3.7
Quality3.2
Difficulty58%
Would Retake197
Reviews58%
Would Retake
197
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
105
4
27
3
16
2
17
1
32
What Students Say
“Would never take again, stay away from this class”
HIST4ONLINE - 1.0 rating“The lecture is what is primarly tested on”
HIST4 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
65%
Textbook Required
66%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.70 avg changeRatings by Course
HISTFHIST
5.0
(1)PS75
5.0
(1)HIST75
5.0
(3)HIST101
5.0
(1)PS61
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
HISTFHIST
5.0
PS75
5.0
HOST5
5.0
HISTORY
5.0
HIST22
4.5
Reviews (197)
Good teacher. A bit hard cuz it was only eight weeks but for 8 weeks, we covered alot of stuff! he knows what he's talking about and doesn't make you feel stupid. Knows what it's like to be a college student who can sometimes struggle with the material. He's understanding and very nice and easy to talk to. He's accomodating to student's needs.
Do not take this class. Not only does every class run very long and everything said completely uninteresting, you will not get an A or a B easily. Would not reccommend this class to anyone.
Great prof (though hard). Guy clearly knows his history, and he's very passionate about his teaching. I appreciate a professor who loves what he teaches. I was overwhelmed at first, but when all was said and done, I found I learned a lot! It also helped that he was both funny and approachable.
It was a hard class because it was only 6 weeks and there was so much information. I would have done better if there was more time. His tests are based on his lectures and there is very little reading required. He is a good teacher, but it is a hard class.
Good, interesting lecturer. Very hard to get in A. I have taken two other history classes, and gotten A's easily. There are only a couple tests and one paper, so by the time you realize he's a hard grader, you're cooked.
He was fun. the class was hard because it was only 6 weeks but he was super nice. i regret not studing more, if i did i would have gotten an A. i got a B, but if you study your nots before the Test and write a good paper you should do well. i recomend him if you plan on being a history major and want to learn something. hes like a reall life his.Tv
He's a really nice guy, very helpful. He grades really harshly and even if you study the tests are pretty hard. he usually curves a lot at the end of the semester and he looks at your attedence so make sure you go. Participation is important too.
Prof. Seaman is a dedicated professional who takes his work seriously. The lecture material is interesting and fast paced. If you are interested in History or just need the course for transfer, he is recommended. His grading is fair and likes to engage the students in class. Highly recommnded!
Excellent, excellent teacher and a good guy. Very highly recommended for his enthusiasm concerning the subject matter, enthusiasm which is palpable and probably sometimes overwhelming to students who don't like history. To students who do like history, however, Seaman is top-notch. One of the best at Saddleback.
Really good guy and loves his subject. I took his history 4 class, and I am enrolled for history of asia class class. If you like history you won't go wrong with him.
so so boring. sure he's a great guy, and extremely passionate. however a little too much for a long, very long night class. do not miss a class! it will put you so far behind. warning: this is a very fast moving class
He is a good teacher but his test are somthing else. dont ever miss a class i missed 2 and i honestly belive thats why i got a C and he grades the essay very hard to.Hard but good teacher
My fav proffesor at saddleback. Very fast paced but a great teacher. I would only reccomend him to people who are serious about studying history. Good attendance and decent note-taking and you should pass easily. He typically has 1 midterm and then a final with a good study guide for each. Final is NOT cumulative. No homework and low reading.
Extremely passionate teacher, his passion will make you smile, fast talker, so buy a tape recorder. He's truly an amazing teacher, he encourages questions and ideas. 1 midterm, 1 final (the final isn't cumulative); 3 papers you have to write from the readings in the book but they are very easy. Don't miss a day of class. I highly recommend him!!!!
I don't recommend taking this class if you're not going to be a history major. I know everybody else loves him, but Mr. Seaman talks way too fast, covers too much, and there is no textbook to study. It's all lecture notes and there are no quizzes in between, which makes it difficult to remember all the information for midterm and final. Very tough.
test are so hard. he will give you a sheet of about 100 things. you will need to know them all somehow he puts them all into a 50 question test. dont ever miss class
Probably one of the most passionate teachers I've had in my entire life. He does talk really fast, but the fact is that it's extremely interesting. I'm taking this class and every day I write 3 pages of notes front and back, but I love the class because of how much I'm getting out of it. This class is only for those who want a real education.
Seaman's the best prof at Saddleback hands-down. I've had him for 3 classes, and I've learned a lot each class. He's not hard, either. Show up, listen, take notes, bam, you get an A. Those complaining about his exams I bet are not studying. He gives you study guides, man, every exam! Gotta love his enthusiasm for learning in general.
Seaman rocks. Yes, he talks fast, but he gives you time to keep up. Go to class! You do, you can get an easy A. He tests RIGHT out of lectures. I go to UCSD, but took two of his summer classes for units. He's better than most all the profs I've had there. He's funny as hell, too.
Go to class, take notes, study them before the exams, BAM, you get an A. Easy-peasy. Seaman's a gem, a nice guy who's smarter than freaking anyone I've ever met...but he doesn't know it...which is too cool. I'd take any class he teaches, but I'm transferring out.
GREATEST teacher... i havent learned so much in my life from one guy. He is like a genius but doesnt show it unless he gets talkn real fast. He's been like all over the world so can relate on everything he talks about. He loves food... Take alot of notes but most the time its interesting. Test arnt bad, strait off study guid. Amazing Class
super nice guy but the class itself is extremely difficult. The assignments are really tricky and his tests are even trickier. He can be a harsh grader too. however he is a really understanding person and he definitely knows what hes talking about.
