Isbister is a fantastic prof, and anyone who's says otherwise didn't attend the lectures or read the text. He brings real world situations into each lecture and relates them to the content so that the class can make sense of it. He does assign homework, but welcome to school. His tests were well explained, and he's happy to help those who struggle.

I thought he was a great prof. He does talk quietly however sit in the front - you'll never have any issues. He uses real-life examples during lectures to help explain concepts. There is weekly homework assignments which is annoying but helps you study along the way which is essential to pass any econ course (you can't cram it). I'd take him again.

Isbister is a great prof, he explain his lectures well and is willing to do his best to help students succeed. Of all the exams (midterm and final) I would say his would be the easiest. HOWEVER our class did cover the most chapters out of all the others, we also got weekly homework that help you stay on top of the course.

This guy was a good prof. If you pre-read the slides before the lecture and then focus on listening to what the he has to say it's fairly manageable to stay on top of everything. Take light notes during lecture and then review later. My advice, sit at the front if you want to process the most information.

Great proff. Frequently related concepts to the real world and to other areas of studies (such as macro economics, marketing, human behavior, and philosophy) in a meaningful way.

Amazing professor, tries his best to help you in any way he can. Best professor for economics! Found his lectures very interesting.

I frequently skipped this class, usually leaving during break or falling asleep during the lecture. He's a very approachable professor, and knows what he is talking about. I suggest sitting at the front so you'll be able to hear him more clearly. There was 20% homework due weekly. Overall easy - Just read the textbook and powerpoints.

Isbister is a really good prof that actually teaches you about economics and how it applies to real life, so his lectures are like an asset to the textbook. Lectures aren't mandatory as you can probably ace the mid term and final from just reading the textbook and doing the weekly homework assignments;; his examinations were easier than other profs

Great prof. Provides clear explanations and helpful feedback. Always available outside of class and via email. Very approachable and always ready to help.

Lectures might be a little dry, but John wants his students to succeed. He makes you work for your grade and encourages you to come to his class by dedicating 5 percent of your grade for attendance. His exams are fair. Don't buy the textbook. Just do the quizzes and slides.

He's a very nice man who wants his students to do well and succeed. He's very boring and monotone, but he's knowledgable and goes through everything that will be on the exam and midterm. His midterm and exams are not as difficult as other profs and he's also willing to bellcurve in the end. Would recommend taking for the marks.

I took this course through the Chang School, and he's hands down the best professor I've had at Ryerson. He makes the class enjoyable, applies topical events to the course material, and goes above and beyond when it comes to responding to students questions and concerns. He knows a lot of influential people in the field and is highly respected.

He's monotone and pretty boring. It doesn't help that the class is in the theater, which makes it easy to drift off. His slides are a regurgitation of what's in the textbook. You can easily get a free 10% just by showing up to class. His midterm and final are easy, and he's willing to bellcurve.

This class has very dry material, but John is very knowledgeable and caring and gives a lot of examples which make topics easier to understand. You can easily get 10% by showing up to all of the classes. He is also really caring, and easy to approach!

Although he is a monotone professor and you will probably sleep in his class, he is a really nice professor. You get free 10% just for attendance and also 20% online hw which is not hard. Midterm and Final was really easy compared to other profs and also many questions in it were from the online hw. He will also bell curve at the end.

Explains things very well until everybody understands the material. Answers emails very quickly and tests/exams are very straight forward. Would take another class with this professor

Always willing to help outside of class. Very easy to talk to. People complain about not being able to hear him in the theatre but an easy solution to that complaint is to sit closer to the front of the lecture hall.

He is a go to professor for any economics course. If you come to lecture and do the assignment then you are guaranteed a B+. He provides more than enough time for the assignment and they are all online multiple choice. The only con i would say is you have to buy the code to do the assignment.

John is an amazing prof, but very dry and can be dull at times. If you are interested at the topics at hand class is an easy 3 hours, he posts the lectures and his own detailed notes. Super caring and flexible with late submissions, 2 papers, a final and 10% participation which is a two sentence write up of what you learned in class that day.

I regret skipping a ton of lectures and homework. Don't make the same mistake, attendance alone is 10% and homework is 20%. Midterm and final is all multiple choice. Term paper is straight forward. I Enjoyed all of his lectures and he has a subtle sense of humor. Would strongly recommend. As long as you're not a waste yute you're guaranteed 30%

John is a great prof passionate about what he teaches. Can be dull at times. Read two papers for each class, discuss for 3 hours, sometimes let's you out early. 5 papers, no exam. Must attend, class participation is 25%.

makes macroeconomics highly digestible

Prof Isbister is very charming not just because of his good marks. He knows his material very well and give very interesting insights and ideas. I enjoyed his lectures a lot. They are full of information and discussions. He is very respectful to everyone's opinion and open minded to everything.

