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She is awful! Rambles on and doesn't make sense half the time. Makes up her information doesn't use a book. Exams are way too hard for an entry level class. The only good thing is her grading scale.

Spent about half of her lectures explaining why the technology she tried to use for the homework did not work, but will not address it until after the fact. And then will still blame you for not turning it in. Does not read your emails before answering them. Uses LAs so there is little to no actual interaction with her students. Avoid her class.

Karen seemed like a nice individual when I met her. We were told that we needed an access code for our text book but mostly for quizzes. This was a $100 purchase that we used for a total of four times. That's $25 a use! When it comes to tests it her way or the highway it seems. I am deeply disappointed with her ability as a professor.

No notes Not helpful Not the best professor

first of all, this is a high failing class. You have at least 3 homework assignments every week, which are very time consuming. The exams are impossible because if you don't write EXACTLY what she wants you will get the whole question wrong. they're all extended response questions. If you don't need to take this class. Don't. you'll be stressed

Exams are extremely difficult. Lots of homework. Speed of the class is fast. If you don't understand something during class you need to ask for help because she doesn't go over any material in the next class. Notes aren't helpful. Assigned seats. Lots of group work. The test questions are 7-12 all extended response. Graded extremely hard.

This class was so frustrating. Karen is very into more experimental teaching methods. The exams were extremely difficult; the only reason I aced the course was because I didnt skip a single lecture and got all the extra credit.

Professor Sirum's BIOL 2050's class is very difficult. It is lecture heavy, and the slides are important for each CQ. The tests are impossible but if you do the reading quizzes it will act as a buffer for your grade.

She gives quizzes on information you do not learn about thoroughly. Be ready to teach yourself!

If you have a choice, do not take bio2050 with Karen Sirum. Her tests are the hardest tests Ive ever taken. They are all « select all that apply » over things she never taught in class. She talks in circles and 100 mph. There are three extensive homework assignments due EVERY week, the only thing that will save your grade when you fail her tests ^^

Do not take this professor. If you do, make sure you do every single RQ, which is the homework due before each class, three days a week. The tests are impossible. The RQ's are the only thing that saved my grade. Test questions are "select all that apply" so there are always more than one right answer. The study guides are basically no help either.

Homework due before every class and the assignments take an extended period of time. She gives you questions to study and you feel like you know everything and you take a concept quiz and it is nothing but, "select all that apply questions" The concept quizzes are near impossible to get an A on.

The homework you do is irrelevant to what is on the quizzes, so it is busy work. The quizzes are based on what she discusses in class, but you can't understand what she is saying in class because she speaks too fast.

I do an average of 8 hours of homework a week for this class and still have not passed an exam. Also, this class feels like more of a chemistry class than a biology class so you better make sure you take chemistry first or it will feel like a foreign language.

Sirum herself is really nice, but the way she teaches does not help people at all, we all have to teach ourselves the subjects before class and there is a homework assignment due before every class that I don't mind. But what I do mind is however how hard I study its nearly impossible to even pass a single test!

Class averages on the tests were almost always around 60% which isn't a good sign. Be prepared for RQ's due every other day on top of the 6+ hours of studying you will have to do to understand lecture. I am trying to give the benefit of the doubt because we are in a pandemic, but I think this class was a lot to handle in these times. Very strict.

Professor Sirum is not a bad person, she has good intentions, but assignments being due one MonWedFri at 8am is a bit ridiculous. Also she tells you to look at the study guides to help you with the tests, but then the tests are not at all what you expect. And when you ask why you're failing she says you need better study habits.

Professor Sirum is very kind, however the class is not. If you are not majoring in Biology and have prior experience after high school you will not pass this class unless you read the book three times through. The tests are nothing you would expect and nothing like the study guides.

If you do not have prior knowledge good luck. She has things due at 8 am before class every day which is odd in my opinion. When exams come and you (most likely) fail the first one, she will blame your study habits and not really provide anything else to you. If you do not need this class for your major, do. not. take. it.

Dr. Sirum is a great person don't get me wrong, but her teaching style is not ideal. The RQs never have anything to do with what we are learning about. The CQs are worded absolutely different from the information taught in class. If you need to take a biology course, try to get a different professor if possible if you're not up for the challenge.

