3.4
Quality4.2
Difficulty34%
Would Retake99
Reviews34%
Would Retake
99
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
39
4
19
3
10
2
10
1
21
What Students Say
“I recommend avoiding this teacher”
MATH1112 - 2.0 rating“Professor Fowler requires you to do homework problems that you can't check for correctness in the back of the book”
MATH3332 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
52%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.18 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH2253
5.0
(4)MATH405
5.0
(1)COMBINATORICS
5.0
(1)STATSTAT
5.0
(1)MATH2688
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
DISCRETEMATH
5.0
STATSTAT
5.0
MATH2688
5.0
MATH2663
5.0
MATH3312
5.0
Reviews (99)
not too bad for the dept. head
Don't be mistaken by his friendly demeanor. Fowler will grind you to a pulp with assignments. There's no getting an A in his class unless your a hardcore Brainiac.
Extremely smart. I'm a junior, and so far I haven't had a proffessor that is as good as explaining things as he is. I would recommend him for any Math class that you actually plan on learning in. I got an A, but it wasn't easy.
Great teacher
excellent lectures, doesnt curve tests, really not that helpful
an extremely start professor. explains things clearly and very willing to help. i enjoy it more than other classes. great professor. plus, looks cute :)
Very Good Teacher. Very tough exams. Do the homework and come to class.
very good teacher, but exams are too hard. I understand the material but failed every test.
Easy class if you do not count the test.
Really liked this guys class. His test were rather long, but once you take the class you know the material.
Very hare teacher, 2nd time I have had him. Extremely hard tests, don't expect to just walk into his class and it be a breeze. Tests questions could be a little confusing at times also.
In professor Fowler's class, Discrete Math was hardly math at all. Most of the lectures were spent proving theorems. The proofs helped explain the theorems in detail, which is helpful because you will be writing proofs of your own. He is the professor to take for this class... don't take Griffiths.
Mr. Fowler is a great teacher. He knows what he's talking about and conveys that during lectures. Do the homework (which isn't much, one a week), come to class, and put a little effort into it. You shouldn't have a problem.
Great teacher. If you want to learn this is the guy to take. He is hard but he will answer all your questions. Probably one of the smartest people i know.
Joel Fowler is one of the best math teachers I have ever had. I took him for Precalculus and Calculus. I would have taken him for Calculus II but he wasn't teaching it. He is very helpful and always answers questions. He even goes over previous topics to make sure everyone understands the material. He gives homework but its not graded!
if you pay attention on the class, you have nothing to worry about.
Very professional. Does not veer off-topic. Knows the material in and out, and can explain everything very clearly and in several different ways. Tests are not overly hard, but comprehensive. If he says something in class, you better write it down!
He was a great teacher with an awesome grading policy. he drops all but 5 quizzes for a test average. Stay on top of your game and his class will be CAKE.
Of all the math professors I've had, no one can explain the material more clear than Dr. Fowler. Stays on topic very well. Does not take attendance, but gives random quizzes, so be there. Work was hard, but it will make you know Calc 2.
Speaks clearly but very smart and expects you to understand the material very quickly. Hardly any notes and does examples the whole class period. Does not let you use a calculator very often and likes to give one question pop quizzes.
Best math teacher I've had so far! Dr. Fowler is extremely knowledgable and helpful. He's also in good spirits and funny. His teaching skills are top notch and tests are pretty fair. Pop quizzes can only HELP YOU, not hurt you. Made Calculus II enjoyable and approachable entire semester. The final was very fair. Take Fowler if you see him listed!
Great when you need help, but he goes in depth when teaching. He knows his material so he is always there to help when you need it. Be sure to do the homework as it is assigned to keep up with the course work.
Very helpful.He is a tough professor but you will learn the material.Attendance is not mandatory but he gives quizzes on random days, and if you are not there,then you get a zero.Its for the best to show up to class because he is very good in teaching the material.The tests are hard,but they are fair.You really have to do assigned material to pass.
Fantastic Teacher. Very helpful, uses class time very well, explains everything perfectly. His grading system is set up for success, he is a bit hard, but just do some studying and your good.
Math majors only. He makes it as hard as possible. Random graded quizzes and the most difficult problems he can find to throw at you. Will never take his class again!
Great teacher, but expects a lot from his students. Knows his stuff; uses book only for homework problems, which he gives a bloody TON. He is able to explain even the most difficult concepts infinitely better than the book does.
