His lectures are great and you get a lot out of them. You do have to show up for class though, because he does the quiz thing. His tests can be tough, especially as far as time goes but he's fair. Mainly you just have to keep up and do all of the assigned homework, and don't fail any tests =D

A great instructor, all around. He makes my current professors look like idiots. The only thing that annoyed me was that it took him so long to quit listening to "lame question guy."

McCann is an amazing professor. The only people who would give him horrible ratings are those who did not go to class or take effective notes. Throughout the semester, he tells you exactly what he expects of you, and if you deliver, he is very consistant and predictable about grading. Best tenured prof at UA.

DON'T DO IT! I worked my butt of in this class and barely pulled out a B. The only reason is because I did well on the programs, which is good because even the smartest person in the class will never get anything above a mid B on the tests, seriously.

Great professor, he is extremely organized and tells you exactly what you need to know for the tests. The tests are long....and you need creativity...but it's possible. The lectures move at a nice pace, and the homework load isnt too heavy

Great teacher. Restored my faith in CS department after having Mercer. Possibly the most organized prof. I've had so far. 245 is challenging, but good grades are definately possible. Tests are challenging but fair. Attendance is essential b/c of pop quizzes. Honors section is great!

Yes, he's a tough teacher. But tough doesn't necessarily equate to bad. Grading is always fair: you earn the grade you receive. The content may not be everyone's favorite, but it will definitely come in handy as you take higher classes and enter the field.

Great prof. Funny, enthusiastic, and fair. His tests aren't hard, they just demand you know why what you're learning is important, instead of just spitting out code that worked on the assignments. Simply put, his class is how college courses should be.

Amazing Teacher one of the best Ive had, I had him for 345 and 245 Both were very interesting you do have to pay attention in class and like everyone else said his test are difficult but fair

McCann teaches extremely well, is very organized and keeps a light mood in his classroom that is good for learning. His tests are arbitrarily difficult and for new students the test length is very unexpected. Regular students will have to work for a B. The class is good but seems like a vetting process to find students committed to CS.

The guy gives great lectures. But his tests are brutal and you need to study before every class because of quizes that can come out of nowhere. My advice, only take him if you have to and get ready to kill yourself!

Very good teacher, but his homework and tests are very hard. You must attend every class, and study his notes very carefully. Still, i really enjoyed his class.

Makes you work for your grade. Odds are you've already heard plenty about McCann if you're in the major. Good teacher, but expect to put lots of work in.

Had him for 245 and 345. Best teacher Ive had in college. Really challenges you with his tests, programs, and homework. His lectures were so clear and precise. Though the course was difficult, I feel like I really know the material well. Sleepless nights on some assignments, but I recommend taking this professor if you want to learn something

I've actually had 3 courses with Dr. McCann, but figured I'd comment on this one. Following the first one, my review might have been less fair. But I've found him to be the best lecturer in the department. If you can get through his tests, you'll do well. Do NOT take 345 from anyone else. Especially if you plan to go on to take 445.

McCann is a great teacher period. He is clear, well organized and knows what he's talking about. I will admit his classes are difficult and challenging, but I definitely feel I've learned a lot (more than most classes). I definitely feel that if you didn't do well in this class, it was not because of McCann.

He is a funny professor and definitely loves teaching logic. There is a lot of homework and the tests are hard, but the class is worth it.

Best professor I've ever had. Extremely difficult though.

This professor gets a bad rep because you have to work very hard at getting a good grade. But I have never had a professor explain such complicated material so well. He is one of the best professors out there in my opinion. Study, study, study and you will succeed. My only complaint is that he takes no part in the grading, which can lead to issues.

His notes are online to preprint and he fills them in during class. He's easy to understand and teaches clearly but is a stickler when grading. Very sarcastic when asked dumb questions.

I've had him for 4 different classes: CSC 352, 345, 245, and ISTA 130. He is the best teacher I've had within the computer science department. He is a very interesting and thorough lecturer, but his classes tend to be harder than average. If you spend the time to learn the material then you have nothing to worry about.

Lectures notes are online and the readings and homework he assigns are extremely helpful. Also, if you do the section problems you are golden in this class. His tests are a bit long, but they are easy if you understand the material. I only got a B in the class, but could have gotten a A if I put a little more effort.

