & study class notes closely.
Easy, I never once read the book and got an A. People are just stupid at ARC. The key to this class is being there and taking the notes. Professor needs to let people take notes before he explains things. It is very annoying to have to write down powerpoint text while trying to listen to him lecture at the same time. Didn't care for the field trip.
Even though the exams were multiple choice/short answer I found the questions absurdly difficult despite having a 3x5 card. Meticulous note taking and regular review is a must as the exams are 100% lecture based and hard as nails. If you choose to download the PowerPoint’s they are all scrambled so you’ll have to dig through the pile.
Horrible teacher He's funny to only laugh at not with, and he always tries to be funny I'm a geology major so I actually care about the quality of my experience in Geology courses I ended up teaching myself the class enough to get an A tests are curved and people that didn't study failed miserably but left with nothing I remember very disappointed
This teacher is very unorganized and not easy. You will have to try REALLY hard to pass his class not even talking about an A. You really don't learn much in this class, I'm not the only one this class that thinks that. Please don't take you WILL regret it. Fell asleep in his class a couple times. Not the only one. Save yourself.
If you show up and take notes this class isn't hard. No homework or quizzes ever, just 3 exams a field trip and a poster you don't have to present. I hate Geology, and still got an A. The tests are very curved, an 80% is an A and a 50% is a C for the exams.
Very easy class, when taking the lecture do the writing option, much easier to handle. His lectures are not boring, he is engaging. All his quizes are done on D2L and there is always a pattern to them, t f t f t, or t t t t t. His lab seems hard,but just try and do all the work and you will pass, always ask questions and he will help.
This guy is a kick in the pants. Great teacher, though it took me a bit to adjust to his lecture style. You have a choice between taking the three exams, or doing a weekly writing option. I did exams with no problems, and I didn't invest in the book. Multiple choice. Grades on a curve. He made geology entertaining. I highly recommend him!
If you don't like geology or if you don't have any knowledge of the subject, you will struggle in this class. He speeds through his terribly-crafted lectures, leaving just enough time to scrawl down some notes. Jaecks was nice to talk to outside of class, but is a bad lecturer. If you like science like I do, don't hesitate to take this class.
The field trip to Yosemite National Park was very awesome! But I guess what for semester long classes, he is a tough grader and his teaching style is a bit confused, and sometimes even boring. If you need his class take it, but be prepared for challenge!
Jaecks does not take roll, and that seems awesome, but it's really just to weed out the lazy students. He lectures off of power point, but he knows the subject, and can answer any question on the spot. If you choose not to show up, you'll miss the lectures and you wont pass. This class was fun for me, even though I'm not a science major.
Mr. Jaecks was an awesome professor, I had him for 3 classes this semester, and if I needed another science class, I would take him for sure! He test on a curve, and he sets the curve (BC line) on the class average. So be lazy and you'll fail, put out the minimum effort and you likely get a C, but put some effort in and you will get a good grade.
Easy Class! Complete lectures. No Homework, couple of tests, grades on curves, 1 field trip, gives study guide, Funny teacher, I did bare min and got an A, missed a lot of class even. Term paper minimum 5 pages, gives options for EC. lectures are very long but he makes them fun. Oh, heads up. He does NOT allow plastic water bottles in the class!
He wins the worst lecture teacher award. He never discussed anything, just told us to look at 5/6 pages of a $100 textbook, get into groups, and figure it out whilst he plays on his computer or leaves the classroom more then 3 times to go eat. A 3 hour class with this? No thanks. The tests are unbelievably hard. Our average class grade was 50%.
Knows the subject well and is always willing to answer any questions you might have. His lectures can be fairly confusing but again, always willing to help. His tests are hard but not impossible if you study and ask questions.
Intelligent man but you need to ask a lot of questions and at least go to one of his office hours to get insight on what he wants on tests. VERY little homework and he doesn't care if you do it. For tests I used the internet a lot along with the notes never the book. You HAVE to study for tests and they can be hard but I was able to get an A.
Not very clear, you watch a lot of youtube videos. It can be fun to watch them but you don't actually learn much during lecture. This is one of those classes where you have to take the time to teach yourself a lot of the material to actually do well. Use the internet and textbook to search for answers on his study guides and you should be okay.
