2.9
Quality4.2
Difficulty48%
Would Retake173
Reviews48%
Would Retake
173
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
47
4
29
3
14
2
36
1
47
What Students Say
“He also doesn't allow calculators”
MTH151 - 2.0 rating“True, he does not allow calculators, but he does not give calculator work”
MTH166 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
79%
Textbook Required
7%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.56 avg changeRatings by Course
MTH174
5.0
(1)MTH265
5.0
(2)MTH173
4.5
(10)166
4.0
(1)MTH271
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
CALC271
5.0
MTH151
4.7
CALC
4.5
MTH163
4.5
MTH166
4.5
Reviews (173)
You can tell that he is new to teaching. He gets off topic a lot,and rushes through the lessons. I taught myself everything. No calculator is allowed and he gave no review for the finial, which the class really needed. There is a short quiz once a week which are not bad, but his tests are hard. He uses True/ False questions to try to trick you.
Knows course but teaches higher level ways to do problems. Makes it so lectures are easy to follow but tests/quizzes are incredibly hard. He does not count homework.
He's a new teacher and it's obvious. He teaches everything in a confusing manner. You have a quiz each week which aren't bad but don't prepare you for the tests. He does give extra credit and sometimes makes pre tests for you right before the test. That's the only way I passed.
New teacher and you can tell. No calculator is allowed and the test are very hard. He tries to trick you and puts the hardest questions on the test. Tests and quizzes are short and hard so if you miss more than a couple of questions you will fail Offers test reviews but not for all of the test and not for the final. One extra credit assignment.
Professor Herning followed the book fairly closely, but he said he did not like it. Homework was not graded but quiz and test questions were usually taken from it, so if you didn't do it then you basically failed. He lets you ask about the homework before quizzes but usualy only a couple people have questions. I had to work really hard to get a B.
Class was more interesting than I expected and harder. Herning leaves a lot on you in terms of practice. You can't do well just by going to class. He was helpful in office hours after I bombed the first test. He didn't allow calculators except on one test.
Don't take his class! His lectures are very unorganized and confusing and he teaches higher level ways of doing problems. His test are incredibly hard and you will have to do a lot of work on your own if you want to pass. He's not a bad guy, but don't take his class.
He's a good guy, but not a very good teacher. Lectures are very unorganized and he teaches everything at the highest difficulty level possible. He even admits it! Don't take this class!
he is a nice guy but a awful teacher. the things he teaches you in class is not like what is on tests, he uses the hardest things he can think of for the tests. I don't recommend him at all.
Don't take this if you want an easy class. You will learn something or you will do poorly. I struggled but he was willing to bend-over backward to help. If you just need to take a math class there are plenty of other teachers at NOVA that don't care whether or not you learn and will give you a good grade. Trust me I had them.
Herning's class may be hard, but you will learn if you got to class and pay attention. If you need help just go to office hours. He will help you if you need it! I wouldn't recommend him if you really struggle with math or are lazy, but if you are someone who really wants to learn and takes class seriously I'd recommend him.
Herning is a nice guy, but a horrible teacher! His lectures are very unorganized and sloppy making it difficult to take in all the information he gives you. Worst of all, his test are INCREDIBLY hard! They are also short so if you miss a few problems, you fail! He teaches at a higher difficulty and was not a good teaching method at all! Avoid him
He is to nice to everyone. He won't yell at you when you don't do hw or go to class, but then you don't do well. He literally spent hours before every test explaining things to me and other students at his office when we needed help. I hated math before because it was formulas and procedures, but that's not math for him. Best prof at NOVA.
He is a better father than my actual father. Cares about his students, even when they fail. Kind of quirky but hey its math. Not easy.
Don't take him! At first he seemed like a good teacher, but then when the test came they were nothing like what he taught us! Over half of our class dropped out halfway through the semester. I should have too!
He introduces concepts in class and does some examples then expects you to go solve problems involving them at home. I started doing well when I realized this. He gave us practice tests that were basically the same or a bit harder than the actual tests if you compare after, and most problems were from homeworks. He is an old-school professor.
Clearly the best teacher ever. I have taken his MTH 166 class before and it was wonderful. Very helpful teacher. Just as any other class, it will be challenging though.
You have to try hard. It's not an easy class, but it will help you to really learn the material. You're not allowed to used calculator. show your trying and attend his office hours. He really does care.
Nice guy, horrible teacher. His lectures are very unorganized and he doesn't present the material in a clear way. The quizzes aren't so bad, but test are hard and short so if you miss a few questions you fail! Also no calculators are allowed!
The professor has a lot of knowledge but has problems simplifying his ideas and communicating those ideas with his students. The class feels fragmented and unstructured and students often leave class feeling bewildered and confused. As a 'B' student, this man has destroyed my love for Math as well as my GPA. Do yourself a favor, AVOID at all cost!
Professor Herning is a nice guy, but a horrible teacher. He over complicates everything and can't really effectively communicate what he's trying to say. I wish I would have dropped this class earlier.