Good teacher
AMAZING prof. Purely lecture notes and tests straight from notes. Never met anyone with so much knowledge. love listening to his lectures. DEFINITELY helps to have study buddies in case you didn't hear part of lecture. usually lets out a little early w/lots of breaks but goes quick. show up-easy A. I didn't have interest in history till this class.
seaman rocks, i've taken 3 of his classes and got Bs and Cs by pretty much just showing up and listening, his tests are !@#$ hard, but his classes are kick-ass fun and knowledge-full and he's cool and laidback, best prof at Saddleback
INCREDIBLE teacher!! I hated history before his class but he made everything so understandable and interesting. He loves what he does and wants you to do well. Study hard for the tests, attend all classes, and take good notes ( I got an A and rarely read textbook). Just stay on top of things and you'll be fine.
Seaman is a freaking amazing history professor and perhaps one of the chillest professors in general at Saddleback. His lectures are delivered enthusiastically and even those not interested in history can really enjoy his class. As a history major myself, I took a lot away from his class. Paper, midterm, and a final constitute your final grade.
i hated history prior to his class, now i don't... he's a really good teacher.
seaman's smart as hell, but so nice and approachable and funny, you don't feel intimidated by all he expects you to learn...best prof at saddleback
i'll take any class seaman teaches...i could care less about history, but he's nice, smart, and his lectures are captivating...i walk away from every lecture feeling like i've learned a lot...can't say that about most profs at saddleback
Though he tries to hide it and stay neutral, it's pretty clear Seaman's a radical/liberal/socialist of some kind. But he's cool, and he's open to all kinds of discussion, and every one of his lectures are fun to listen to. I say take whatever he offers. More I think about, I don't think I learned more in any class I've taken than in his.
AMAZING! By far my favorite professor. Even if you don't have an interest in history (like me) he makes it feel like you are there experiencing it. His lectures fly by and leave you wanting more. I would take this class over and over again just to be able to listen to him talk so vividly about history.
awesome professor.very liberal.he makes you work for the grade but also gives you some extra credit and really curved the final. i got a b on the paper, failed the first test, then failed the second test, but showed up every day cause he counts attendance and asked questions,and ended up with a b.hes really fun and nice.learned alot.i recommend him
Every one of Seaman's lectures makes it clear he loves what he does for a living.You don't see that a lot these days.Take his classes, his energy's infectious.
He makes me interested to learn because he has so much fervor for history. Not your typical monotone boring lecture. Usually lets us out a little early to avoid traffic which is great! 1 paper, 2 exams. Very fair. I would definitely take him again! One of my favorite teachers at Saddleback.
awesome guy, clearly loves what he does. Realy just wants you to learn. Easy grader if you follow directions
really really really nice person, good story teller too. HORRIBLE TEACHER. it would be awesome to sit in his class and listen to his lectures but for a grade, don't take this class with this teacher
Professor Seaman is perhaps one of the best professors I've had while at Saddleback. He is wonderful even if you're not a history major. Your grade is based on a midterm, paper, and a final. Attending the lectures is vital to passing the class. I've taken three classes from Seaman and he never fails to wow me!
seaman rocks, the bad comment a couple comments ago i noticed when we had midterms...piece of cake since seaman gives you a study guide, but students still bomb it duh...he's a great guy and a great prof, i recommend any of his classes
Very nice, cool guy. i will definitely take him again.
Mr. Seaman is a sweethart, you can see how much he loves his baby daughter the way he talks about her. His classes reflect his kindness, you try hard and you get an A. He's by the book and his classes arent easy, but he gives you tons of room to do well. I highly recommend him.
One of the best I've ever seen. He knows what he's doing.Even if you are not interestedin history, you'll fin his classes awesome.
wtf is Prof. Seaman doing at saddleback? dude belongs at UCLA or Stanford or something. he's the smartest person I think I've ever met, but he's totally cool and doesn't make you feel dumb. he's funny, too, take any class he teaches, you'll like it
While Seaman is passionate about what he does and is a very nice guy, he is not a great teacher. To be fair, this is a lecture course - that being said, the guy speaks WAY too fast, you will not be able to use his handwriting and he refuses to use powerpoint or any technology tools. Seems like a great guy, but a bad teacher for a graded course.
He's a GREAT lecturer. Be prepared to take LOTS of notes if you wanna do well in this class. He makes it really interesting though and he's very understanding--you can easily get at least a B if you show up to class and make an effort :) A paper and 2 exams make up your final grade
Seaman kicks ass!! He's smart as hell, but not an arrogant ass, he's sweet, he's easy-going, and he does the impossible: he makes history interesting!!!! ;) I'm taking my second class from him now (just started), and it tests the same way: midterm and final with a paper. My advice: show up and listen and you'll do well.
midterm, final, and paper, that's it...take notes, listen, discuss, easy A...take anything seaman teaches, he's totally cool and smart and nice
Two exams, one paper, he gives out study guides so the exams aren't that bad if you study. He does talk fast, but it's not that hard to keep up. He has a wicked sense of humor and is very helpful before and after class.
There are only 3 chances for a grade-midterm, paper and final, so if you do poorly on one it will effect the entire class. Highly recommend a laptop and recording lectures, he talks really fast. Passionate about subject. He has a powerpoint with key terms, but no lecture outline or notes to go with it. no attendance after 3rd week. 1 hour lecture.