This class was dreadful. Karen teaches over zoom in a huge lecture hall, the only plus to this is that sometimes she records the lectures so you can watch them later. Second, her tests (CQs) are more on reading comprehension than the actual material we go over in our reading quizzes and lectures. Beware the "select all that apply" questions.

She is a nice person, but subpar teacher. Go in knowing what is going on, I'd encourage you use the resources she provides. Test yourself frequently on the concepts, and study! Study frequently, be sure to be proactive and ask questions. Her lectures don't transfer directly into the exams. Best of luck! (Side note, I took this in Fall of 2021)

She will blame your study habits when you don't do well on a test or the homework. You aren't allowed to use quizlet and if you do she will report you. She doesn't teach you the material; you teach it to yourself and she maybe goes over the answers to a study guide that is unrelated.

one of the worst professors that I've had so far. it's extremely difficult to pass her "CQ's". Blames struggling grades on the student's inability to properly study. told this was an online class; only she is online, we're in a room. Not allowed to use quizlet, she will report you. RQs: how you teach yourself the material, because she really won't.

Her exams are nothing like what is taught in class and she words things to the point where they make absolutely no sense. You can study for hours and hours to try and teach yourself the material but good luck.

One good thing about this class is that the homework which are due before every class make up for a large portion of your grade along with your lab. However her exams are nothing like what is taught. She provides study guides which are nothing like what is on the exam so there is really no point in studying for them.

This professor taught course through zoom but made students come into classroom. Main form of teaching was through videos and readings outside of class (then asked RQ questions that did not relate to material). CQs were next to impossible no matter how much studying was done. If you have this professor all I gotta say is good luck.

she does not allow you to see tests after taking them to see what you aren't understanding in the class, she also makes it very homework heavy and her tests do not match study guides and beware of thing on tests that were never discussed

I would rather put toothpicks in all 10 of my toes and kick a wall as hard as I can then ever sit through another lecture with Dr. Sirum

I would never recommend Dr Sirum to anyone. She does not believe in extra credit or curving. Her class is only quiz and test based. It is 99% out of class work and 1% in. Going to class makes you more confused than before. The only good thing about this class is her grade scale. Somehow I ended up with a B in this course by not passing a single CQ.

Don't waist your time... She made me sweat.

Sirum teaches this course from zoom. Never once did we see her in person. She sits in a library somewhere and zooms in to the class and lectures then sends us to review essentially the homework we just completed in small groups. Finally, she claims she cares for her students, but when I was .04% away from earning a B she refused to round up for me.

Definitely if you are scheduled to have her, switch professors. She has homework almost everyday but it's just busy work. Attendance is not mandatory but if you miss her lecture, you will get lost. Lots of quizzes and they are conceptual, meaning they are hard if you don't study the material daily. She was over zoom and we had to still attend.

Dr. Sirum taught exclusively online even though it was projected to the class in the lecture hall. She was very difficult to meet with for office hours and her tests were obnoxiously hard due to her tricky select-all questions.

Make sure you are perfect if you even take this Biology course. Having a family issue? Perhaps a death in the family? If your test is the next day, tell papaw to hold on just a little bit longer because you just cannot even let the professor know ahead of time you will miss, always be in class. If you are a bio major, find a different professor.

This class was extremely difficult, to say the least. Lots of homework has little to no correlation with what the exams are over. Her "study guides" are nothing like her exams. She also teaches from zoom but forces students to come to the lecture hall. If there is no prof in the room, this should be marketed as an online course. Do not take.

While we were expected to attend class every time, she was projected onto the screen via a zoom call. Did not allow us to use tools like quizlet to study, and practically forbid her LAs from actually helping us outside of class. Her tests were confusing and the wording was hard to understand. Pretty much had to teach myself the whole course.

Little confused why students are required to go to the classroom for her to hide behind a screen on zoom. Wish it was stated before hand when looking to take a "in person class". Whatever you do make sure you do not use any online study tools as that is not acceptable for her. Still haunted by this class months later.

I took this class twice total. The first time I reached out to her for help and wasnt given much in return, I ended up failing the class. The second time I found a coach to help me and still failed. It was a waste of money for that class considering its all online assignments and no real lecture. You learn through youtube links she posts. 0/10

Dr. Sirum was super difficult for me. I had to drop her class because I couldn't follow along with lectures and her slide shows didn't give any detail about what we were learning. If you can listen to a lecture and learn off of that you will do fine but if you need to be able to read or see what she's talking about, you are going to struggle.