I honestly can't believe I passed this class. This guy is an awful teacher! He doesn't know how to efficiently teach the class without having to make everything twice as difficult as i needs to be. Over half of our class dropped the class and I don't blame them. I never worked harder in a class and ended up with a C. Take anyone else but him!
No pop quizzes, just one quiz a week instead of collecting homework. He's the professor everyone told you about: put in the time, you do great and learn alot. If you don't, you get left in the dust. In my experience he's very flexible outside of class, working with one or two students for hours at a time. Pulls testquiz problems from homework.
As long as you know most of the stuff you should before you take the class, he is a great professor and is always willing to help. However, he is a little hard to listen to for 3 hours.
Mr. Herning's class was defiantly the hardest class I've taken! He expects you to already understand every word that comes out of his mouth and talks WAY to fast. My class went from 23 students down to 6 by mid semester. I dropped his class as well. I would not recommend him.... :
I beg of you take any other math class but this one! He will destroy your GPA. He fools you into thinking it will be an easy class with the quizzes, but he does not prepare you for test. I honestly think he wants people to fail on purpose and thats why he's so hard.
Doesn't allow calculators. Expects you to do the homework but not collected. He was helpful to me, and I got an A in the end (didn't quite expect it). If you've ever talked to him outside of class, you know he actually just wants you to learn something and take class seriously.
I loved this class and professor herning! posted practice test with solutions. He said quizes are easy and just make you try homework while tests are harder and more important. There was one extra credit for 3% No calculator but didn't take off for my mistakes. Herning is tough but cares about you if your trying.
He's nice and cares about his students doing well, but his class is so difficult and confusing. Everyone in the class struggled and many of them dropped out. His test were the hardest I've ever taken and almost nobody got higher than a B or C. Even if you go to him for help, you'll still have a lot of trouble.
Dr. Herning is uncompromising in what he wants from you. Basically do the homework and be prepared to do those questions on quizzes and tests. He's straightforward and hold you to a high standard, but he will always help you if you spend the time.
Prof. Herning is an amazing guy. He's gregarious, helpful, & one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. Unfortunately, he is a horrible teacher. His vocabulary is too intense for most students. He uses a different, confusing textbook than the other calc classes. He needs to give stepbystep instructions, & use a real textbook. It Would Help
So bad and I heated this class. He didn't know how to teach and made everything really hard for all of us. I would never take him again!
Professor Herning is supringisingly a very kind person. During Thanksgiving Break, he sent out a rather kind email to all his students. In regards to his class, Professor Herning lack social intelligence and is rather awkward but he tries to engage with his students and make math "fun"-if that's even possible.
Don't take him if you aren't good at Math. He wants his students to do well, but he also challenges you to do well and teaches at a very advanced level. He was willing to help me, but I still struggled. His test were very hard and he didn't allow calculators. He would be a good teacher if he learned to teach better.
Very Hard Class. He was nice to everyone, but his lectures were very confusing and he didn't cover the harder stuff that was on the test. He has a different teaching style than other professors I've had and I didn't relate to it. I wouldn't recommend taking him.
Professor Herning is a very nice and knowledgeable guy who has trouble communicating material with students. He doesn't know how to break down lessons in a way his students can understand the material during a lecture. His test are very difficult and you'll need to go to office hours in order to do well. He is much better teaching 1-on-1.
Joseph along with Dr. White are probably some of the best math proffesors at NOVA, If yer looking too really learn the maths then take joseph herning his tests can be tough but are definately fair. So you
Dr. Herning helps his students during office hours more than anyone I've ever met, you just need to approach him. He is a wonderful teacher who takes his class seriously and wants you to learn. If you expect to get an easy A or Math for dummies-like explanations, this is not the class for you. One of the best teachers I've had at NOVA.
Prof Joe Herning is by far one of my favorite professor ever. I have had him for both MTH 166 and MTH 174. Not only he cared about the students' performance deeply, but also begs us to do well by going to his extended office hours. I can not stress what a nice person he is! I really recommend his class. Got "A" in both his classes by the way.
Dr. Herning is hands down one of the best professors I've ever taken in my college life. Guy worked at NASA doing math stuff. You're learning math from an astronaut PhD. That's not an opportunity that comes around very often. It's not, unfortunately, an easy A, but you are more or less guaranteed to learn well. A plus plus massive recommend.
This class was terrible! Way too hard! The professor is clearly new at teaching and very unorganized. The quizzes are easy, but the test are the hardest I've ever taken! I would never take him again!
I really wanted to like his class. He's a really cool guy and nice. But he's also kind of an awkward guy. His lectures were tough to follow and kind of sloppy. Very challenging class. Tests are short and hard. No calculators allowed. Quizzes are not so bad. Homework isn't graded. Wouldn't taken him again.
Horrendous! Extremely Hard for a 100 level course! Test are very hard and no calculators are allowed. Not a good class.
He was helpful and I did okay. Knows the subject well and is very sympathetic of students that are trying but tough like some said. About a year after I had him for class I was studying for a math test for another prof. He bought me a cup of coffee and studied with me for more than an hour. Nice guy.