He is amazing! So nice and actually makes class fun! I'm currently taking him and he manages to make a 4 hour summer class interesting...1 midterm, 1 paper and a final makes up your great. He really loves history and is so funny! Take him!!
LOVED him! made the class interesting and I loved this class! The paper was a little difficult, dont procrastinate like I did. do the extra credit! highly recommend.
Awesome prof! Took both his 3 hr Hist 4 and 5 class. He is very lively & pretty funny. You can tell he is so passionate about what he teaches. Kept the class pretty interesting. Talks kind of fast & doesn't write much on the board but it made me pay attention and write good notes. Midterm, final and one 6-8 pg paper. Overall great class
Yes, James Seaman is very passionate about the subject at hand. However here are some negatives sides of him. First he talks way to fast, and all the notes are completely neccessary to take Second he does not help out the student at all, he likes to educate you, but doesnt care if you pass. honestly he is a cool guy, but not for a teacher.
He is not only talk very fast, quite narcissistic personality. He wanted everybody just to listen to him but doesn't understand the meaning of being a teacher! Very proud of being Viking descendant (thief, raper, etc!)...not recommended as a teacher at all!!! Unless, if you want to be Psychiatrist!!!
I dont know what's the deal with the last guy, I love professor Seaman.I've taken 3 of his classes (all:midterm, final, paper), and he's nice and he TOTALLY cares about his students, you can see it in any of his lectures.... the previous guy must've failed his easy class LOL
interesting guy, smart, makes history fun, just one paper midterm and final, easy if you take good notes, i'll be taking his classes again in the spring
I've taken 3 classes with him and he's amazing. Yes he talks fast, just take a tape recorder. But he's extremely passionate and loves what he does. 1 final and midterm. 1-3 papers, depending on the class. 3 small papers or 1 larger paper. He's very helpful, tests are straightforward. He values learning more than grades.
I came into this class having absolutely no interest in history...it was a required class. However, to my surprise I really enjoy the class. Professor Seaman is an astounding professor. He has the ability to bring life to a topic that can be very boring.His exams are straight from his lecture, don't miss class.It an easy A if you study review sheet
Very exciting to watch and learn from. You will get excited to attend his class because he is so interesting and funny. Great guy
Lectures are honestly the most interesting I have ever heard regarding world history. With that said he needs to seriously relax on grading too harshly and with careful consideration. Especially when their are only 3 chances you get to show your work. I'm dissapointed I did so poorly in his class when I actually did learn all the material covered.
U can tell grades just came out, geez, sore losers. I got a C in his History5 and I totally should have failed. He's the most easy-going, interesting prof I've had in 2 years at Saddleback. Don't listen to the sore losers who can't even get a C lolz
Seaman talks at the speed of sound, all while telling you that dates don't matter. WELL THEY DO! His test is 90% date memorization. If you memorize all the dates of the leaders you will ACE his class.
He is one of my favorite professors at Saddleback. Loves teaching and is very passionate. There was one essay then the final and midterm. I got an A
You will STRUGLE, but you will learn a lot.
Very intelligent professor. Has a real passion for history, makes it very interesting and entertaining to listen and learn. Tests are difficult, paper is okay. J. Seaman one of those professors who make you really think about stuff
I did get a D in this class, but I attribute part of the reason to this prof. speaking too fast. It is difficult to take good notes because he speaks too fast to get the proper info. Then when you ask him to slow down he will for 2 seconds and slowly start to speed up. Final study guide was useless and the exam had ?s he said were unimportant
His notes are the basis for tests even though theres only 2. the textbook is not really necessary but there is a primary sources book that is used for the 5-8 page paper
Prof. Seaman is my favorite prof. at Saddleback. I've taken 3 of his classes, and none are easy, but I still got 1 A and 2 Bs. He's super nice very friendly and easy to talk to. Hes always upbeat and happy (he's never mean to students even ones how deserve it!), and his lectures are always interesting.
Professor Seaman is one of the most gifted and insightful professors I have ever had. I loved his class and have great affection for my memories of it. However, I would only recommend him for serious students, not for those who are just passing through the motions or are disinterested in history. If you are serious, he will make the best of you.
I do not enlighten those who are not eager to learn, nor arouse those who are not anxious to give an explanation themselves. If I have presented one corner of the square and they cannot come back to me with the other three, I should not go over the points again. Confucius. Pretty much sums up everything in here
His video lectures were very interesting. I struggled every week on the quizzes, I just couldn't figure out what he wanted. I did learn a lot though!
Probably the hardest class I've taken thus far at Saddleback. Professor Seaman is a very gifted professor. He is SUPER passionate about history and his lectures are very interesting. You will learn ALOT, but it won't be easy! I would say if you're a History major, taking his classes is a must. If you are just looking for an easy A, look elsewhere.
I've never taken an online course but Seaman's was surprisingly interesting, fun, and very educational. His recorded lectures are great! I highly recommend him. Also, I love how he cracks down on cheaters. So many try to cheat online, and Seaman brings down the hammer on them! Love it! Don't take his class if you cheat!
This is a hard course. You will learn a lot. You need the 'reader' book, not the actual textbook. I took the summer class and it was two lectures per week, discussion board, and a weekly quiz (it's hard and answers are not found online). He is a good teacher, he talks fast on his lectures but you can always pause them. 10 hrs a week for the course.
Very tough Class for History. If you like memorizing all he dates and names this is your class. Exams were pretty tough. Lots of notes..