If you're not mathematically minded, this class WILL be challenging. Go to class and take notes and go over your notes at the end of the day. Do as many practice problems as you can, try not to wait until the night before homework, and attend sections. McCann is a very good and clear teacher but you NEED to be well prepared for tests to do well.

McCann is known for his extremely difficult exams. Know that going into the class. Know the material and you'll have little trouble in his classes. He knows the subjects inside and out and is willing to explain them to you until you fully understand. He is an outstanding lecturer and if you like a little bit of sarcasm you'll truly enjoy his class

Definitely the best teacher I've had at the UofA. He has a definite method to his teaching, but was able to answer any question asked quickly and seemed to understand the student's questions/confusions better than any other professor I've had. Every lecture felt like an epiphany. Definitely go in ready to work hard though.

McCann is a fantastic lecturer. He explains the concepts very clearly and in ways that keep you interested. He has a structure of 'approximately' one pop quiz a week, which is helpful in keeping you diligent throughout the semester. Go into this class with intent to learn the material. If you try and slack off for an easy A, you'll soon reconsider

I'm fresh off of finishing my first test for the class so this not a full review. First, assingments. Assignments in this class get hard really quickly. The first two are easy and the third is hard. McCann during lecture is clear and helpful at least in 127A. He will go out of his way to help but can be a bit smart if you ask overly dumb questions.

Dr. McCann goes very in depth on the lectures. I loved the course because I love coding. Dr. McCann was a pretty good professor; sometimes funny and pretty helpful overall. He uses piazza for answers to quick questions. Doesn't use the textbook much. The tests are not pre-scheduled in the syllabus. They are very long, but okay if you study.

Lester McCann is (in my opinion) one of the best teachers I've ever had at the UofA. He's a short-and-to-the-point kind of guy. He's been teaching this course for many many years, and knows what students are confused about before we even know it. His tests are jam packed with questions, so be ready for that, but overall great guy and fun class

Easy Class, Amazingly hard Exam. Average grade around C (Be careful)

This guy can teach and wants to teach. One of the best teachers I've had here (3 years at U of A), not the easiest but suck it up most classes are a joke. Oh yeah, knows the material like a genius.

Dr. McCann genuinely loves teaching this class, and it shows. His lectures are very informative and he always pauses to see if anyone has any questions. If you ask him to clear things up, he will. Quizzes every week which count for 16% of grade in total, so going to class is a must. His tests are very difficult, so study long and hard.

Dr. McCann genuinely loves teaching this course, and it shows. His lectures are very informative and he always pauses to see if anyone has any questions. If you ask him to clear things up, he will. Quizzes every week which count for 16% of grade in total, so going to class is a must. His tests are very difficult, so study long and hard.

McCann is great lecturer and is very clear about his expectations. He gives long tests and sometimes may gauge difficulty incorrectly, though I had plenty of time for all but one. He expects you to and you HAVE to keep up with the weekly material by studying for quizzes and making sure you understand everything (HW, section problems, lecture, etc.)

Programs are worth 40% of total grade; tests about 10-15% each, with the possibility of the final exam being optional and replacing your lowest exam grade. The tests are long but fairly graded; be sure to read the ENTIRE question or else you'll lose points. Follow syntax and do your programming assignments, and you should be fine. Great teacher!

The class was made of mainly homework programs (31%) every week and tests(15% each). Reading the homework completely is ESSENTIAL to getting full points. You will most likely do well on the test if you understand the homework and section. The sections and in class quizzes were pretty simple, so as long as you show up and try, you'll get credit.

Attending class is a MUST. I missed 1 day and that was hard enough to bear. There are pop quizzes that he warns you about in the beginning. To pass the quizzes and tests, you must do the homework and study. The material has to be thoroughly known beforehand to finish the each exam in 50min. It's almost impossible to get an A if you slack off.

Good teacher! DO NOT PROCRASTINATE ON PROGRAMS! They tend to get longer and more difficult the more you learn. Use the 5 free late days wisely! The tests are ridiculous! Must know how to write code on paper because you have to for the tests. The SL's and McCann grade the tests and act like they're Java! Stay on Piazza and ask a lot of questions!!!

McCann gets a bad rap for being really tough. This class will force you to decide if computer science is for you. I really liked his teaching style. If you're new to programming, the learning curve can be steep, but hang in there! I really enjoyed class and attending lecture. There are a lot of resources that he provides. Take advantage of these!