Great teacher, but VERY hard class. Quizzes are OK, but his test are the most difficult problems he can think of. You will HAVE to go to office hours if you want to get a good grade. However, hes an incredibly nice guy who will bend over backwards to help you. Not an easy class, but I learned a lot and would take him again.
I took PreCalc last year so this was my second time taking it. Then I passed with a b- and now this is like a foreign language. He gives one question 10 point quizzes every week and tests with questions we didn't cover in class. If you don't know PreCalc already, do not take this class. Jumps all over the place and doesn't answer questions clearly
Only took him because his class fit into my schedule perfectly. Should have listened to the reviews on here. He is awful! Lectures are way too difficult to follow and his tests are way too hard. Only 10 problems so if you miss more than 3 you get a bad grade. Should not have taken his class.
I didn't expect this class to be easy, but even so it was ridiculously hard. Even worse, the professor is a very poor teacher. Lectures are unorganized and confusing and his communication skills are poor. He was always willing to help, but he still didn't help cover the harder material. I'd take someone else if I were you.
Professor Herning spends more time with students than any other teacher I've seen. His attitude seems to be "I'll give you as much help as you want, but you actually need to figure out how to do these problems." I had him for precalc and he took problems from hw only. Great person. Not an easy class. No calculator.
He is a fantastic professor, but this class wasn't a good fit for me since I really struggle with Math. He really challenges you and doesn't allow calculators on his test. I barely passed with a C with hours studying and because he was nice enough to help me as much as I needed. He really does care, but his classes are too hard for me.
There are only 4 tests and one final and that's basically what your grade depends on, he IS a fair grader though and he will give you partial credit if you made a mistake. Also while he doesn't collect or grade the hw it is a MUST (even if it's ridiculously long!) since that is where he gets the test questions from, literally. Also NO calculators.
Professor Herning is an extremely capable teacher who feels he has a vested interest in the success of his students. He has office hours on a set schedule and invites his students to work in the area outside his office and helps them with any questions they may have.. True, he does not allow calculators, but he does not give calculator work. ++++
Herning is a good guy, but he's not a good professor for the average student who is taking Math simply for a gen ed. requirement. He teaches material at a high level and makes his test difficult on purpose (which he admits). He also doesn't allow calculators. He will help you as much as you need, but you'll have to work hard to get a good grade.
Grading scale somewhat lenient and good attendance counts toward grade. NO CALCULATORS on tests. Emphasizes understanding concepts to the level that some test questions ask you to explain them (not how to do a problem with them). The hardest class I've ever taken but also I learned more math than all of high school combined. Would take again.
Proffesor herning is overall a cool proff. His exams are kinda tough but if you pay attention in class and do the homework they aren't that bad. He also offers extra credit on all his exams. overall a good prof.
Professor Herning made sure that we worked for our grade. He gave entertaining and engaging lectures and most of the test questions were changed up questions from the homework. I want to take him for calc 1
Herning is a very kind man, who cares for his students. That being said, it is a hard class. He can be a little dense at times so it was a bit hard for me. The homework is harder than what he teaches, but it is important! Questions from the hw are on the test. 3 tests, 1 exam. All are moderately hard. Do the homework and you'll pass! I'd take again
He's a great professor who really makes sure you understand the subject. He's probably one of the hardest professors at NOVA, but as long as you do the homework and study you can get an A. I didn't and I got a B instead. Definitely visit his office hours for any questions and get help for anything. He expects you to do that.
Awesome teacher. He's hard, and the way he teaches isn't suitable for all people. But he'll help you if you reach out to him and never makes you feel dumb. Best math professor I've ever had.
He's a nice guy, but he is too test heavy. He only grades one question on several pages of hw. He is a harsh grader, and I don't think he is a suitable professor for everybody. No other assignments to boost grades, so 5 tests and hw is all you got.
Collected homework which was essential. Tests basically rehashed homework, but homework contains problems which are not explained in class unless you ask (creative thinking). One of the most available profs in office hours. Tough but take him if you want to be forced to learn the subject. No phones in class.
He gives a lot of homework after finishing each chapter, but he also gives students enough time to complete the work. There are a few tests and a final exam. However, you work fine if you keep practicing the homework over and over again because the problems are all from the homework. No textbook needed for class. No online works. He's the best one.
Prof. Herning is nice and really does care about his students. With that said, I do not think he is a good teacher at all. He is incredibly hard and his test and quizzes are short so if you mess on a few problems you fail. For someone like me who isn't good at math and taking this as a Gen Ed, it was a bad fit. Good guy, but awfl teaching style.
Easily one of my favorite professors at NOVA, but he's not for everyone. His class is hard, but he gives you a good understanding of the math and really sets you up for success in the future. Office hours are on a fixed schedule for around 2-3 hours every day of the week, and he's willing to go over *anything* with you. Tests are hard but fair.