Amazing professor, passionate about his craft, he goes off on random fun things for just enough to keep them fun, his teaching style is for the minimalist: he just teaches and teacher, no power point, then you are tested, a true college professor. Take notes or you will fail, took him twice and would take him 100 more times if i could.
Don't take this class. I'm an A and B student. I never put in so much effort just to get a B. Lacks clarity for essay.
He is a little though in grading. But overall I enjoyed this course.
This is my second online course with Mr. Seaman. His lectures and presentations are great, his readings are short, and his discussion questions are interesting. If you have the discipline to take a course from home, I highly recommend Mr. Seaman.
Mr. Seaman is grades very meticulously (ex: 3.6/5 points) and you can't find out what questions you answered incorrectly for the weekly quizzes. Also there's no study guide for the final! who does that??Throw in a 6-10 pg paper that's based off of primary resources (aka no text or online resources), and you got a class you shouldn't take online.
This guy is a very verbose speaker. He teaches like a teacher at a uni in a giant lecture hall. Super funny guy who has great taste in his jokes, and makes the history interesting if you are into that kind of stuff. You will die if you are just doing this the general ed, two tests and a paper allows no room to mess up. Highly recommended.
I love history. In fact I am going to be a history teacher so I found it very frustrating that we couldn't see what we got incorrect on our weekly quizzes. When I asked about finding out what I got wrong,I was told I didn't need to know and then the final was all questions fr the quizzes.
Mr. Seaman's was the first online class I've ever taken. His recorded lectures and presentations are great. Not nearly as dull as I expected in a history class! He tests mostly out of lecture it seems, FYI. I'm going to take him again. I learned a lot!
Have never spent so much time in an online class. So bored with movies and lectures as old as the stuff we're covering. Everything from the teacher's personal reader we have to buy to the lectures. This stuff is so cool and everyone should know about it but the way of teacher is so treacherous.
Never spent so much time on a single class in my whole entire life. This guy is a joke. History teachers are so prideful and dock you down for nothing. Get a real job bro
does not give answers to quizzes and gives out way too much work
The professor is pretty clear what he wants for his online students. Weekly lectures and reading, with quizzes to go along with it. There are also weekly discussion boards with a response due later in the week. No tests, just an essay and the final at the end of the semester. Not incredibly exciting, but very clear and concise directions.
My first online class. The syllabus was crystal clear on how to do well. I did my weekly readings and posts, and got an A with only a little studying. I'm going to take another of his classes next semester. People think it;s online, so the class should be a videogame, but it really felt like a normal college class. I like that.
I respect Professor Seaman. He is a fair grader when it come to the term paper. The class (online) is comprised of DB posts, weekly quizzes, a multiple choice two-part final, and a term paper. Take notes - focus on the LECTURE. Class covers a lot of material (with no time to really dive in) and no insight given as to what to focus on for tests...
Hist 74 was my first online class. I really liked Prof. Seaman's lectures, presentations, and weekly discussion questions. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't really hard. There were short weekly quizzes, 2 posts a week, and 1 paper. I'm taking his HIST 75 this Spring.
Seaman's history class was my first online class. I liked it. It wasn't easy, but I learned a lot, still got a B (I think I earned a C.) His lectures are really good, and you can pause, rewind, listen again to them since they're mp3s. Very cool. It seems he tests heavy out of lecture btw.
Tests are confusing. Can't study for tests or quizzes. Readings are many; so many facts to learn you don't know which facts he'll choose for tests and quizzes. DBs are easy enough if you write what he wants to hear.
Took this online class and it was tough. He's a really tough grader and the final paper is difficult. He assigns long readings that don't really apply to the quiz questions or assignments. Don't waste too much time reading, but focus more on his uploaded lectures. If you take his class, memorize dates! And don't expect to get an easy A.
Loved listening to his lectures they were surprisingly interesting. Follow the rules on the syllabus and get an easy B, study the lectures and presentations and get an easy A.
Seaman's History 4 online was my first online class. It was great. I could do all my classwork in my PJs at night after the kid went to bed. His lectures are actually interesting and he's an easy grader and he doesn't make you read much. What more could you want? Looking forward to take more of his classes.
I am currently a History major and this class is by far the hardest class I have taken. It was not only difficult to know exactly what the teacher wanted from me he was really boring. The paper was difficult. Quizzes were difficult. I would not take again.
Seaman's was my first online class. I liked it. I was able to do my work at my own pace each week. He was nice when I emailed him questions, and his lectures were always interesting. His lectures are key, FYI.
This guy Holy cow, so fun, so exciting! I remember when I thought history was boring, then James Seaman existed. The guy's a genius, seeing connections so few history profs can. He can make history feel thrilling and exciting, sometimes hilarious, sometimes depressing. Taking his tests and writing papers were easy because you wanted to listen
He is a very harsh grader, for an intro class its pretty difficult to pass his class. he will mark you down for the smallest things and will leave very rude comments as well. honestly, if you want to take history I would suggest you try to take it with another professor. he grades the intro class like we are majoring in the subject. Retire please.
I took Seaman's History 4 in the spring and loved it. It was my first online class so maybe they're all like this? But his recorded lectures are key, focus on them, which is cool, because they are fun. He responds to email questions quickly, too. I didn't work to hard and got a B. Think he was generous with his curve.
Simply terrible. He doesn't clearly explain what he expects out of you for the forums and then just copies and pastes the same "feedback" each time he grades us. I've taken quite a few online classes and his is by far the worst. Oh and the quizzes have little to none of the information from the lectures on. Save yourself and don't take his class.