I took 127A with McCann and it was really easy. I didn't work very hard in 127B, and I procrastinated a lot because I thought I could get by like I did in 127A. Do not do this. If you slack off in this class or wait till last minute to do your programs, then you'll probably only end up with a B or lower. Overall though, it's a fair class.

Tough tests, and you would miss a lot of crucial information without going to the class.

Mccann is a pretty good professor. He goes into A LOT of detail and is really thorough. His tests are tough and long--expect to be tested on every little thing that's taught in lecture. There isn't a textbook for CSC127B as he teaches it. My advice is take good notes, pay attention, and do all the in-class activities.

Dr. McCann definitely knows the material which he is discussing; he is a good lecturer and keeps the classes moving. However, he has never held a real industry job outside of academia, so some of his advice to new students is really bad because it's completely unrealistic in today's market, and assignment grading seems to be totally subjective.

This class is pretty rough. Overall, the prior reviews of Dr. McCann mirror my experience for CSC245. He is the best lecturer I've ever had, however the tests are brutal. The average for the final exam was a 64.6% out of the 86 students who took it. Final grades: 64% received a letter grade of C and below, 29% received Bs and 7% received As.

The material taught in the class is really simple. However, once you get to the homework and the tests, McCann expects you to use that knowledge critically and be creative to get the correct answer. Expect to memorize definitions and for pop quizzes every week. McCann offers no xtra credit, but if you do better on the final it'll replace a midterm.

I've had Mccann for three straight semesters (127A, 127B, and 245). For 245, he basically knows everything because he's been doing the same material for 22 of the past 23 semesters. You know that you're learning a lot. Homework isn't that hard, but tests are. He's a tough grader and only gave 6 people A's my semester. Still one of my favorites

Dr. McCann runs a pretty tough class. The projects are tough. The tests are tough. However, the class is structured incredibly well and if you learn the material then it is manageable and you learn a lot

I loved Dr. McCann. He is a really funny dude and is knowledgeable of the course. The lectures are very useful as you can ask questions, which he will respond too. CSC 245 is a lot of work and McCann is more than willing to help you the entire way.

Easy A. Might be the easiest classes I've ever taken. If you pay the slightest amount of attention in class you'll ace the midterms, and the final is basically a freebie. Not only that, but the class itself is extremely interesting and his lectures are amazing. He even drops 4 (!!!) quizzes and a midterm. ONE OF THE BEST CLASSES AT UA!

Discreet math was an awesome class I would look forward to attending. Lester is hilarious and really knows the topics well. There are pop quizzes, about one per week, that are a breeze. A lot of people complain about this class but probably because they are deplorable. He drops 3 quizzes and one midterm. The section leaders are awesome too! Free A!

This was probably the easiest class I've ever taken in my life. I'm not sure exactly what you would have to do to get lower than an A tbh. Dr McCann is such a great professor who somehow manages to run an easy class while still helping you to learn a lot. Gives plenty of extra credit and the midterms/final is laughably easy. Almost guaranteed an A.

He's a great professor who's passionate about Discrete Math... but I'm a student who's not! Regardless of my poor liking of the subject, he is a great professor. His lectures might've become boring if he didn't add his humors in. He does give extra points in tests and drops 4 quiz out of 12. Because of his pop quiz, you kinda study every day also.

Lots of people on here give Dr. Mccann a hard time. I went into this class with an open mind and ignored all of the negative reviews that others had given him. This is definitely not an easy class, however, if you put in the work and time every week & go to lectures AND pay attention you will do fine. Make sure to study for quizzes and attend SI.

McCann has been teaching this class for over 10 years, so he knows his stuff. Good teacher but material and lectures can get boring at times. Class is very difficult, be prepared for random quizzes (4 get dropped) and the tests are very difficult. Know your math review for easy points! Supplementary Instruction sessions were helpful, go to them!

Starts out super easy, last 3 topics are by far the hardest. Try to save your questions for piazza, too many in class questions about the relatively easy material resulted in having to rush through the hardest stuff at the end. Liked his teaching style. Fill out the note outlines he gives you. Not as funny as he thinks he is but thats ok :)

McCann is overall a good a professor. His class is rough, and his awkward humor may come off as mean, but I think it's all in good humor. You will have to work for it, and if you skip class you may miss important lectures or quizzes, but he is fair.

