3.0
Quality3.2
Difficulty100%
Would Retake84
Reviews100%
Would Retake
84
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
17
3
22
2
15
1
11
What Students Say
“It can be hard to hear him, he trails off a lot and makes awkward jokes”
1190 - 3.0 rating“It can be hard to hear him, he trails off a lot and makes awkward jokes”
1190 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
17%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.42 avg changeRatings by Course
210180
5.0
(1)GEO11801
5.0
(1)PHYSGEO
5.0
(1)GEO2210
5.0
(1)GEO
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
2210
5.0
1180SPRING
5.0
LAME1111
5.0
GEOG22802210
5.0
PHYSGEO
4.0
Reviews (84)
very easy, especially because he gives lecture learning objectives
He gives lecture objectives to the students, made it more easier.
has notes on internet, very easy to understand, and what to expect on a test
Kinda looks like Grumpy from Snow White
Very difficult test, not easily understood notes on the overhead, barely passing
Not the most interesting, but good teacher definitely.
No Comments
only the term project is hard
nice guy. i found him to be a bit confusing sometimes, but his exams are easy.
No Comments
No Comments
Good teacher, very clear in what he expects of you. Tests are pretty easy.
Very nice and helpful and easy to get along with... however you may feel that he is having a conversation with the ceiling and not the class at some points in the lecture... and he can mumble a bit too...
A good-natured, cheerful professor, he readily offers help and goes the extra distance for his students. Found his assignments easy, and he does tend to speak quietly, but a pleasurable class. He's by far one of the nicest Langara offers.
Really helpful and patient w/ us. Great teacher, however his lectures are really boring...notes are on the net which are really helpful. Tend to skip the notes in class too fast though!
good teacher overall, good to get notes off web. Classes are rather boring!
likes to show a lot of videos. his midterm is okay, not too bad. i found the lab component very difficult however, esp. the lab exams. if u take this course, make sure u do well on the lab exams, and the labs, otherwise u won't pass the course.goodteach
he's such a sweet guy. Kinda awkward, lectures tend to be VERY boring, but he's very helpful, and trys his best to answer all the questions. Hot stuff baby! And very funny too
awesome and passionate about his teaching really good teacher
easy tests
I found him unapproachable and blunt. More than have of the class had to argue with him to get the mark they deserved. I have no respect for him. Just because he now has the letters Ph.D after his name does not give him the right to be rude.
nice guy but PUTS ME TO SLEEP EVERY CLASS. i go with intentions to learn and wake up to the sound of the bell. something about the lighting & the way he mumbles & how his voice trails
He was a terrible teacher, very rude and was very approachable. He is often unclear and does not give the proper instructions for assignments.
very dry, sort of monotone, not very involving in his lectures, but not terrible
Jim is a walking brain, and I feel bad that he has to lower himself to teaching us! People who think he's rude probably deserved what they got. Don't let his unassuming demeanor fool you, he is a tough nut and could definitely kick you ass!
he is so boring i want to fall asleep in class
Nice guy, labs are pretty easy, midterm is pretty hard but his lectures are really boring. Guranteed to make you fall asleep!
u can definitely get a good sleep in this class~~his class makes u fall in sleep...test ar not related...just make sure u can study on ur own
overall the class is pretty easy, except for the final exam. Was not very clear on what would be on it.
speak too soft and hard to understand, especially in a lecture hall, hes a killer. I think he has really bad eyes sight cuz it takes him a long time read stuff!!!!!
Class a little tough. Tries hard to help students. Learned lots even though challenging class.
tried so hard to stay awake but fell asleep in every single class, then i got scared of going to class cuz i was afraid of falling asleep again. i ended up clueless towards the material, missing labs and the midterm and ultimately dropping the course
Talks in monotone voice. Very boring, hard to stay awake during class.
2nd half of labs are not in manual. Not enough time given to prepare for them. Lectures are easier to understand. Jokes once a while.