This is my first online class, and first college level history class and it has left me with a very bad taste. I'm sure Mr. Seaman is a good guy, but in all honesty I feel as if he makes this class way too difficult. I want to clarify that the class structure and organization is hard to work with, not the material. Grades like an English prof.
I honestly have no idea why some people do not like him. I absolutely enjoyed his lectures and his class. His lectures are so detailed and you can tell he put a lot of work into the online class. Some online teachers do not do that. He does make you work hard but this is college not high school. Best History teacher I have had and I hate history.
This was my first online class and I got to say it wasn't easy but if you try hard enough and get things done, you'll get an A. He conveys the material very well and sometimes doesn't grade that hard. His quizzes were quite difficult but if you study the lectures thoroughly, you'll pass. Overall, a great history teacher.
This was by far the hardest class i have ever taken. I try so hard to take notes on the lectures and read what is assigned and still can not manage to get a 5/5 on weekly quizzes. He will mark you down for the smallest stuff, he is a very hard grader. DONT TAKE HIM IF U HATE HISTORY! quiz answers not found online. very big on plagiarism!!!
Seaman's was my first online class, and I loved it. His lectures are amazing to listen to. They're short, but packed with interesting info, so listen to them twice! He seems to test heavily out of them. I'll be taking a class of his again in the Spring.
Pretty good class. He posts recorded lectures and assigns other reading and videos to watch. The lecture is what is primarly tested on. Weekly quizzes and discussion boards. One paper due at the end of the semester. The quizzes can be difficult, just use all resources available and you will be successful.
Revisionist history. Paints a picture of history through his own political beliefs. This is unprofessional and requires attention. No matter where you stand on politics, history is an analysis of facts, and oddly enough some have been "accidentally" left out. Be aware and know what you're getting in to.
Seaman's class was my first online course. It was surprisingly fun, and not too hard if you listen closely to the lectures. Standards mc quizzes, one paper, final is mc. Really interesting lectures, and he seems likes a nice and damn smart dude.
Take anything this guy teaches. He never said so, but I bet he worked for the CIA or FBI or NSA or something. It turns out he's got some unsual skill sets, and done unusual traveling. He NEVER talks about himself, and sticks to his syllabus, but in the General forum, try and chat him up. I swear, he's the DosEquis Most Interesting Man lol. He rock
The lectures/ book were interesting, critical free thinking is encouraged, & Christian coverage is not accurate. The weekly discussion questions are engaging. Print screen during timed quizzes (aren't returned), type all notes to search during quiz/tests, have the teacher review your research paper, work ridiculously hard and get a B, learn a lot
If you need this class as GE don't take with him. He deduct points for any grammar mistake. He post an audio lecture which his weekly quizzes is based on that, and final is 100 Q in 120 min which its 70% of the Q is from weekly quizzes. For every discussion board you better put the work citation otherwise you are not going to get the points.
I've taken 3 online classes from Prof. Seaman now, and they've all been great. They're in the same format: lectures, videos, discussions, quizzes, and one paper. All clearly described in syllabys. You just have to do them (and on time, he doesn't take late work). Looking forward to taking another class from him someday.
Professor Seaman is honestly on of the best professors you could have. I'm currently taking his Ancient World History (4) and all of his classes are outlined the same. You have to pay attention to his lectures to do good in the class and his lecture are a maximum of 30 mins. It was an easy A and I got to learn a lot about my own culture. Awesome.
Great class. Two discussion posts a week with responses to each. Quizzes every week that are mainly from lecture and a little from the textbook. These quizzes are very short. He grades things pretty tough, so be ready to work hard for your grade. Fun lectures. Interesting material.
Weekly quizzes and discussion based off his really interesting recording lectures. One paper based off of primary source readings online. I learned a lot, and received a B when I only scored a 77%. Do the one extra credit assignment!
This teacher has made me hate history. Quizzes are based off random info, much of which is not even covered in the textbook or in the lectures. His lectures are extremely monotone and not captivating whatsoever. Also the online videos he makes us watch are extremely dated and similarly boring. We have 97 pages of assigned reading this week, insane
His was my first college class online, and I loved it. I just followed his syllabus, which is very detailed. His lectures are clear and interesting (and short!). His quizzes are mostly out of lecture btw!
Took his class online over summer Definitely a solid choice. Answers any questions you have about his rubric and grading system in a prompt manner, and hes very kind, too! I asked lots of questions and he never made me feel stupid about it
If you want to be bored to sleep take this class. You will never get a perfect score no matter how hard you try. Unnecessarily difficult, easy material but he will mark you down for everything. Discussions are out of 5 but you will NEVER get a 5 only a 4.8 at best. Lectures are awful, so boring. It's his voice.
This was my first online class at Saddleback and I really liked it. The lectures were interesting the tests weren't too tough (mostly out of lecture, I think, not much out of textbook) and the paper topic was interesting and not to hard. I recommend Mr. Seaman's classes.
Interesting recorded lectures. Text chapters were long with a lot of repeat from the lectures. Assignments and grading was fair. If you take this class online remember that participation on the discussion boards is important. Feedback was often cut and pasted but I followed the very clear syllabus and did well in the class.
I talked it over with my friends. It seems Seaman grades weekly work pretty hard, but then gives out generous grades at the end of class. I got a 77% but Seaman gave me a B. My friend got a 65% (I know, real Einstein) but got a C. I liked his lectures.