I tried to have a positive view on her regardless of unpopular opinions, I don't know why she is even allowed to teach still. She makes up the tests and her tests are extra tricky no matter how hard you study because she pulls answers out the side of her butt that aren't even correct, or the best option. Ta's are no help either.

Awful

Karen still teaches over Zoom, however, you have to attend in-person classes. Her lectures are pointless and doesn't provide her slideshows until after class. She talks too fast, gives no feedback unless you talk to her 1 on 1 on Zoom, she doesn't provide your LA's any information (so they can't help you either). Don't take this class

So difficult and hard. Cried way too much. Fire her.

I am usually a straight A student, but this was the hardest class I have ever taken. She does not teach in person even though it was an in-person class. She teaches over zoom and has LA's run the class. The LAs are not helpful. Her tests are horrid and make no sense. I did pass a single one. Like I said I have always been a straight A student.

Professor doesn't attend class but students are required to be there. She takes no time to actually explain material, as she seems to believe we already know everything. To see what you got wrong on tests, you have to schedule office hours. I could write an essay on why you shouldn't take this class, but there is only a 350 character limit.

If you have to take this course with this professor, do some inner reflection: Do you value happiness? Do you like your mental health? perhaps consider a good psychiatrist and a heavy antidepressant because baby you gonna be praying for Jesus to take the wheel every single day. She is if that vegan teacher and Karen from Spongebob had a child.

Please for the love of God and everything that is good, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Unless you're a masochist and like being in physical, emotional, and mental pain every waking minute. Karen herself is a sadist and has personally bragged about how many students fail her tests. She spends class time rambling on about things that don't actually matter.

I tried to have an open mind going into this class despite the negative things I heard. However, it really is as bad as people say. I was valedictorian of my graduating class, and I thought it was relatively difficult. The questions on her tests are designed to trip you up and are heavy with select all that apply. I found my best friends, though!

Not an easy class or informational one. Her office hours are not helpful in the slightest bit and if you go she will just make you feel dumb and degrade you. You can fail all the CQs and still pass, but you have to do the RQs.

She flies through material without giving much explanation of whats going on. She doesn't come to class (even though it is listed as in-person) and teaches over zoom, and we are required to be there. She shows no care for her students learning. I've even heard that she has told people to change majors. Maybe SHE should change her profession.

Expect to spend 9+ hours a week on homework assignments. I found the lectures weren't very helpful or engaging and there weren't enough review sessions before exams. The only pro of this class was not having to buy a textbook and the large grading scale. I would not recommend taking this class unless you need it for your major or want a challenge.

This professor does not show up to class. She only does Zoom she expects too much from her students. She says she has medical issues but she travels the fact that I pay her salary and yet she never shows up to class is upsetting. Her tests are hard and if you plan to pass show up to class. if you don't show up to class you fail.

0/5 stars

You do not get to see your answers for the test and she does not reply to emails

On zoom class only, wish people were warned of this because it is extremely hard to listen to someone who isnt teaching in person, talk so fast and isnt there to see when anyone is confused, almost daily homework, tests dont make any sense, etc. Would never suffer through this class again.

Awful that she don't even go to class,

She wouldn't let me make up a test despite having a death in the family anf missing an entire week of lecture. DO NOT TAKE KARENS CLASS!!

Quite honestly the worst professor I have had at BGSU, does not seem to care about her students and the lectures are boring. Did not let me make up quiz that i had missed while in the hospital for an injury even with a doctors note and evidence of my injury. Trust, you do not want her, she only cares about the paycheck, not your education

Her test is tricky and hard. She didn't care about her students at all. When you pop up during her office hours it just makes things worse, she makes you feel horrible by criticizing your wrong answer, like "How could you mess up this basic question bla bla". I am taking this personally but RUN.

Her tests are tricky and tough. She doesn't care about her students at all, my friend used to meet her during office hours, and she made my friend feel horrible by criticizing her wrong answer without explanation. I am taking this personally but pls run.

got a 71% in the class - which by her rubric is a C, but she gave me a D anyway saying my learning was below average for her class

Unfortunately one of the worst learning experiences I've ever had. Students called her Karen bot because even though the class is "in person" the professor never shows up. She claims to have an ailment of sorts that does not allow her to come in person, but is routinely seen travelling around. Tests are rough and the homework is upwards of 8 hours.