Prof John Isbister is very passionate about economics and it shows through his lectures. He gives 10% for showing up to class. You can study off the slides and not do any heavy textbook reading and get good marks on the midterm and final. Macroeconomics requires you to really understand the concepts. Prof John Isbister cares for his students

I LOVED LOVED LOVED John! He was extremely personable & offered lots of feedback on assignments. He really cares about his students & it's obvious through his teaching style and the way he interacts with students. The class was enjoyable but what made it special was definitely John. Overall, he's an easy marker and one of the best profs at ryerson.

John is one of the best professors ive had. I took him for both econ 104 and 204 and he explains concepts very well. I definitely recommend taking his class. He gives 10% for attendance and 20% for online homework. Easy 30%. His midterm and final are straight from online homework concepts. If you put in proper effort you're guaranteed an A or B.

Such a kind and caring professor. He definitely knows his stuff, but his classes can be a little dull. He posts his slides online and his lectures follow the slides very closely. The textbook is an easy read as well.

A very kind, generous and caring professor. Lectures were a bit boring but the content was simple and easy to understand. Really wants his students to do well and succeed. He was also very generous with his grading criteria and bell curving.

Wonderful prof!!!

Wonderful teacher with a wealth of knowledge that benefits all the students he teaches. His evaluations are fair as possible as he invites differing opinions and treats and marks them with the same respect as his own opinion. Some lectures can be a bit drowsy but because needs to explain the background material. Other than that easy A if you try!

Amazing professor as he is very passionate about everything he teaches, loved his class! His exams are very fair and they are based on the lectures as well as textbook materials. If you study, you will definitely do well on the exam (no surprises on the test). Sometimes, the lectures can be a little boring because it is content heavy.

John Isbister is a very good professor. He is very caring towards his students, and he loves Macroeconomics a lot. My recommendation is to show up to class for attendance, and do the online homework which is an easy 30%. Lecture slides can be a bit heavy, but can be condensed down... if concepts are understood properly.

Very knowledgeable professor. 10% for attendance and 20% for homework, easy 30%!! The homework helps tremendously with studying for the midterm and exam. That being said, the midterm and exam were made fairly easy as long as you studied main concepts. The textbook was easier to read compared to previous economics textbooks.

One of the most passionate professors in Ryerson. Professor Isbister cares about his students' success and he also explains all the theories and concepts very well. Economic Justice is a very interesting and thought provoking subject. It was such an honour to be in his class!

John is a great professor. Attending lectures is worth 10% and online homework sets are worth 20%. They carried me to a B+ after doing poorly on the midterm and final exam (both multiple choice). You have to buy the textbook though, he uses graphs from it in his lecture and for the homework code. It's a bit more pricey than the other macro textbook

The course is MC for both exam and mid. The prof is super nice and wants all students to get the best grade possible. He is willing to boost grades to students attending class and everything you need to know are in the slides. The textbook is optional. He is very inspiring and always tries to show both sides of every story. He is the best Prof ever

Honestly he's one of the best ECON professors at Ryerson. He rescheduled my exam for me super last minute because I wasn't feeling well and boosted my grade in the end. Very nice guy

I am not kidding when I say this, BEST ECON PROF AT RYERSON! the man is super chill, kind, and understanding. He really cares for his students and tries his best to make sure everyone understands the content. Plus, he boosts marks at the end of the semester! Tests are purely based off of slides + the weekly assignments are super easy as well.

I love him, one of the best prof's I've had in the past 3 years. He grew up in an intense historical time period, so hearing his 1st person perspective is pretty fascinating. he cares so much about learning and education, respects all student's opinions even if he disagrees, and is all around around a great guy & easy marker. Would 100% take again!

Literally the sweetest man alive! He genuinely wants his class to do well, and he is truly so passionate and educated on economics !!!! and he also lets you do 20% worth of online homework!!! take him, you wont regret it. easy gpa boost

Probably the most caring and down to earth prof I've ever had. Always makes sure that you understand and to say he is encouraging is an understatement. John you cured my depression you beauty.

Nicest and greatest prof. You can tell he's passionate for teaching and for economics.

John is extremely knowledgeable in this subject, and it was overall an good course. There are 2 term papers, 10% attendance, and a final based on 2 questions. If you try, you'll certainly get an A.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST! SO CARING AND SO PASSIONATE ABOUT ECONOMICS . NICEST AND SWEETEST PROF. MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!