This class was incredibly difficult for me. Tests are hard, his lectures are too fast and a lot of what he says is not always on the quizzes and tests. At least he gives extra credit if you turn in an outline of your notes before the exams and he curves the grade a lot. But I wouldn't recommend him to those who struggle with science.
Makes quizzes due at random times which makes it hard to remember them. No homework. 2 midterms and a final. Class averages were in the low 60s for test but graded on a major curve. Still people mainly just got Bs on tests. Lectures are long and boring and there's one field trip that's required. Would not take again.
You get points for showing up to class. There are quizzes due online at the beginning of each class that are easy. There are two midterms, no final. The class is basically just working with people around you in the workbook for the whole class while he's on his laptop.
Credit and knowledge when you show up. Lots of test and quiz questions based on lecture. Understanding and respectful and expects the same in return. One of my favorite professors, his teaching style can border chaos and at the same time open creative doors for greater understanding and appreciation of earth. Dude rocks. #banthebottle
Great professor! Fun in class. Field trip. Notes on tests. No book needed.
Jaecks is very knowledgeable about the subject of oceanography but doesn't really know how to teach it. Barely uses the book and gives seldom credit for completing any work from it. If you manage to pass the two midterms and the final essay, you'll pass just fine. Fair warning: nearly 60% of the class failed both midterms, as shown after testing.
Professor Jaecks is awesome. His class is always fun to attend. He makes the subject interesting. Test and quizzes are based on lecture. text (free text) can supplement but not needed. few assignments turned in. 1 required field trip. extra credit and note card on tests. grades on a curve.
Funny and awesome! Loved his personality, he's so cool. I wish he was my dad LOL. His personality made it so much easier/interesting to take in the lectures. Made coffee every morning for students, so thoughtful. One required day trip to Pt Reyes and its really not that hard to do well in the class: do the quizzes, FEW "HW", 4 exams, you'll pass.
No homework at all, field trip and exams only. Actually wish he assigned homework so I could learn better. Rambles, cool guy, very knowledgeable but is so used to what he teaches he forgot most of the class has no idea what he is teaching. Textbook is free, read along in class with it and makes things more bearable.
Very unorganized Canvas page, and does not assign homework. Just shows videos and slides. Theres a couple field trips and exams as well. Dont bring a plastic bottle to class or he will get super pissed, about the only time you will see any emotion out of this guy. Not a really good teacher, most people probably like him because he doesnt teach.
Prof Jaecks is awesome! Took him for lab and lec & would take him again if I needed more science units. I got a lot of takeaway from the course- the field trips are awesome, the content is manageable, the professor is a hottie, whats not to come back for?
Lot of the average reviews are correct, he is cannot seem to teach that well since most of the class has no idea what he is teaching. Class got 68% average on second midterm. Only got 79% based on showing up and quizzes, did bad on exams since understood nothing he taught. I made mistake taking him without his lecture.
What a guy! He was very down to earth. I loved his class and he generously served coffee during it. Definitely recommend. Beware tests.
So awesome I almost changed my major. No hw, only tests & theyre based on lecture, so you have to show up. If you do the study guides & outline your notes (turn them in for extra credit) youll be fine. Tests are mostly multiple choice, w/ notecard & he grades on a MAJOR curve- you have to be below class average to fail. Lab was fun & easy
RUN if you major in geology or sciences. you are hurting youself by doing so. horrendous classes. learn nothing. no matter how hard you try you are likely going to fail. who the hell knows what were supposed to learn. no clear guidelines. no lesson plan. no organization. slides make no sense. he makes no sense. gibberish with no direction. me angry
Jaecks is very passionate about what he teaches, adds jokes into his lectures and keeps them lively. However, he is extremely disorganized. After every lecture slide is finished he has an online quiz you have to take but doesn't say when he will release the quiz to be taken. CHECK CANVAS CONSTANTLY. only 3 writing assignments due test days for HW.
Very unfocused, goes off onto tangents about personal opinions about the world. Lowered one of my exam grades for mentioning something he did not agree with, took my answer literally. Most of semester was a complete mess of incoherent ramblings and was very unorganized in every way. Lectures were out of order and vague assignment requirements.