Dr. Fowler is the best professor that i've had so far at SPSU. His classes are not "hard". They are challenging. If you are a math major and you want to be challenged to the point where you actually grasp the material well, take him. If not, take an easy professor who will pass you for no effort.. Great Professor.
If you want an easy A, look somewhere else. If you want to learn, he is your guy. He gives a lot of homework (optional), but if you do it and pay attention in class you can do well. No word problems on tests. Grade system, 4 test, 6+ quizzes, one final. If your best 5 quizzes or final are > than your lowest test their grade replaces the test.
best professor ever!
nice guy who knows his math but demands a lot from his students.gives the most difficult problems (theory&app) possible on his quizzes&exams and gives very little to no partial credit. if he doesn't like the work you did but you got the right answer, you won't get credit. he wants you to understand the material inside & out. only take if math major
excellent professor. gives homework everyday. encourages question. gives bonus. provides separate question sections before exams. explains everything with clarity.
don't take him. condescending guy who gives the most difficult problems on his exams and very little partial credit. you'll have double the workload to fulfill his expectations.
I took him for precalculus and let me tell you, he knows math. He gives many examples and explains them with great clarity. Sometimes he takes shortcuts that confuse the entire class, but explains. 4 tests, 6 quizzes, every day homework checked for accuracy, best 3 tests and best 5 quizzes are counted, not easy but I learned the material quite well
Dr. Fowler is probably my favorite math professor by far. And I've taken A LOT of math. I had him for discrete math. He is incredibly helpful when you don't understand something, and really wants his students to succeed. Yes, his class is hard, but it is possible to get an A. AND you leave the class with an incredible understanding of the subject.
Great professor! He explains everything very well. I think a diff Eq professor can't be any better than him. His exams are a little bit hard, but I would still take him again. I got a B, but if you study his notes well, review the chapters on the book and DO ALL THE HOMEWORK (which I didn't do any), you will definitely get an A easily.
His teaching is great, but his.tests come from another planet. He gives tests with the most difficult problems. And his wording in the tests and quizzes its just as bad. Great teacher, horrible tester
I don't understand why his score is so high. The more recent reviews seem pertinent. He explains things well in class, but when it's time for the quiz or test, it won't matter what you've done. He doesn't really care if you succeed; he wants you to learn at a grad school level. Avoid unless you are in love with math.
Awesome professor. Don't really know how to describe this genius. Had him last semester. He teaches very well & speaks very proper and clear. I'd love to take him again for some other classes.
I will probably never take him again. As a teacher he is really good, however his tests are pretty difficult, mainly because they are too long. I could never finish them. Also he has a really frustrating grading policy. Make sure you clearly read the syllabus, because he basically rewards you for not even showing up to two tests.
Great professor, you will learn a lot ... but you might not pass because how hard his tests are. All in all he's a great professor but horrible tester.
Dr Fowler really made Discrete Math interesting. He was very knowledgable of the subject and took his time to make sure everone understood the concepts. If you understood all of the problems on the review sheets, the tests were easy. However this is not a class where you can just show up and recieve an A. You will have to study. Great professor
He is a good teacher, but I will never take a class with him again. His grading policies are horrible. no extra credits, no credits for homework, and your score will come directly from the Tests and unannounced quizzes. He does not care about students success. If you love mathematics, you should take him as he is very knowledgeable. if not get anF
Please take my word "dont take his class even if you are good in math." He makes everything harder than it is. Please dont take him for Discrete math. Trust me!
Professor Fowler is an outstanding teacher. He really knows the material and teaches it in a way that it is easily understood. I'm not going to lie and say the course was easy with him. You will have to work hard for a good grade, but you will also learn a lot. I recommend taking him if you are comfortable with mathematics.
Fowler is one of those teachers where he knows his stuff but when it comes to teaching the content to students he cannot convey the message properly. His quizzes were random any day of the week and homework questions you usually answered with a question and finally his tests were really ridculous as well.
Avoid Dr. Fowler At all Costs. Does derivative and prove the formulas enough. Does not like questions, and answers questions about a HW question with a question of his own. He Does not care how students do in his Class. Run and take someone else for differential equations. He loves to take off points on tests and is a stickler for things on tests.
Professor Fowler is easily one of the best math professors SPSU has. He thoroughly understands the material, and his style of teaching makes it easy to follow his lectures. As long as you do your hw and show up to class, you'll do fine. Grade break down: 75% for tests, and 25% for final. (He replaces one test with your quiz average, if its better)
Fowler is my man! I took him for Differential Equations and he taught very clearly. If you don't put in the time for his class then you won't pass and you should consider working at McDonalds the rest of your life! All you have to do to do well in his class is take notes and do the homework. Yes the homework helps! Trust me I made an A!