HE is so boring,it's unbelievable. His exams are not easy and not hard, they are in the middle. Jim talks really slow and has a monotone voice, therefore putting you to sleep. He is not helpful but if you read the textbook and attend classes,you can do ok
Jim is the cure for insomnia. A good prof but constantly trails off speaking and has trouble organizing what he wants to say. I didn't like some labs. Some weren't too related to the course. You should pass if you attend and read most of the material.
Couldn’t stand him verbally&physically.monotone&made me want to stab a knife into myself every single class. Wouldn’t let me drop the course,JudyWright would’ve for any student. Ended up w/ a 0.00GPA for it (& I’m an A student). Didn’t stay long enuff to
No Comments
Had to drop the class. The lectures are such a snooze. I didn't not understand the labs. I would never take his class again.
his lectures are horrible. It's just better to study and learn from the text. If you attend his classes you'll be confused, eventually. He should really learn how to teach better.
I hated this class!!! I'd go to class, stay for about 10 minutes, get fed up and walk out and talk with my friend in the hallway until the class was dismissed. Not like he even noticed!! Failed the midterm and dropped the course cuz I couldn't stand him. Too bad, cuz I loved geography until him.
I became a skipping machine for this class and I'm usually the do-gooder that attends. U might as well be taking the GIS. The slides & txt helps in getting by but the lectures are redundant. Go there to kill time or skip to study on your own. The labs are NOT fun either. Lynn Valley ass. was a pain.
His notes are very organized (power point)and you can get it all on his website if you miss any classes. His exams are hard, but if you study, you'll do fine. His labs have lots of math calculations. Be sure to yell out your questions in class because he never looks at his students when he lectures.
This class was a complete nigthmare. I couldnt believe how boring Jim is as a professor. He is so unhelpful! His labs are terribly hard. Ed the lab instructor is even worse. This class is suppossed to a science requirement for arts student but instead he teaches as if it were a bunch of meterologist
On the good side: organized, also nice and helpfull when I went to see him Bad side: not a perky instructor. Ed the lab assistant is unhelpfull, better to see Jim when you have a lab question.
I think he's ok. Very knowledgeable, organized, & helpful. Just sometimes appears to lack interest in teaching. I like how the exams are based only on the list of the Learning Outcomes he hands out for each chapter topic, so there are no surprises. Lecture & lab exams were of moderate difficulty
Just become familiar with what's listed on the learning outcomes sheet for each topic and you will find the mid-terms/final (not cumulative) easy. Lab exams are straight forward if you do a little prep and understand the lab assignments. GEO 1190s first lab exam is very easy.
Nothing wrong with Jim. I look forward to getting into Geog 1190 with him when he comes back. Put in an effort and study and you should do fine. Class taught is also available on the Internet which is great.
I didn't like him at first, but during the term I discovered a nice, helpful and perky instructor. Study the book, attend classes, stick to the learning outcomes he hands out regularly and you'll do fine. I highly recommend him. I am currently taking 1180 with Tang and I reaaaaaaaally miss Jim.
Jim is very anxious. He makes you sit a mile away from him if you go to his office. His lectures are all over the place. His exams are at a grade 8 level. He appears to be scared of people in general, and angry he gets frustrated easily. He is a nice man with a good heart, but he needs to loosen up and make his courses less highschool like.
This is not an easy course. The class average for our mid term was 52%. However, if you stick to the learning outcomes, you'll do well above average. Jim may seem unapproachable, but if you ask him for help, he is very helpful. I think he's a funny in his own way.
I enjoyed Jim's classes. He seems fidgety and sometimes cuts himself off in the middle of a sentence but he really knows his stuff. He seems unapproachable but he'll totally help you out if you ask and sticks to what he gives you on the test outlines. His attempt to be funny is what makes him funny.