You can't take this professor hoping to bargain your grade or have mercy given to you for small mistakes. He is too strict, and takes points off for attendance even if you are 1 second later than him calling your name, LITERALLY!! He can teach, but he fails almost everyone, his tests are no joke either, so get ready to dedicate your life to this
He can teach very well, especially if you go to his office hours, but he has a horrible grading style. His homework takes at least 10 hours to complete, and he only choses to grade you based on one problem, which is horrible bc each hw is worth 1%, and ignores your other hardly worked out problems. Tests reflect homework, and attendance grade sucks
Dr. Herning had a unique take on Calc 1 -gave lectures and homework all written by him. He said next semester he will be changing it though to use a new book. Really learned a lot, including precalc that I never understood. Tough but fair. Old-school work expectations, but willing to guide you in office hours . Best math teacher I've had.
Prof. Herning is a very tough grader. In my MTH 245 class, we had 4 assignments throughout the whole semester, along with some hw. 2 projects and 2 tests that define your grade. His tests are tricky with no review. The projects were nightmares because of poor feedback leading to bad grades. He is a good person, with a bad grading system. :(
Professor Herning has been one of the best math teachers I have ever had. Yes, the homework takes a long time to do on Aleks, but you actually learn a ton. For those who complain about attendance... just be there on time or early and you'll get a good grade. If you follow his rules, you'll get a good grade and he teaches well. He's pretty funny too
He's pretty nice but can be strict. Make sure you get enough sleep before class other wise you'll find yourself dozing off. He doesn't like distractions in class (ESPECIALLY PHONES) but he's really good at going into detail. Show up and study for the quizzes and you should be fine, this class definitely requires you to put forth some effort.
His lectures are a bit confusing. Get ready to ask questions. He gives you homework problems and study problems from the textbook. His examples sometimes come from textbook, not always. Go to his office hours if you are having a hard time. Make sure to get a tutor.
Dr Herning was the best this semester in MTH 265. It really saddens me to see that his reviews dont reflect his talent in teaching mathematics. Dr Herning was amazing teaching the intuition behind the many topics in multivariable calculus. He was very approachable and really cared for his students. He is also charmingly nerdy! Love this guy.
He makes me so confused.
This class was much easier than MTH167, but you still had to do the homework to pass. There was a group project and several of my group members did nothing but we still got an A. Had an attendance policy. Professor was genuinely friendly, but I wouldn't recommend the class if you're not willing to work. I learned a lot.
Worst class I have ever taken at NVCC. He is not helpful. The only grades are two projects, 5 quizzes, and a final exam. If you miss one question on the quiz it is a 75%. He does not tell you what homework problems to do. He assigns the second project a few weeks before finals, blames his students for not having enough time.
Professor Herning is an incredible character. He clearly loves mathematics, and genuinely enjoys teaching it. When he gives lectures, he teaches you the core philosophy behind each topic, in a simple and elegant manner. I leave lectures with a penetrating understanding of the topic, confident that I can figure out/derive it again if I forget.
This professor was horrible, your grade will only depend on quizzes that are three questions. Hes a very though grader, one little mistake and the whole thing is wrong. Many people I know failed his class. He often liked to call people out for making mistakes in front of the whole class. If you want to enjoy your semester, DO NOT take him!!!!
This guy only gives a couple quizzes with very little questions. You miss one & youre screwed. Not to mention how he doesnt grade attendance or hw so you gotta do well. He was not lenient during corona & grades strictly. I can say that barely anyone in the class passed this semester. He goes off topic a lot too hes very boring & cant teach.
Gave 5 quizzes, final exam and two projects. Seriously a really great prof, especially when asking questions in office hours. Actually wants you to understand the idea not a procedure. Knows the material unlike other NOVA math profs, lol. HW not collected, so you had to motivate yourself. I didn't think it was hard, but that's just me.
Up until the final, I thought he was an all right guy. Classic lectures, homework, and tests. The homework was harder than the tests which I appreciated. Then the final came along. Hardest math test I've ever taken. Much harder than any test or homework he gave. That final alone brought me from an A to a B. Don't take this professor.
Too much HW not enough teaching. learn all the material on your own. makes things more complicated than it needs to be. Gives answers for HW but often have mistakes that students have to catch. half of the lecture is spent reviewing hw because he never touched base on half of the questions. Monotone voice. don't take unless specializing in math.
You will not pass unless you learn majority of class on your own outside of the 6 hours of lecture per week and on top of the 8 hours of hw per week. Not sure if its the zoom throwing him off from his normal teaching habits but I recommend taking another teacher.
Test only have a few questions your lucky if you get 12 on a test. No textbook and doesn't do a great job in class teaching. And if you do badly he blames you for being a bad student. 6hrs of lecture with 8hrs of homework. Thank god for khan academy bc this dude is worthless.
cannot teach. doesnt explain the math. assigns a lot of homework and doesnt appreciate time and effort put into it. test is so much harder than the homework and he blames it all on the students if the class fails the tests. tbh if majority of the students are failing, thats a lacking in the professor.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!!!! trust me JUST DON'T TAKE IT. he is TERRIBLE at teaching, explaining, and overall everything. he assigns so much homework that you won't have any time left for any other classes. Also he grades homework and exams based off of ONE random question, get that question wrong? you just got a F.