NICEST. HUMAN. EVER. If you have the chance to take John, DO IT! He sincerely wants everyone to do well and raises everyone's final grades. The course itself isn't easy but John is SO nice, cares about every student and explains everything well. Class usually doesn't run the full 3 hours plus he brings interesting news to start off class. AMAZING!!

Amazing professor, the content is hard but John doesn't follow the regular Ryerson grading scheme since he also believes that this course is just hard in general. He wants every student to do well. Was supposed to get a C- in the class and he bumped me to a B+. There are weekly assignments and attendance that add up to a free 30%.

John was one of the most caring and genuine profs I have had at Ryerson. He was incredibly flexible with deadline extensions and always offered feedback in an almost shockingly quick amount of time and always useful and well-thought out feedback! It's obvious he cares about his students and wants to create the best learning environment that he can

John Isbister is an AMAZING professor. He is very helpful during his office hours, and very inspirational. He's always asking what we could do in the future to change the economy. It is a little lecture heavy, meaning that there's a lot of content to cover, so start studying early, but if you're interested in Economics, definitely take him

Isbister is a fantastic prof who goes above and beyond to make sure that students understand concepts 100% sure. He clearly states his expectations and even goes on to explain how to be successful in the course. His lectures are super interesting and I look forward to them each week!

Unlike other professors who only posted powerpoints/PDFs on D2L, John taught the class via Zoom when classes went online due to the pandemic. He really cares about his students and puts in the effort to teach the course. He answered questions, used powerpoints via screen share and even posted the lecture recordings for people who can't attend live.

John is a very good professor and has a passion for economics. Lectures can get boring at times but he clearly explains the concepts and provides lots of weighted homework questions that are similar to exams. Great prof

Prof. Isbister was such a sweet guy. He even apologized for getting angry at two students for beintg disruptive in class. Very understanding and easy material 10/10

Responds well to email, reasonable and competent professor. The content for the course is well laid out.

Very sweet professor and understandable! He is always willing to help you if you are struggling with any questions or don't understand a theory. I generally don't like micro however, having Isbister as my prof for macro actually got me interested into this course. He is the reason why I was willing to focus and enjoy the class!

Professor Isbister is very good, though his lectures and ton of voice are really slow he talks about very thought-provoking concepts. The course load isn't heavy at all as there are only 2 papers and a take-home final exam. His grading is very fair and he gives honest feedback. Asides from the slow lectures I would definitely recommend this course.

This man is a gem! If you take any of his classes, please participate to put a smile on his face! You can tell he really knows what he's talking about and genuinely the sweetest man ever.

This professor is truly one of a kind, he has a very caring heart and truly wants to have a good conversation with the students. Despite his lectures being a little slow, it is very thought-provoking and eye-opening. The content is fairly easy as it is only 2 essays and a take-home final exam. His grading is very good and is great for a GPA booster

absolute gem. dont have to go to lectures or read textbook. you do have to pay for the online textbook and sapling access though but its chill. the weekly assignments are easy and the exams are incredibly easy. easy a

A great prof. His lectures are mad boring but that's just because mans is old and ready to meet heaven. Other than that he's amazing and super understanding. You just need to read the material, watch the lectures he uploads and do the assignments. If you failed or got a bad mark in his course that's all you because he's very straight up.

An amazing professor, 100% would take his class again if I could.

He's not only a great professor, but he is also a man of tremendous wisdom who has lived a VERY interesting life. Taking a course with him is a privilege & an opportunity that shouldn't be taken for granted based on an "easy A". I have yet to be more inspired by a professor, I mean the man has literally attended MLK speeches. Highly recommend!

Super nice guy, lectures drag a little bit but that's ok, they're not 100% needed. The course itself is pretty easy you should not struggle with it too much.

Wonderful prof. Made economics actually interesting and fun. He injects so much knowledge and personality into class whether through his experiences meeting famous economist or sharing his music tastes. Exams and midterms are super fair and while there's a lot of homework, it usually isn't too hard either. Would absolutely take again.

I had John for ECN 204 and while the course itself requires you to do the work in order to pass, John was excellent in terms of providing detailed and timely feedback. He cares about his students a lot.

He's one of the few professors I've had that genuinely cared about his students and enjoys teaching. He tries to help his students in any way possible. If you are given a choice between him and any other professor for an economics course, you won't regret choosing him. The only downside was paying for homework and the book but they come together.

MY BOY! I love this prof so much, he made me enjoy econ and his class actually makes you think about important things in class like poverty, ethics, justice etc etc. super super interested even for someone like me who isnt interested in any school. never switch out of his class u will regret if u do

A very well-respected prof with so so much insight on the topics he teaches! The guy is a treasure. He gives feedback on essays so fast, and not just rubric feedback but the kind of feedback that really makes you think about how to push your paper to be so much better than it was before! A very fair grader. so sweet and cares for his students!