Insanely tough. Hardest class, Ive ever taken. Not specific on grading criteria and assigning ridiculous quizzes, so much reading for a 10 question quiz setting you up for failure. Very tough grader. I had a paper he said was great just wasnt good enough just a unbelievable prof. Would never take again, stay away from this class.
Boring, PowerPoint presentation do not make sense. Very difficult for what it is.
Weekly discussions and times quizzes, though answers can be found online. Only tough part is he actually grades discussions unlike some other online teachers, as well as you have one big essay you have to write, but if you stay on top of it it's super easy.
By far the toughest grader I have had so far (and I have already completed calculus). There is 200 points in the class so not much room for error. The heaviest grades are the 50 point paper and 50 point final. He's an extremely picky grader. I 100% would not reccomend taking this course. The lectures are boring and he is isn't helpful at all.
If you can avoid this class or take it with another professor I would HIGHLY recommend it. Prof. Seaman will award you points for writing EXACTLY what he wants to hear, and will deduct his precious points otherwise. All of his replies are pre-scripted, & do not provide any valuable feedback. Awful lectures. A LOT of busywork & ZERO long term value.
Please read! If you are planning to try your best and relieve an A in the class avoid this class at all times. By far the hardest class Ive taken. This course is nothing special and yet he makes it way harder than what it is. His lectures do not cover anything on test and quizzes and are extremely boring. Youve been warned.
Overall, seaman isnt the worst prof in the world. Class is discussion posts and weekly quizzes and a mega essay. My suggestion is to really really focus on mega essay because that can make or break your grade. Seaman is very strict on that paper and if you have any plagiarism you get a zero which happened to me. Very strict prof overall.
Professor Seamen isnt the worse, but his online history class was very hard. Listening to the lectures every week would almost put me to sleep, but I dont think history is all that exciting so it makes sense. I had an A the whole semester until the last week when he gave me a 0 on the research paper because he found plagiarism. I ended with a C..
Seaman's was my first online class, and I loved it. He gives you all week to do just a little bit of readings, lecture listening, videos, then quiz and discussion. I really liked listening to his lectures. I'd take him again.
I've never liked history before, but Mr. Seaman's lectures were actually pretty cool. He tests heavily out of lecture it seems, but the textbook was free, and you don't have to read a lot each week. I'll prob take his HIST 5 class now, too.
Great prof with clear expectations and criteria for how to do well in the class. Would definitely take him again, as I learned a lot and didn't feel like the workload was excessive in any way.
Free textbooks and pretty cool lectures. I dont like history, but Seaman seems cool and knows a lot. I actually learned alot and will take his HIST5 class when I can.
Wouldn't take him again, gives repetitive feedback and he takes grammar use way to seriously for a professor of history. If i wanted to take an English class than i would enroll in one. James made the class a bit more complicated then it needed to be. Seems like a nice guy though.
This was my first on-line class. I liked it. It wasn't easy, but Prof Seaman was clear in what he wanted from us. Liked his lectures, and learned a lot, but you have to put in the work. WIll take his HIST 5 class next.
Prof. Seaman's class was my first online class, and I liked it. It wasnt too hard, but he's cool and clearly smart and i actually liked listening to his lectures. Theyre short, too. I'll take his HIST05 next.
His class wasn't hard but it wasn't easy either. I got a B and felt like I got what I deserved. I didn't work too hard, but liked listening to the lectures. I'll take him again if I need his class.
I took Prof. Seaman's HIST 5 accelearted class over the summer and enjoyed it. It was a lot of work, but I feel I learned alot and Seaman seems like a good guy. I'm taking his US class right now and liking it too. Not easy, but still kinda fun.
This is the first online class I took, and really liked it. Seaman's lectures were good, not boring, and short. He tests mostly out of lecture it seems. I'll take him again. Grades though on papers though.
I took Professor Seamans class because its a required course for my major. Honestly I didnt think it would be that difficult it being a history class. I took him online because of COVID. His quizzes were terrible they were 5 questions in 5 minutes so a minute a question. This took such a toll on my grade even though I studied. Take another prof.
Listen to the negative feedback because it is the truth. The positive feedback may be disguised as the teachers image to be better even though it is not.
Class is not a cakewalk. But he makes it clear very quickly what is expected. Quizzes are relatively easy. If you read the material you get the quiz. Discussions were far harder but still, if you put the time in you will get an A grade. He lets you know exactly what you need to do to succeed. Answers questions rapidly if asked via email.
Seaman's was my first online class. His clear goals were appreciated. Wasn't hard, but wasn't easy. Actually liked listening to his mp3 lectures. I'll take him again someday.
This class was the most frustrating class Ive ever taken through Saddleback. The discussion board needs to be perfect or he will mark you down, yet he isnt very clear on what part of it needs to be perfect. Needless to say, I didnt enjoy learning about history- he made it too complicated and the paper for this class was horrible.
Syllabus clearly lays out class schedule. Each week; listen to lecture, take notes, watch videos, write and respond to discussion board prompts, take a quiz. Multiple choice final and one paper due. Feedback is very general, there is not much to encourage growth in your writing. Interesting subject matter, but rather flat presentation.
Lectures are audio with minimal slides instead of a video, but he has a great tone of voice. Discussion boards are 1 initial post and 1 reply, and quizzes are 5 questions every week. Term paper is a large part of your grade, and you are given a few weeks to write it. Professor usually responds within 24 hours to emails. Definitely recommend.