Do NOT take this professor for this class MTH 167. DOES NOT CARE ABOUT STUDENTS. Tests are ridiculous and impossible, 100x harder than the homework. Speaking of which he gives so much homework that takes countless hours to do, and grades it so inconsistency. One random question wrong, whole thing to the trash. Some don't even finish, full credit
Professor is very clear about what he wants from his students and what he will give them in return. Takes homework and tests very seriously. DO NOT cheat on your test. A couple people from my class got caught cheating last week and he failed the entire course for them. Professor takes cheating very seriously and I think they got what they deserved.
Do you want a good professor who explains difficult topics clearly? A professor who treats their students with respect and understanding? A professor who is kind and helpful towards any question received? Don't choose Joseph Herning. He is absolutely tough on his students and would rather spit out a passive aggressive remark than help you.
Herning is by far the worse experience I have ever encountered in a chaotic mathematics class. let me explain, homework takes 8 hours due to work load and the time you spend trying to learn outside of class. The test then comprised of 12 questions, somehow is worth 100 points, and not related to class material, w him you are destined 2 fail.
Professor Herning is probably the best math prof at NOVA. Best I had anyway. Sure he goes fast in class, but super awesome and helpful in office hours. Actually I was surprised by the patience he had in class. You will learn a lot of you want to, but probably not the prof for an easy A.
I had an A in this class because I was very familer with the material. To give an Idea about how bad this professor is, I just want to say that the class started with about 30 students and ended with probably 7. If you arent familer with the material DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR.
I took him for Calc 2 and I tutor for the math lab. He was an awesome teacher and I learned a ton. There were a lot of students that didn't do well, but if you can't compute a derivative what are you doing in Calc 2? From tutoring I can tell you that the lower classes at NOVA have lots of unprepared students. There's no entrance requirements.
Assigns a lot of homework but thats expected in a math class BUT his tests are so unfair. 10-12 questions and a total of 100 points. Think about that for a second. Unless you have a PHD in math or something you cant get As on this mans tests. Not to mention his tests are the hardest things Ive done in my life. Waste of my time and money.
I want to say that I do think Prof. H. is a good person and genuinely loves the material he teaches. That being said, he was a harsh grader and refused to take time to explain things in class, stating that he did not care if we understood, only if he could get through the material. His tests were hard, but maybe things just didn't click for me.
I'm not religious at all but this man's tests had me praying to god every time. And I still failed every test. Take this class if you want trash lectures and the hardest tests of your life. I had a 3.7 GPA in high school and this is the first math class I didn't pass in my life.
he talks so slow that i would watch recorded lectures at 1.5x speed and it sounded normal
DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS IF: 1. You are not a Math whiz 2. You have other options 3. You don't want to get anything below an A. We started for 34 students and finished the class off with 7. Need I say more? Also he will be out for half of the next semester because he had a kid so there is absolutely no reason anyone should take a class with this guy
Professor Herning was by far the worse professor I ever had, especially with the effects Covid has had on our learning situation, he was not capable of preparing us for any of the test throughout the semester, I had to drop before receiving an F, please save yourselves by taking anybody else before him, the reviews are true.
This class was on the tough side, but worth it if you are a hard worker. It was obvious in class that most people weren't doing the homework, which was graded simply for completion 9 times of 10. Still he was extremely patient and had a lot of office hours where he would explain anything. Tests were tough but overall grading policy was lenient.
Professor Herning is an amazing nerd. He is incredibly smart and systematic about his approach to teaching. However, DON'T take this class if you do not have a strong basis from high school. This is the hardest class I have ever taken. The homework is a bit lengthy but it is necessary to tackle the diverse set of concepts. There are so many topics.
Professor herning was not very understanding during our online classes, considering we were taking our first college level math, with a large gap in knowledge from any previous math course (due to corona cancelling school) we came into Hernings class unprepared, and he only exhausted us more with non comprehensible lectures
Lectures were pretty good, but I learned mostly from textbook. Pretty good with technology which was helpful. Group project was a mess but he did what he could. Although he was nice enough, he was obviously stressed and not always as helpful as he could have been. Overall, not the best, but also not the worst.
Herning's lectures are passable in terms of quality, but his concept of a reasonable amount of homework to assign is shaky at best. He seems to lack the fundamental understanding that students have other classes and other obligations and proceeds to routinely assign 20 hours a week of homework while calling it 10.
professor Herning has the most stressful style of teaching calculus. Simply, if you can handle fifteen weeks of constant burden of stress and homework then you might end up like him . Assigns lots of homework that you have to put less effort on your other class in order to finish his assignment on time. had a good gpa before his class.