Dr. Isbister was the greatest professor I've had at Ryerson so far. His lectures are so engaging that they feel short. He gives excellent feedback on all the papers you turn in, and he is a pretty easy-going and fair marker. He is also quite accessible outside of class. For ECN507, the class was 1 lecture a week, 2 term essays and 1 final essay.

He is the kindest professor i have ever had. he is so undrestanding and nice. i had a great experience and i definietly recommend him :)

He gives timely and nice feedback. Not a tough grader at all. Would love to have him again.

The greatest professor ever! I'm not a big fan of economics, but Professor Ibisiter's lectures are excellent. He is also very patient and responds quickly when you have a problem or a question. The class is test-heavy, but it is manageable if you attend his lectures and complete the assigned homework. I would give it 10/10.

By far the best prof at Ryerson. He actually cares about his students and gives very fair midterms and exams. If you have the chance to take one of his classes, definitely do it. The most understanding guy ever. It is a blessing to be in one of his classes

Really nice prof who gives amazing feedback - he's super quick with grades and marks fair!! Attendance was mandatory and so was participation but it's an easy A if you just do the work.

Take his classes he is a legendary professor . He replies emails outside of his office hours and on weekends as. well .

Boring lectures but weekly quizzes and exams are very easy.

Dr. Isbister is a really nice professor. Quick at replying to emails and helpful in answering questions. Marks fairly. Highly recommend.

One of the few great professors you will have. Extremely knowledgeable about economics - it's in his blood actually. His father was an important part of Canada's banking history. He is always willing to help out and explain things, and responds in a timely manner to inquiries. One of the few people that can make economics interesting.

This professor has my whole heart, I love him till the ends of the earth. If you have the chance take him, he is so understanding and very willing to give extensions and bend the rules. His paper guidelines are flexible as it was usually 4 pages and i would hand in 3; he also marked and returned stuff very quickly. 10/10 would recommend.

What a sweet and kind man. He's very accommodating and considerate when it comes to extension. He cares for your success and is a really smart man. Take him!

He has literally studied and worked with the scholars who we refer to for economic theories. Highly experienced and empathetic person. Loved all lectures including the boring theoretical ones. No exams, only essays (informal), he marks fair and lenient, whereas TAs are usually hard markers than him

He was such a great prof. He cared about his students and although his lectures were long they were still interesting. He wants his students to do well and he is really caring and very nice. One of the greatest profs! Would take a class with him again.

I took this course in the winter semester (and have taken other courses with this prof in the past) but felt he deserved another review. I cannot do this rating justice in under 350 words but what I can say is that John is the most inspirational and interesting prof I've ever had the privilege of taking a course with at TMU. Highly recommend :)

Great professor. Really enjoyed his course and learned a lot of things from him. He's very knowledgeable and actually cares about teaching.

He is very considerate. Most of the homework was online and it was easy as long as you did the readings. He pushed the deadline for the paper when we asked him for an extension. The exams were online, it was easy, as long as you do the practice questions and readings you will be fine this course was a breeze.

This guy is such a legend (A quick google search will tell you his education and work history, super cool) and I loved taking the class. The course is fair and clearly graded with a 20,30,50 homework, midterm, and final which is pretty standard. Everything you need to do to succeed in the class is clear and 100% doable.

The course is very content heavy & requires work. If taken in the summer, you need to learn 2 weeks of content (80-90 slides each) in 1 week. Professor Isbister does an amazing job in his lectures to make you understand the content, so watch his videos. They are long, but it's much better than self-teaching. A+ econ prof.

350 characters isn't enough to say how good of a prof John is. He gives amazing lectures (lots of tangents though), and he's a pretty easy grader. John's 82 and retiring next year and told us that teaching is his favourite thing to do. He does it for the love of the sport. Also the most progressive 82 year old I've ever met. I already miss him!

John was such a nice and sweet proff. He's retiring next year because bros 82, but he is extremely knowledgeable. If your acc into econ, you'll learn a lot. He does this attendance thing to hand in a physical paper w ur name on it for a potential extra mark, so go if u want that. 3 papers, 750-1000 words, equal weight, easy marker and gave feedback

JOHN WAS THE BEST WE WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH!!!!!!!

Best prof.

John Isbister murdered my family

Great professor. Engaging lectures and helpful feedback. Leveraged unstuck AI for essay prep - super useful alongside the textbook. Definitely would take his class again.

I wish he was more clear that attendance was mandatory! Dropped mark a whole grade because of attendance. He marks easy on the essays though