He's a good teacher, but half the time you ask a question he does't know what your talking about. If you ask him about the test he will say, "I don't talk about the test." Even if you just ask if that type of problem will be on the test.
One of the worst professors I have ever taken for Math 1112. I asked for help and his solution for "help" was for me to drop the class. He doesn't take the time to explain things in detail, which is a 5 minute explanation. Everyone is pretty much failing and he knows it and makes no effort to correct his mistakes. Avoid him at all cost!
Hard Material, he doesn't make it easier. He's a good teacher and is clear, but the tests are really tough, regardless of all the homework you do. You need to be intuitive at math to do well. If you are successful through hard work rather than natural ability, this is not the professor for you. Class Median Test Scores: t1: 43; t2: 51; t3: 55
I went to all tutoring and did all the homework and still did not pass the class. Homework is nothing like the test. The average test grade of "the whole class" never went over 60. Majority of the class withdrew or failed. I recommend avoiding this teacher.
If you dedicate enough time to studying, focus and take good notes in class, go in and ask questions during office hours if you're stuck, you will be fine. But if you fall behind by skipping class or just not undertanding, you will fail. Very few grades (four tests, 5-7 pop quizzes, then the final). The median grade of any test is never above a 70.
Professor Fowler is a good professor and is pretty clear when going over the material. He is always ready to help a student that has some issues with material, and he is an overall nice guy. The only "issue" with this professor is that he is a harsh grader and he regularly gives pop quizzes, but he cares about his students and wants them to succeed
Never worked so hard for a B in my life. I also never learned so much in a single math class before. He will do everything short of curving tests to help you pass. Do each homework assignment before the next class and you'll pass the pop quizzes and tests. You likely won't get an A but you will learn more with Fowler than any other professor here.
You will not pass if you don't do the homework, and you may not pass if you do the homework. This content is tough, and Dr. Fowler tries to make it easier to understand, but he falls short in completing most problems and tends to answer questions with questions when we need answers. He seems to rely too heavily on the Socratic method of teaching.
Hes a great guy, easy to like but is really tough. He skips steps in notes and if you are not following along well, then it will certainly not make sense to you later. You get 1 or 2 question quizzes, which if you haven't been keeping up with the homework then you are screwed. And he grades test 20 points less that he should.
He's super likeable. But you can tell he's OVER excuses - he gives lots of partial credit but what you get is what you get, period. And no make up tests ever. You MUST keep up diligently with homework or you'll have a hard time passing. Many pop quizzes. Good class but NOT for those who have heavy life commitments (work full time, kids, etc.)
Professor Fowler is someone that is respectable, but he definitely takes the course seriously. One thing to note is that he gives pop quizzes, and the quiz average will replace your lowest test score. I am taking the class with 18 credit hours, and this is definitely something not recommended to take with many other classes since it demands time.
Had him for Calculus I back in Spring 2016. He's a really good professor. He taught the class pretty well and gave non-mandatory homework assignments. The tests were very hard, but he's susceptible to giving partial credit, especially if you try the problem. I'd take him again in an easier class, but for Calculus? Nah...
Really good professor for hard material. Come to class and do all the homework and you should be fine. As long as you keep up with the homework and do well on the pop quizzes it should be fine.
One of the best math profs out there. The entire class is lecture based with optional homework. Although the material is challenging, his lectures are straightforward and clear. The entire class is based of 3 tests and a final but gives plenty of opportunities to bring your grade up. 10/10 would reccomend.
So I took Professor Fowler for both Calculus 2 (Grade: C)/Differential Equations over the summer of 2017 ( Grade: B). He is straight to the point, precise and clearly spoken. That being said you have to do your part. If you fail his class, it is because of yourself not him. His homework' are an overkill, but if you do it ALL, you will get As.
I mention attendance is not mandatory, but he takes it into consideration when grading. He's funny during lectures using a dry type wit which may or may not sit well with everyone. He is patient to answer any and all questions even when it's prereq' material, but without questions he will storm forward getting deep into the current material.
This class was no breeze for me, I really had to work for it, but I learned more in this class than I have learned in a lot of other courses. If you do the homework, ask questions in class, and show up (even though attendance is not required) you will have no issues. If you participate and show up he does not mind helping your grade out!