Class outdated for pandemic. Think carefully before you take this class. Passive aggressive behavior, not concise. He doesn't know what kind of students attends nova. Major because-I-said-it-you-should-know-it guy. He's in dad mode right now and I get that. Im a dad too. Only thing is that he sorta forces you to understand his situation but not urs
Literally the worst math class Ive taken. Whatever you do save yourself if youre taking stats. Its supposed to be an intro course and its like hes teaching a full blown stats major. you dont learn anything and have to teach yourself. A lot of homework and exams are terrible
DONT TAKE THIS CLASS. lecture was ok at best, but he goes on tangents of useless information and just doesnt teach the info well. but the HW... He'll assign 3-5 different assignments a week, all of them long and difficult, only to grade one problem off each. you could spend 20+hrs doing hw and still get 0s if you get the one problem he grades wrong
DONT EVER TAKE THIS CLASS UNLESS YOU ALREADY KNOW A LOT ABOUT STATISTICS AND DONT NEED A TEACHER. He was the most unhelpful teacher I have ever taken. The communication is trash and he doesnt ever care about students that are struggling. Literally 85% of the class failed every exam and we had even reached out to the dean but to no avail. Pathetic.
Professor Herning is one of the most difficult professors I've ever had. Two weeks into the semester, he left for paternity (which didn't help) and his grading system made no sense. I never knew what my grade was throughout the semester and tests consisted of 5-8 questions, so if you failed 1 you're screwed. Don't take him even as a last resort!!
I've been to colleges on two different continents and he's the literal worst professor I've ever seen. Flies over topics without explaining much. His handwriting during the online class is ass, cant read anything. Have to memorize everything and only basic calculators allowed. RUN AWAY from him. lucky I dropped out before it impacted my GPA.
Pretty good lectures, blackboard-style. Tests on the hard side but not worse than last time I took this class (retake). Gives a lot of time for questions, but only a few students ever asked them. Expects you to know precalc and Calc 1, but willing to explain anything needed in class / office. Kind of funny.
Pretty good professor. Standard lecture, homework, repeat, test type math class but I enjoyed it. Knowledgeable about the subject and applications. Accessible in office hours and via e-mail.
More of a math boot camp than a math class. Took this last fall then took Calculus. Appreciate it in retrospect as my calc teacher was big on trigonometry, logs, transformations. All things Herning hammered in multiple times. Not for the faint of heart but quality.
Prof. Herning tries to make statistics fun, but does not succeed. This class is dull and should be taught correctly not as a game. All the homework is from the textbook and it's all only a completion grade of 2 pts on your overall grade!?! Very methodical grader, kinda sadistic with how he hates answering dumb questions so he embarrasses a student!
Main reason I'm passing with an A rn is cuz I've taken a different stats class already. Tough grader for the 3 projects during the semester, many people failed and ended up withdrawing. HW is basically optional and isn't worth anything, but is done w the online text book. Tests are completely open book. Lectures are boring, but he can be funny.
Lecture class with some projects and a group project. There is not a lot to this class in terms of content (not even chi^2!), but Dr. H really wants you to understand the few things well. Up to you to read book, do homework, etc. Take if self-motivated because he knows his stuff. Also very friendly outside of class.
Professor Herning is a very kind man, he challenges his students through his lectures, he wants to see his students succeed. He will give feedback on the exams and as well as the project he has his students do at the end of the semester. He is accessible outside of class, definitely go see him if you have any homework questions.
Professor Herning is very accessible outside of class. I recommend doing the homework and going to his office hours with questions. He has been very helpful and I am doing better in his class than last semester's. He is a very tough grader, but he does provide good feedback to learn. (his dad jokes tend to come up which are pretty funny).
Professor Herning is really patient and I couldnt thank him enough for being patient with me. Statistics is not an easy subject but he made the class fun and I learned a lot. He is very accessible outside of class. He will work with you when you ask him specific questions. He gives good feedback and will tell you what you will need to practice.
Slide presentations only match up with his lecture half the time, and his teaching method is so unhelpful. Hes not very strict but you can tell he tries to be. Feedback is always confusing and seemingly unrelated. Easy class if you understand stats, but if its your first stats class I recommend you find a different professor.
This professor loves math. If you work hard at reviewing the practice problems all semester, then the test will make sense. But it's difficult He really teaches the importance of precise speech through his grading. If you are confused about something, ask it. If you show an interest in understanding a concept, he will help.
This is many students' first time encountering college math, so it is a naturally hard class. This class also covers a diverse set of topics, so be prepared for fast-paced lectures and difficult tests. Herning's lectures are solid, and with the homework, there is no reason to not succeed.
This is a very hard class. Only things that go to your grade are weekly quizzes, midterm, and final. Saving grace is that Herning gives partial credit on questions. No lectures in class and students were expected to do problems without having been taught. Unless math comes very easily to you, I don't recommend this professor. Go to office hours!!!
Please do not let my grade fool you, this is the worst math teacher that I have ever had. The first thing he said at the beginning is that he's "never satisfied" with how his class goes by the end of the semester, and I can see why. He doesn't teach well at all and didn't lecture for our class, and I would tell everyone to AVOID TAKING HIM.