I really liked how Professor Seaman structured his class. I believe that you needed to do a discussion board every week and a quiz. In addition to those weekly assignments, there were a couple of fairly straightforward tests and a research paper. As long as you do the work and stay diligent, you will succeed.
His lectures are easy to follow, and the quizzes are short and straightforward. The class isn't hard if you read and pay attention. My only issue was that his grading criteria for the discussion posts and essay are a bit vague. Prompts and broad suggestions were included, but you're on your own after that. Overall a decent class. I'd take him again
Not a heavy workload. Discussion questions were not hard but he is a VERY tough grader. I am a good writer and never once got a 5/5 on the discussion questions, only a 4.9, because the questions make it hard to respond to fellow students. The paper topics are vague but doable. Very vague extra credit assignment was available on the last week.
I took HIST5 from Seaman this summer, and it was my first online class. I'm a bit surprised how much I liked it. I aslo thought I'd get a B, but I got an A, so there's that. His lectures are actually not bad to listen to, he clearly enjoys history and it's kinda contagious. He does grade tough, as others have said here, but not TOOOOO tough.
The class I took was asynchronous and followed an easy to follow structure. Every week you would listen to a lecture, answer discussion questions and complete a quiz. The professor is passionate about the subject and is clear with expectations but most importantly, he teaches history as objective as possible. Great class, would recommend for anyone
just found out about this site, Seaman's history 5 class was cool, not easy but I got a B and didn't work to hard
Personally, I struggled through his online lectures, and quizzes are tougher because of it. But, if you put effort into the discussions and paper, he grades easy on both. I'm not a history buff, so maybe this is biased. But, he's a good prof. You won't have problems if you need this for history credits.
I took this course over the summer online and was amazed at how well it went. Basically formatted as follows each week: 2 lectures, a few corresponding videos, discussion post (write answers to 2 lecture specific questions, than respond to 2 classmates), weekly quiz. That's it, every week! Towards the latter half of the course there is ONE paper.
Be ready to get low grades for no reason. He doesn't post a rubric for the essay and gave me 70 for no reason even though I won many essay competitions. Do not consider taking his course!
I took the 8-week online course. No matter how much you study you will not succeed on the assignments and quizzes. You will get marked down if your answers are not exactly what he wants. I think that if he provided lectures on the topics he wants us to study instead of just a voice recording, I believe it would better set up students for success.
I took world history from Seaman last year and just took US history from him this past semester. I like his teaching style. Very straight forward, no surprises, clear expectations. I got Bs in both classes by just doing the work. FYI his tests are lecture centered. I'll take him again this summer if he teaches a class I need.
His weekly test is awful litter if you don't think what he is thinking you won't get the answer right. Also, his lectures are so terrible you have to listen to a recording of him for 45 minutes.He has some slides that don't even correlate or match up to what he says in the recording Also reading the book will not help you with the weekly quizzes.
i put in the bare minimum and got a B wasn't that hard, seaman tests heavily out of lecture btw, seems like a good guy when I had to email him a few times, will take another class from him
Professor Seaman is knowledgeable and helpful, however, his assignments were fairly difficult. The quizzes and tests were pretty hard you have to study a lot. They're open book and you can watch the lectures while you take them, but they also give you very little time so this is difficult. There's extra credit opportunities, and it's a decent class
Prof. Seaman is a great professor. His class is reading intensive but the lectures are excellent quality, the format and structure are easy to follow, and his feedback is clear and generally very quick. He also seems like a nice guy. James Seaman is definitely one of the better professors I've had and I highly recommend his classes.
It was an online class so it's hard to tell, but Seaman seems like a good guy. Few emails I had with him were cool. His class wasn't hard I got a B doing the bare minimum. But you do have to do the work, discussions, quizzes and 1 paper.
I took his History 17 class for credits toward my history requirement. Initially reading the positive reviews, I thought I would be alright. NOPE. Every week you are required to listen to two lectures, each an hour, then do discussion boards & quizzes on them. His feedback? Copy and pasted every time. Awful grader, awful format, awful professor.
Ridiculously harsh grading expectations on discussion posts that drop your grade. Two weeks into his 8-week class and brought me to an 82 with just two discussion posts. If you don't talk about specific names or dates or reference his own lectures he will mark you down. Don't even talk about the info in the Khan Academy he links. AVOID TAKING HIM!
Extremely tough when it comes to grading! God awful feedback! Never tells u what u did wrong! Take someone else!
His US history class was my first online class at Saddleback. It wasn't hard and I feel I learned a lot. Def focus studying on the lectures. Quizzes are mostly from the audio lectures. I'll take him again when I can.
I couldn't pass the class after getting a bad grade on a paper due to the lack of any other point-heavy assignments. Apparently the length of my essay was the issue (didn't meet the page req) even though in the instructions he said it's better to not meet the req than to add filler? Very confusing.
He is such an impossible grader. He says to do something but then tells you you didn't do it. I like history in general but he made me hate it so much.
Seaman's history 16 was my first online class. It wasn't easy but it wasn't hard. Listen to lectures, do discussion question, take quiz each week. One paper and final exam. It was online but he seems nice in emails with him. I got a B and didn't work to hard for it.
DON'T TAKE HIM IF YOU HATE TOUGH GRADERS AND HEAVY LECTURES!!! He also does not understand if something personal happens, no late work policy is allowed. VERY STRICT TEACHER!!! I have always been a B+ and higher student in my past classes and his class is impossible.
Don't take this class unless you have a deep love for history and actually plan on using history in some way for a future career.