Very smart but terrible at teaching the material for people who don't already know it. Doesn't answer questions but rather goes off topic, explaining something different. When the class went online, he didn't explain the info in the powerpoints but rather has a 5-10 min intro video and makes you teach yourself with the slides and extra videos.
Professor Jaecks is caring and humorous which is something I always appreciate. However I definitely agree with past reviews that it can be hard to get into the course material if you arent the best at science (like I am). It seems a bit hard for him to explain in simpler terms. With that being said, he was considerate and personable otherwise.
This teacher is so disorganized that I am having the hardest time learning anything. He jumps between subjects like a squirrel on meth. He gives over 100 slides and they don't go together. You can tell he barely tried and it's really sad. The students pay money to learn and so far I have only learned how much I hate this class.
I put almost no effort in this class TBH and got a C. It's not a very well structured class IMO, but that's actually a good thing. Quizzes sometimes have multiple attempts, and they're sporadic. 5 exams, final included. All assignments are usually true/false format. For a 3-unit class, it's all around an easy class. Would take again.
Since this was an online class, the lecture was easy to follow and take notes, he gives lots of different types of extra credit. He cares about you passing and he takes into consideration the effort you put in. The points are small but the tests are important. If something happens, just communicate, he understands and will try to accommodate.
Prof Jaecks is an amazing educator and all-around swell human being. He cares for his subject matter, students, climate change, and the environment as a whole. His pre-recorded lectures (post-pandemic) are hilarious as they are informative. If you did not earn an A in this slam-dunk lab, you were trying too hard to fail. Wish I had class in person.
DO NOT TAKE! No textbook required. No homework at all. Not well structured and topics not always well explained; Google is your friend. Mainly showed YouTube videos, various articles, and PowerPoints. Not easy to prep for midterms due to unclear study guides. One paper required--Explore your Moral Imagination--with vague instructions. One fieldtrip
Class is easy, but very boring. Take it with a friend if you must
Lectures contain many slides, but are fun and informative. It's hard not to fall in love with Geology when taking his class. Offers coffee and other snacks occasionally. Field trip was free and fun. Offers extra credit for note outline after tests. Has practice tests available to study from before the real tests. Very fun, would highly recommend!
I highly recommend Professor Jaecks. He is such an amazing professor, and I loved his class and I'm taking another one this semester. He is super understanding and super easy to talk to. He is very passionate about what he is teaching and is super informative. I hope people take his classes because they're amazing. Professor Jaecks Truly Rocks!
He's really sweet and cares about his students passing. Exams weigh heavily for your grade and sometimes topics get confusing , but he makes sure to help with what he can. Exams being open note help a lot.
He is very passionate about the topic, but left the class wishing I learned something more substantial. He can be a bit scattered. The classes often weren't structured, instead flowing with class discussion, which was entertaining, but wish we did more activities. Also, he is not totally comfortable with canvas still.
He cares about his students passing a lot and is very caring for the success of the entire class. There is two tests and a final along with quizzes on Canvas but they are all open note and primarily multiple choice, so your notes will essentially determine your grade in the class. There is one field trip and it's very fun. Great teacher.
funny and respectable professor, enjoyable class to take, really enjoyed it. lectures kinda hard to follow cause theyre a bit disorganized, but if you're looking for a chill class i'd take this professor. free field trip, many retakes on quizzes available, & very understanding. textbook is free and online
Still uses slides that he made 10 years ago and uses a flipped classroom, which is great if you want to teach yourself the lecture, then watch him click through slides quicker than you can read. I found this class to take much more time and effort than the 3 credits it was worth. He grades on a curve, it was confusing. Was short and rude at times.
This professor was AMAZING! We had open course and he provided so much current information. We drew diagrams on rock cycles, hubble graph, plate tectonics, and intensity turn ins. Loved this class! Easy A!
Professor Jaecks is an awesome professor who truley cares for his students! There is a lot of reading but very few assignments for the whole semester, most of which can be completed easily if you read all of the material and watch the videos. Very good at communicating and getting back to students if you have any questions!!!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
49%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.22 avg changeRatings by Course
300
5.0
(1)330
5.0
(1)GOEL325
5.0
(1)GEOL300301
5.0
(1)GEOL306
4.2
(5)Difficulty by Course
GEOG300
4.3
330
4.0
GEOG301
4.0
GEOG320
4.0
GEOG390
4.0