I hate seeing students dislike him because they didn't put in effort and ended up failing out. It's easy to blame the teacher for your mistakes. His class is easily passable for someone with a functioning prefrontal cortex. Take his class if you are good at math, otherwise don't. He's a mid tier professor. Not a great one and not a terrible one.
His method of teaching was more Q&A based, so you kinda had to be teaching yourself with the textbook. The only exam was a final, which was worth like 40% of your grade. Homework wasn't graded, but there was mini-projects that were pretty easy to complete. There was like 1 or 2 question quizzes every week but it was kind of inconsistent.
Had him for the fall semester; although as a person he's not bad; mostly a bit corny, his way of teaching was very troubling for the class I took. As an accelerated, "2-for-1" math class, he spent too much time diverging the lecture into useless or over-complicated tangents; that or just talk about something unrelated to the course at all.
I think people are often upset that professors don't hand you an easy A for a class that is meant to be very difficult. This class is very hard if you don't really like or care about calculus, but this professor tries very hard to make you think about every move you make during a test. That type of teaching encourages deep thinking and true effort.
The class is very time-intensive and there's a large emphasis on tests. You're expected to have done the homework for each section before the lecture. The final is cumulative and worth 35% of your grade. Despite this, it is possible to do well in his class but only if you have the time to teach yourself the material and show up to class.
This professor was by far the worst math professor I have ever had. He expects you to know everything from the top of your head from the readings. He will not teach what is on the textbook and get side tracked when he does. It is very difficult to pass his class due to his lack of communication with his students.
Not easy, but knows his stuff and enjoys teaching. My favorite math prof so far. Also, dad jokes, oh the dad jokes.
worst professor I've ever had. The exams were completely different from practice tests and homework.
His exams are nothing like what he lectures on or what is in the homework. He is also the most unsympathetic man I have ever met in my life. I am normally a straight A student, and I never imagined not passing this class when I signed up for it.
Pretty good professor. Lectures not bad for online. Hard tests with curves and easy grading scale. He made up all new questions for the tests which made photomath useless. Learned a lot but not an easy class. He expects that you know algebra and trig pretty well but will explain anything. Not as hard as my physics class though.
avoid now
He challenges you. Too much. Goes on tangents, wastes lecture time. YT vids are more helpful than him. Overcomplicates everything. Do all the HW or else you will fail. No Aleks. Most fail his class. Teaches calc in precalc. You can't use foreign methods on tests. No retakes. My GPA was a 4.0, not sure if I'll pass the class. Don't take him!
I don't hate Professor Herning, he seems like a nice guy, but his class is VERY difficult. He's boring and doesn't explain things well, and he goes on rants about barely related topics. He's a tough grader on tests. Most recent one's class average was 60%. Most people I know dropped or disliked him. Wouldn't recommend unless you already like math
Professor Herning gave great lectures and was funny in an absent-minded professor sort of way. I think I may even be starting to like math. Class started out easy then got harder which was planned. Very fast paced though.
Tough class. The book expects you really know your algebra and trig. He is really nice in office hours and in class though, and extremely patient and thorough answering questions in class. Really knows his stuff and clearly likes to teach. I've had other math professors at Nova that don't even seem to like students/teaching.
Underrated. Knows what he's doing and cares about students. No bsing your way through though.
Great professor. Test questions taken from homework. Lecture, homework, test, repeat.
I went in to the class pessimistic because I always hated high school math and came out with a new found love for the subject. Professor Herning is contagiously enthusiastic and knowledgeable on what he teaches. While the class is incredibly dense and challenging, I'd highly recommend it for anyone with a good attention span.
His class was very difficult. He has no sympathy. If you are even a minute late to class, he will not add you to attendance. His tests are extremely difficult, our final exam was cumulative but there were only 9 questions on it! Homework is hard. He is very good at math but terrible at teaching it. I wish we used something like ALEKS. nice guy tho
Good class if you have to take stats. There was a group project. Homework was collected but not mandatory. Professor was funny and available for extra help.
Pretty standard lectures. Tests and the exam make up your grade. I enjoyed it.
dont take this professor!!! class does poorly blames the students instead of thinking the way hes teaching isnt good. even if you do everything he says to outside of class for help he still doesnt think there could be anything wrong w him.doesnt offer a textbook and instead uses his own workbook that doesnt provide anything you can use to learn
extremely tough grader and unpleasant to have a conversation with. the material was also very different from the exams. you have to show your work exactly precise or you will get most points taken off. non-sympathetic.
Pretty good professor for a boring subject (precalc) if you like lectures. Decent amount of time for questions, but most work is outside of class. A bit like your favorite crazy uncle teaching math class.
30% of the test questions were just homework, so test do relate to content. Those taking mth 167 need to understand that it's a 5 credit course and it's going to be difficult no matter the teacher. He's definitely awkward, but if you reach out he helps you, and if you do the homework he assigns you will get an A and understand the material.
much better than my other NOVA math professors. actually knew the material.
this professor will make you pray to any and every god to pass this class because his lectures are so horrible that you can really only learn from the grace of god or if you're able to learn from youtube videos maybe you'll pass his class.