Requires you to come to class but shes on zoom. She talks in circles for the first 75% of every class and crams all of the 'important' information at the end. Most work is outside of class and is all videos. Lots of select all questions that if you get one wrong the whole question is wrong. Doesn't let you see the questions you get wrong on a quiz.

Attendance is mandatory while she's on a zoom screen. Talks in circles 75% of the class about info from the first week that doesn't concern to our learning. Expects us to work in assigned "teams" when most of us are confused so we are unable to answer the questions. LA's are there to help but could be "unable to answer our questions." RUN FROM BIO

She is only on Zoom but you still have to go to the class. She doesn't teach you in class but you have homework everyday before the class. You pretty much have to teach yourself.

Horrible at teaching

Do not take any of this professors classes. She is horrible and does not care if you fail she will not do anything to help you. The tests are pretty much the only thing you are graded on.

She is on zoom and makes you do in class study guides but doesn't give you answers. She submits her lecture video and slides but they are not helpful. She says test and retest yourself but doesn't give helpful answer keys to check answers. Lots of video watching and not a lot of class interaction. Her class average is a c

very hw heavy

You have to teach yourself. I did not learn anything from this class. The only thing I got was stress. 0/10 would not recommend.

I had to take this class as a requirement for my major. I'm not a bio major, but I do find interest in biology. Sirum's "teaching" style isn't all that great. The class is so independent that it should be considered an online course. Information is quality, but the way of learning isn't easy for most people, myself included.

I don't know where to start. I genuinely don't think Karen Sirum wants to see any student succeed in her class. You are basically teaching yourself for the entirety of the course, it should be an online class. 95% of the lecture is spent talking about things that aren't going to help you on the test. Simply, do not take, awful, stressful, horrid.

Do not take this class no matter what. Her tests are nothing on the review, you are basically teaching yourself everything. She sits on zoom at home while we have to be in class. She does record all of her lectures and posts them which is good.

Karen Sirums lectures consist of irrelevant topics that will never be on the test. Don't even bother using the study guide either because that stuff won't be on the test. Also, you will never get back your test to see what you did wrong. Overall, she is a terrible professor that should be fired.

You teach yourself, modules are super long and a waste of time because it's nothing ever of what is on the CQ's. Homework heavy. Doesn't answer questions directly. On Zoom but requires us to be in class. Worst professor I've ever had.

There is homework videos that are due before every single lecture. She is on zoom 100% of the semester because of something she never seems to explain. The lectures are her just talking in circles 80% of the time and she talks about information that does not and will not help you on the tests. You have to teach yourself in this class.

super awful professor and very hard to get ahold of outside of class. She demands us to accommodate to her but refuses to accommodate to us. Karen demanded us to show up to all of her lectures yet was projected via Zoom call because she is oh so terrified of COVID19. She has no respect for her students and boasts about how the class average is a D.

She taught over a zoom call. Her lectures were repeating everything we did for homework, which we had a plentiful amount of every week. She was not helpful at clarifying information. I learned the concepts on my own to pass the class. The tests were extremely hard for me personally, even when studying weeks in advance. I do not recommend.

ONLY zoom lectures

I had a traumatic brain injury diagnosed by multiple doctors and a CT scan with written records stating I physically was unable to take her online exam. Refused to let me take it later or make it up. The moral of the story is you could get hit by a car, have an accident happen to you Meredith Grey style and she still would not give you any grace.

Teacher has a mysterious illness that she has to teach zoom classes. She has TA but they never help. And her class is impossible due to her unviability making it all on her time because she chooses not to come to campus. Not really much else to say than don't take this class and this woman needs fired immediately.

She is on zoom while students are in class. She just advertises her personal agenda and you won't learn anything. teach yourself through homework. she doesnt come bcs "she is afraid of covid and has some illness", but i found out by accident that she doesnt even live in ohio. if u can, delay taking the class so u can get a better professor

Karen Sirum is awful.Essentially makes up class policy and grading as she goes. Will tell you to refer to aspects of the syllabus that simply do not exist.Grading is unreasonably tough for what should be a throwaway class (Business Major).What should be a fairly easy class turns into busy work quickly turns into just appeasing Professor Sirum's ego