Waste of my time, money, and energy. His lectures are his powerpoint presentations which he just reads out... which you would also find online. this is my fourth semester here, and i have never dropped a course.. but with him i just HAD to ! my advice... DO NOT TAKE BOWERS !!! if Smith or Tang is available ~ TAKE THEM INSTEAD !!!
Jim is a good professor. His lectures are fairly interesting, and all of his notes are online. His exams are easy and straight-forward and give you an adequate amount of time to complete what is requested. His teaching style could be a little slower and clearer; he should take a few notes from Mills... but overall he is a decent prof.
the class isn't hard... but it's just really boring... all he does is read ppts... his exams aren't too bad... just remember to know everything on the learning outcomes...
Boring prof but u can get a very good mark if u just memorize all his slides. his questions on midterms are straight out of it mostly..give the book a quick read if u can. cannot count how many times i fell asleep in his class!
He'sa very intelligent person, & he IS funny. He knows what he's teachingu, but the prob is there is so much info to know & a littleamount oftime to understand it. If this doesn't interest u, it might bore u So, takenote: sit somewhere in front ofhis class, dolabs earlier & READ the book before his lectures.Labexam-LOOKATTHEKEYS ingeoroomforanswers
Jim Bowers is a really good teacher. I really enjoy his classes and look forward to them each day. His labs are sometimes hard (mostly in 1190) I thought his notes were really good. Kinda go fast so if you miss them they are on the internet as will. Overall good teacher.
Jimbo is a riot. Super intelligent and explains everything in such detail. If you're not interested in Geography then i can see how this class could be somewhat boring. I don't think ive ever learned so much in the course of 4 months than i have in his class. Take down his notes, read the textbook, do all the labs, and you'll do great.
Prof is a good guy, but boring. He knows what he's talking about, but his teaching style needs work, no apparent enthusiasm for the topic or teaching, but maybe he's just a quiet guy. The TA is very condescending and at times quite rude. Stand your ground, your tuition helps pay his wages! Study for labs, they're quite difficult.
Jim is sounds monotone and is very boring. His lectures are pretty much just stuff he pulled out of the textbook mostly. However, if you pay attention you will learn a lot (Although paying attention is not easy as he pretty much talks you to sleep). If you study your labs and read the textbook you should do well in his class(I did not till finals)
This guy is an awful teacher. He has no passion, he's boring and he has absolutely no communication skills. I am an A student and this guy brought my gpa big time. Don't take him, he is a waste of time, money and skin.
i knew i wouldn't be interested in geo but had to take it to transfer. it was a complete nightmare. he was boring and i knew a couple of us who had absolutely NO idea what was going on. failed the mid term and decided to drop it. better to transfer with nothing than an F.
NICKNAME: JACK BAUER. No need to attend Jack's class, he posts everything online. Very hard maker. Labs sometimes unreasonable to finish in 2hrs (pre-do them). He also has a slight speech impediment. Instead of coLd he says CODE. I find it very distracting...
Knows his stuff. Ask him any question and he will answer it. Lectures are boring, everything is posted online. Labs are hard to finish in the 2 hours ( do them when he gives them to you). Fair marker, I found the first lab exam to be harder then the second one. Jim is your average teacher.
GIS 2210 do not ever take bowers unless you want to risk a fail. WORST prof i have had at Langara, he should not be teaching and frankly, doesnt seem like he wants too either. he is anxious and fidgetty in the lectures and labs and his whole courses are confusing and pointless. waste of time and effort. i want to complain to the school hes so bad.
Lectures are useless and boring. Sometimes have a hard time hearing what he says. Everything is online. Its pretty much self-study before midterms. Exams are average. As long as you study the main concepts, you'll pass. Very sure that other profs are much more helpful. Labs NEED to prepare beforehand to finish in class. Very hard marker.
BORING class, he talks in mono tone. That killed the class. Lots of self studying needed, exams are all right tho
This course focuses on the use of the IDRISI GIS. No textbook requirement as Jim photocopies all the reading material. Powerpoints and labs are posted online. As with all courses, you only get what you put into the course. He is very helpful, even to the point of giving you the answers. Labs = very time consuming. Knowledge obtained = great.