Do not take this course online. Professor Herning is by far the WORST professor I've had since attending NOVA. This online course is graded 80% Exams and 20% Quizzes. The tests in this course are far from what you learn during the study plan homework (that is worth 0% of your grade) or any of the practice quizzes/tests located in Pearson.
Herning knows the material very well and is passionate about teaching. Make sure to show up, his lectures are a necessity to do well in this class. The class is only difficult if you don't keep up with the work and don't ask for help when you're confused. He has lots of office hours and encourages everyone to ask questions.
Can't say what his in person classes are like. Took him for an NOL class which are standardized (read online, etc.). Had lots of office hours and was very helpful and friendly in them. Would take again if I had to do another MTH.
Not too bad if you have time to do all the homework. Clearly enjoys talking about math.
I took him for Calculus 1 and 2, and discrete math. Great professor, he has a ton of experience teaching and he takes feedback. The courses aren't easy, but that's just the nature of math courses. He has lots of office hours every single weekday. He likes sharing stories and telling jokes. TLDR: Great professor who teaches hard classes.
I found it hard to do well on the exams and Canvas quizzes (didn't seem like a fair assessment of what we learn) but they counted towards our grade the most. Even though there was a lot of homework I still found it hard to understand, I just got frustrated/stressed with the amount of work/deadlines. He's quite available to help with Qs though.
Good professor. Nice lectures and flexible with homework and attendance (drops a few). Tests mostly taken from homework. Tough but fairly forgiving grading scale.
Professor Herning is a nice guy, but not a good teacher. He knows his stuff, but not how to effectively communicate to a classroom. Lectures are confusing and he is a very tough grader. The quizzes aren't that bad, but his tests are some of the hardest I've ever had for a Math class. I would recommend taking someone else.
The real deal. Straight out of the 1950's, but in a good way. High standards. Motivate yourself. Midterm+Final. Clearly loves a hard math problem. Kind of refreshing.
Joseph Herning may just be the worst professor I've ever had. While knowledgeable, Herning has zero ability use his knowledge to teach his students. He also fails to understand NVCC's "part time student" slogan. This class eats you and your schedule. StatCrunch is a useless tool that he expects mastery of. Someone tell him to switch to Excel.
Herning's class is challenging, but engaging if you put in the work. Attend lectures, use the textbook, and try Unstuck AI for extra study support. With effort, you can succeed in this demanding yet rewarding course.
Don't get me wrong—Professor Herning is a great guy, just not a great teacher. His lectures were so boring and monotonous that following and absorbing the material was extremely difficult. Additionally, there was an overwhelming amount of homework. Like, "30 questions per module, multiple modules per day" type of overwhelming. Don't reccommend.
This is a hard class, but the professor gives you what you need to pass. He is not unfair. This class takes up a lot of time outside of class, and while the homework is "optional" you need to do it to know what you're doing. He is a decent professor, but sometimes his lectures just drag on and are hard to follow. Take advantage of office hours.
Get ready to do lots of homework to learn the material, but past that lectures were enjoyable, and he knows his stuff. Wouldn't call the tests easy, but the questions were usually from the homework and not the hardest. Much easier than my physics class for example.
Lots of homework, although it's kind of optional. Good at explaining and emphasizing the thinking behind problems instead of a rote approach. My favorite NOVA class so far.
Combination of tough professor and a nice person. Really knows his math and wants you to as well. He probably should make homework mandatory, but I understand that he wants to treat you like an adult.
Very nice man, but brutal professor. Lectures are both dull and extremely difficult to follow. Be expecting a ton of homework every night too. The quizzes aren't bad, but the tests are extremely challenging, to the point where it feels like he is purposefully trying to fail you. Take advantage of youtube tutorials and office hours
He's just ok and a pretty tough teacher. That's about it
Teaching quality felt average and doesn't match a 5/5. When many students struggled on the first exam, he said it was due to student performance and refuses to give extra credit. After the midterm, over half the class dropped. Knows the material doesn't teach clearly, offers little in-class practice, and assigns heavy homework that can be confusing
Dont ever ever take this class with this proffesor. His lectures are hard to follow because he is more likely theory than exercizes. He didn't assign us any homeworkds. The grades for this class incldue midterm, two project and final exam. He should have put homeworkl for grading. Even if you be absent he loses lot of points.
Great if you are prepared and willing to put-in a lot of time on the homework; impossible otherwise. Minimal use of online aids, etc. Traditional textbook problems for homework. Encouraging in office hours. Ultimately grade is based on tests, so you have to know the material well in order to pass.
his favorite line for some reason is "isn't this exciting", and sadly its not most of the time since his lectures feel dull and no one wants to participate. although he does cover the material properly and gives challenging questions on his tests (midterm and a final). I would give him a better rating if the group project wasn't such a pain to do.
Class Info
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79%
Textbook Required
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