This professor required us to get a hard to find textbook that the school bookstore already had on back-order therefore it took a week to get it from Amazon. By the time the book arrived he had already assigned three homework assignments though we hadn't even gotten the textbook yet. He gives homework each class day.
He gives pop quizzes constantly and will deduct points for anything he decides isn't complete enough. He will even mark your answer wrong if you are correct and just don't explain it in the complete manner that he wanted. The quizzes are usually over things that you have covered 2-3 sections from where you actually are in the material. Do not take.
Professor Fowler requires you to do homework problems that you can't check for correctness in the back of the book. When you ask the professor about a homework problems he will do part of it and expect you to complete the rest. Expect to do homework assignments without truly knowing if about half of your answers are correct or not.
I would recommend taking another professor unless you are a math major and genuinely like this stuff. Fowler gives about three examples per class and expects you to learn everything on your own. He also doesn't fully answer homework questions when asked about them, instead making you finish them after helping just a little. He tests extremely hard.
He is utterly unhelpful and you are lucky you get him to fully answer a single homework question. Fowler is unwilling to work with you in any way and will not do much for you other than suggesting you try harder. The average grade on the first test was a 52. He does his best to make the material far harder than it ever needed to be but that is all.
The professor isn't a good choice for those who are persuing a Computer Science major and aren't specifically interested in Math. He seems to be at odds with the department, even say that the class was designed for math majors and not CS, though it's required for CS. If his opinion on the matter was genuine he should try and make the class easier.
Usually math professors are at least willing to help you work through problems but this professor isn't always very helpful in that regard. His office hours only last for an hour and he usually will only help you work half the problem and tell you to finish it. As the semester went on the class became smaller and smaller.
Fowler is overall a very good and capable teacher. There's not much more I can say, he treats his students respectfully, has a very helpful grading system (only takes 5 best quizzes of the semester and drops lowest test for quiz average), and explains everything well. I've heard students complain about the material but never about the teacher.
I was able to look at the grade distributions for one of his Math 3332. I am not making this up, 87% FAILED! Only 13% passed. He's super smart and respectful, BUT he's just so dang hard. If you're a math genius and want to be challenged to the point of madness, take him. Otherwise, take ANYONE else. Again, cool guy, but SO hard.
Lectures are great but you have to do a lot of the work on your own, probability is not intuitive. Do not take Fowler if you're not a math major and your course-load for the semester is heavy. He will provide an excellent foundation for probability if you plan to pursue a stats field, but if you just need to take the class to graduate AVOID HIM
This guy. Just avoid. He made the subject 10x harder for no reason. Very picky on students proofs. You have to have the exact way that he want you to answer. Very picky dude. Do not go to him . You need to study and he want you to study constantly (pretty much everyday).
Professor Fowler is a really great teacher and he clears all your doubts and his lectures are also great. I learned a lot. But this course needs lot of hardwork and time. If you're not willing to study, you will not do well in this course at all. The exams are not that difficult and he gives extra credit, but he gives pop quizzes as well.
Professor Fowler teaches good and genuinely wants everyone to do well but the course itself is tough and I feel like he could have done much more to lessen the load on the students. He focused a lot on the theoretical side of things and some of his quizzes were tricky. His tests however, are easy to score on and he gives extra credit on them too.
He's a really good person, but his class is so hard. His policy is 60% from 4 tests (the least grade test is dropped), 20% from 5 bests quizzes out of 10 quizzes, and 20% from final. His quizzes are relatively easy as long as u keep following his hw even though he doesn't grade hw. his tests r so hard he CREATES AND COMPLICATES questions.
He's a very kind professor, and he really cares about the success of the students. I felt that he was a great choice for teaching Modern Algebra (one of the most difficult math classes). He does drop the lowest of three exams or quiz average, which helped me get an A. However, I wasn't a fan of how he lectures the entire class.
U don't have to attend this class and do homework but everyweek you have a pop quiz. to get an A grade, u have to do those. tests are really hard for me. there were 7 + bonus question that is unable to be solved if u do and attend only hw. 12 questions are from hw but other 56 questions are made by him. he likes coin and dice. idk how i got A
Cares about you really understanding correct mathematics. Does not just lecture to prepare you for the tests and quizzes
Prof. Fowler's a good pick. Discrete math isn't easy, but if you do the homework you'll be fine. He chooses the best scores out of the pop quizzes and the tests, which allows a lot of room for redemption. Be able to do most of the homework and you can exit the class with a B or above.