Jim is not very personable. He goes way too fast in his lectures, but posts slides online so you can catch up later. VERY self-taught class. Don't expect help from the lab aid, he is mean. Labs are HARD, start early. Study his learning outcomes as you go along, this is not the kind of class to easily cram for. Tests are hard, class avg was 55%.
I don't understand the negative feedback, he is very helpful and not contradicting like other instructors I have had. He makes it extremely easy to do well.
Basically to summarize , Jim is a passionate teacher but his tests and lab exams are way too difficult. Class average for tests were all 60>. Asks questions not included in lectures and slides. Dont take this course unless you intend on working your ass off only for a B-
He tries but isn't very good at explaining concepts to students. I don't think he knows how difficult he makes it to learn. Confusion is a constant state of being in his class, where we end up going off to figure it out for ourselves or to the TA. He's a nice person and he is very knowledgable, unfortunately it gets lost in translation.
do not ever take bowers unless you want to risk a fail. WORST prof i have had at Langara, he should not be teaching and frankly, doesnt seem like he wants too either. he is anxious and fidgetty in the lectures and labs and his whole courses are confusing and pointless. waste of time and effort.
DO NOT TAKE GIS. What a horrible class. You will pull your hair out with this glitchy program. Jim does not get that others may not find this as easy as he does.
I think Jim could be a great prof he's just a little bit scatter brained, his tests are hard but if you took notes you shouldn't have too much of a problem doing well. His voice is a bit monotoned but he makes jokes and is kind of dorky. All in all of you're willing to put in work and have some geo knowledge your should do alright.
Jim is great. If you are into GIS, and likely going to go down that path, then you should be good. Some independent learning is required. Google is your friend! But so is Jim. Projects are well designed and straightforward. Lectures are a good overview of the whole field, also pretty boring, but Jim is also entertaining if you pay attention.
Basically it's a chore to listen to him but if you put effort into paying attention he still gets the job done. It can be hard to hear him, he trails off a lot and makes awkward jokes. You don't need to go to this specific class to get a good grade, just be prepared to read a lot. The grading criteria is super specific and you can self-teach a lot.
Basically it's a chore to listen to him but if you put effort into paying attention he still teaches fairly. It can be hard to hear him, he trails off a lot and makes awkward jokes. You don't need to go to this specific class to get a good grade, just be prepared to read a lot. The grading criteria is super specific and you can self-teach a lot.
You'll do fine if you are well-prepared. He doesn't do a good job at explaining the more complicated concepts. However, his tests are predictable.
For a lab science course, the math is pretty easy. Some of the labs and assignments are unorganized, confusing and unclear so you will need to ask for help. Lectures were at times unclear and I found better explanations for various concepts on youtube.
Jim doesn't seem to care too much about teaching. Unclear assignments and all these little screw ups that don't make sense which bring about questions to which he says "oh it's SUPPOSED to be this way", well then why don't you fix it?! you won't know what's going on in the labs or assignments. Very unclear. Trails off when talking in class.
There are so many errors in the learning outcomes and labs. He will say "look on page 100 table 8.2" but there will be no such table. Unclear labs. He says read a certain portion of the text but then has questions on the lab that have nothing to do with what we read. Did not like this class at all.
I enjoyed his class. Concepts are clearly explained and he is approachable if you need help. Textbook is a good place to get background info. Try a lab for a guaranteed mark of 75%, so ALWAYS ATTEMPT THE LAB. Labs themselves was composed of simple algebra and graphing.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
17%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.42 avg changeRatings by Course
210180
5.0
(1)GEO11801
5.0
(1)PHYSGEO
5.0
(1)GEO2210
5.0
(1)GEO
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
2210
5.0
1180SPRING
5.0
LAME1111
5.0
GEOG22802210
5.0
PHYSGEO
4.0