Seaman's US History class was my first online class. Wasnt as hard as I thought it would be. Just dont fall behind he doesn't like late work. Most of quizz questions seem to be from lecture fyi. Seems like good guy from few emails with him. Will take again.
DON'T TAKE HIS CLASS!!! He doesn't forgive anything, and he's super strict with assignments. Even if you do the assignments well, he always gives you a low grade. Because of him, I ended up hating history, and my GPA dropped drastically because of the grade he gave me. He doesn't know how to be a teacher.
i took his US history class, wasn't too hard, lots of posting in boards, but quizzes were easy and right from his short audio lectures.i'll take another class from him again in spring
His class was incredibly frustrating.The instructor is an extremely tough grader, and success feels impossible unless your answers align perfectly with his expectations.The reliance on voice recordings instead of comprehensive lectures makes understanding material difficult.He also provides ineffective feedback & expects a narrow view of history.
i hate history but seamans class was pretty chill, i got a b and didnt put too much hours into it, weekly lectures videos easy little quizzes and discussion. very hard to get perfeft discusison grade but easy to still get a's in them, seems he only shaves off small points for problems.i'll take a class from him again for transfer credits
Seaman's US History class was my first online course. It wasn't too difficult - focus on the lectures and you'll do well. unstuck ai was a great study tool to supplement the material. Overall, a solid class option.
His world civ class was my first college history class and ngl i kinda liked it.I thought it would be boring and tough but it was kinda cool and i got an A without working too hard. the quizzes are mostly from lecture to don't skip em but theyre prety ez. the lectures kinda felt like coool podcasts so ill probably take him again
This professor gives great feedback, but that is it. His online 8-week course has a 6-10 page paper with the worst instructions I have ever seen. and on top of that 2 finals. This class should not be as hard as it was!
seaman's US history was my first online class. i liked it it wasnt too hard but wasnt too easy either. i got an A even though i only got an 87% in the class which is cool. quizzes are right out of his audio lectures fyi.
This seems to be a harder than average history class. Discussions take a long time to complete, the final paper is lengthy/tedious. He can be a frustrating grader in the sense that he gives the same feedback each week regardless of improvements. Though, should you work hard you have every opportunity to get an A including, extra credit.
I've taken 3 of his online classes now and liked them all. They're all structured the same: lecture, video, discussion, quiz. Week by week. I like that you can take all week to do the work. He'll catch you if you use AI though but he was cool about it and let me redo the work without a penalty.
By far the worst professor I have ever had! He gives a good amount of feedback, unfortunately it is a copy and paste scenario where all feedback is the same and unhelpful. Very nit-picky when grading even for the simplest error. Seems to have a problem with being controlling and is not very kind about it. Very boring lecture style.
seaman's history 5 was my first online class, and I got an A without working too hard. seems like a pretty cool guy in my few emails with him.quizzes are right out of lecture fyi. i'll be taking his US history class later this semester
The class was very straightforward. Each week there are two lectures (about 25 min each), two discussion questions (150-300 words), and a quiz (10 questions). I took the 8-week online, and on week 6 there was a large paper due. Once the paper is done, the class is a breeze, so don't procrasinate it. Took about 2-3 hours per week.
My friends and I enrolled into the class & sometimes he has actual helpful feedback or copied-paste it. Never gives full points (5) for discussions & always take off .1 or give a 0 for technical problems bc he thinks u “could've cheated”… Easy class, but grading is lame. I always ask him questions & he replies quick—yet sometimes quite vague.
He claimed all of my work was AI-generated, but I wrote every single word myself — I never once used AI. I reached out to him by email to explain and received no response. The next week, he once again gave me a zero, labeling my work as "AI." It was incredibly frustrating, and ultimately, I felt I had no choice but to drop the class.
honestly, this professor is VERY nitpicky about discussions that it's nearly impossible to get a 5/5. i take all his feedback & apply it to my next, even went far to asking him for examples (he DIDN'T respond) but he will grade comment with "You're not drawing the conversation forward" as an excuse, even to my other classmates (used canvas message)
He gave horrible lectures, just speaking into the microphone for an hour.
Professor Seaman is a terrible professor. Weekly discussion and quiz, then one final essay. He copy and pastes his feedback from other discussion posts to yours and doesn't offer any real feedback. Also flags anything and everything for AI. Lets you redo the assignment but there's no point in trying to fight and show that you didn't use AI like me.
Can't use punctuation marks or abbreviations because it'll get marked for AI! Just because I know how to use semi-colons, em-dashes, [e.g.], [i.e.], and etc., doesn't mean I "cheat". His feedback looks like it's thought-out, but you'll begin to notice that he just puts the same thing every time w/o helpful feedback.
Took history 4 with Seaman my first online class ever. Was pretty cool. You have all week to do the pretty light work. Listen to lectures it's all there. Prof seems like good person in coupleemails I had with him. Will take him again.
I took Seaman's history 17 US class. My first online class. He made clear what was expected of us in the syllabus. Not hard just discussion quizzes and paper. Got most of my work done early in the week each week. Didn't study at all and got a B. I'll take him again, seems nice.
taken two classes from Seaman and liked them both. didn't work that hard and got b's in both will take him again. audio lectures not that long and actually pretty cool
This was my second time taking a class with this professor, and all I would say is definitely write more than you think you should and go into a lot of depth/detail on all discussions. Worth it if you are a history major, lectures are really interesting
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Attendance Mandatory
65%
Textbook Required
66%
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