TOP 5 REASONS NOT TO TAKE JOEL'S CLASS: 1- FINAL Grade is solely based on 4 tests 2- must have exact answer he is looking for or no credit 3-zero curve! (better do well) 4- every class average this semester was in the 20's (wish I was joking...) 5- will find 1 student to pick on in the class
Sad. I have NEVER come close to failing a class in my college career. I went from music for 3 years to a complete change of CS. I have had straight A's in changing my major. I am great at math. This was a joke. 4 tests. No extra grades. Smart A when answering questions. I have been made to look like a failure taking his class, and you will too.
I took him in Spring 2020, but dropped b/c I wasn't putting enough time into the class. He is a completely different teacher when it comes to online learning. Our grade (currently) is composed of 4 tests (lowest is dropped) and the final. So far the class average is a 61% and 15/31 students are left. Does not care if you pass, only if u "learn".
All you have for grades are 5 TESTS (but the lowest test grade is dropped), and each test has only about 10 questions, that means if you miss at least 3, your already gonna fail that test. HE GIVES NO EXTRA CREDIT AND NO CURVE. STAY AWAY
Stay away from professor Fowler. Although he is very kind and will gladly answer questions from students, his tests are extraordinarily unreasonable causing students to barely make a 50. Be ready to teach yourself for his classes are just a bunch of practice problems.
If you get any partial credit on tests, it's going to be 2-3 / 20 points per/question. There are only a handful of tests, but they get progressively harder. The median on test 1 I believe was a 50. He has a handful of groupies that get A's, but no one else does. Majority of the class will be failed to his pleasure.
I really wanted to like this guy because he's brilliant and truly a master of mathematics, but none of that intelligence transfers to his teaching. I felt so lost in the class and he had a cold "You get what you get" attitude despite over half the class failing. He should just be researching or something. Has no business teaching whatsoever.
Hurricane during right before test day, many students lost power. Some couldn't leave home due to trees blocking roads, & some places that usually have WiFi (Starbucks etc) didn't have power too. His response? Instead of extending it like a normal person, he said, "Either find somewhere to take it before the deadline or accept the 0". Avoid him.
Very nice guy but wasn't the best at explaining concepts. Tests were very hard and often confusing on what he was asking. It was an online course so it could be that, even with that I would not take him again. Good luck if you have to take him.
There was a hurricane the night before one of our online exams, and it left many students without power. Instead of extending the deadline, we were just told to figure it out. He is someone who is more invested in having his class be as needlessly difficult as possible than in helping you learn. Avoid if you can.
His exams are nothing like the homework and lecture, it is ridiculously hard. The test averages for all the exams were below 70% and more than half of the class dropped, but he has no mercy and would rather keep moving on with his schedule than the pace of the class. Unless you're really willing to put all your time into this class, avoid.
Test medians never exceeded the 50s and dipped as low as the 40s. He will not curve the test grades. He will not show you sympathy and almost two thirds of the class dropped the class, and few people remaining passed. It was sad to see my classmates struggling so hard and trying to pass and still fail. Avoid at all costs
Joel glosses over topics in class and assigns homework assuming that'll help you learn. I'm an A-few-B student, and I had to withdraw his class because I got a 58 on his first test. That was with a CURVE OF 12 POINTS because he miswrote a question. He gave us stats that more than 90% of the class failed the test. Steer clear if you want to pass.
In order to achieve the grade I wanted, I had to spend 20+ hours working problems every week and asking countless questions in office hours. Dr. Fowler took the time to patiently answer all of those questions in detail. Due to this class, I realized that I actually enjoy math now. You'll have to work hard, but you'll also understand the material.
BEWARE!!!! Do not take it as an online course. there is a lot of homework but it is optional. If you do all of the homework and study that you will still fail the test. the test are 10 questions each and all open-ended and must show ALL work. if one step is wrong, but the answer is right, you get 2/10 points. i got 1 answer wrong 59. BEWARE
This professor only was redeemed for me because he curved every exam by like 20 points and everyone still passed. I think the lowest grade I got without a curve was a 50. The class is hard, but if you study, it is possible. I took this class in Fall 2020
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
52%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.18 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH2253
5.0
(4)MATH405
5.0
(1)COMBINATORICS
5.0
(1)STATSTAT
5.0
(1)MATH2688
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
DISCRETEMATH
5.0
STATSTAT
5.0
MATH2688
5.0
MATH2663
5.0
MATH3312
5.0