I took McCann for 245 and also for 372, which he doesn't normally teach. Very organized/structured in terms of lecture and assignment style, which I prefer. Is interested in challenging students, but gives the resources to meet those expectations. might come off a bit grumpy to some with his sense of humor, but he really does care. Highly recommend

Had him during COVID fiasco. His lectures are very good -- easy to digest content with little review. Perhaps overly heavy on examples, but not a bad thing. The first exam was only formally timed exam, but the ones given during COVID were supposed to be similarly in time and all were hard to finish within 50min, but content was definitely fair.

Took this course Spring 2020 meaning the class switched to online halfway because of COVID. The class is essentially a math class with tons of proofs. If you're good at math you'll find this class easy. If not you'll struggle. Before this class switched to online there was a pop quiz pretty much every week, so study before every class.

I won't sugar coat this, McCann is the professor standing between you and admission into the major. This is a glorified math class, so be prepared for math and proofs. I liked his lectures, but his sense of humor is definitely not for everyone. He gives you many opportunities for getting help. This is not an easy class, but not impossible.

He has been my favorite CSc professor so far. His class is not exactly easy, but he does give you all the tools to be successful. If you are good at math, this class shouldn't be too hard. His teaching is straightforward. You do need to memorize a lot of definitions and rules because they will show up on quizzes and exams.

Amazing teacher, with excellent lectures. CSC245 is essentially a logic & proofs class. If you're good at math you'll do fine. Unfortunately, we don't do many applications in this class, so I find it rather boring. He's friendly, and gives fair (but fairly hard) tests. You actually need to study though, because he's a stickler for definitions.

This class is what stands between you and getting into the major. McCann is a good lecturer but this is by far one of the hardest classes I have ever taken. If this class were split up into two parts, it would be much more manageable because there is SO much content you have to memorize. Homework, quizzes, and tests are also graded very harshly.

Dr. McCann is a good professor. He has been teaching this class for more than a decade. He cares about your learning and will answer Piazza questions at like 10pm. But it is a VERY hard class and you will need to work hard for it. If you're not gifted in math like me, you will need to study a lot.

Superb lecturer for a well-structured, organized class. Often scoffs at questions (and once berated a student for believing modulo could be distributed) but is otherwise upbeat and enthusiastic. Exams are a good accumulation of the coursework, but are needlessly long (they're fair, but why assess speediness rather than solely course concepts?).

Mccann is a great lecturer, but this class sucks solely because of the INSANE amount of content that is covered. The topics themselves arent too difficult to grasp but you have to remember so so much in order to get a good grade. Thank goodness future pre-cs ppl will get to take 144 and 244 instead, since the department is getting rid of this class

I enjoyed this class. McCann is a great lecturer and the content is very well structured and organized. There is quite a lot of material, but the class is pretty easy if you have a math background. Regardless, he explains things really well and offers plenty of opportunities to get help if you need it.

Dr. McCann is super knowledgable and thorough. He's pretty awkward, but its fine. He front-loads the class so that the hardest assignments are the first 3 and the next 5 are about half as much work. For exams, you literally have to memorize the lecture slides cause this dude will test you on everything he's ever said. He is very clear and fair.

McCann is a good, knowledgeable lecturer. His TAs and him also grade fairly. The class isnt hard, but there is SO much content you are expected to remember, that it makes it very difficult to do well on exams. Im glad this course is being replaced by a two course sequence, because this is the class that prevents people from making it into the major

Controversies aside, I can't deny that Dr. McCann is VERY good at teaching this material. In fact, he's probably the best fit for this course. He told us early in the semester that this is his favorite course to teach, and it really shows in his enthusiasm and depth of knowledge. Tho I wasn't really a fan of the memorization-heavy exams.

Show up, pay attention, do your work, and you'll do fine in this class.

If you pay attention to the class, you will do great. He teaches VERY VERY GOOD, it is undeniable. He has plan for everything and has well-prepared slides. There are unannounced quizzes, which makes you to follow the lectures and you'll do fine with HWs and Exam,

Lester is the best professor I have ever had at the University of Arizona. He knows exactly how to teach what he is going over and really cares about his students. He also has very entertaining lectures and made it fun to learn. This does not mean the class was a breeze but if you pay attention do the work and take notes anyone can do well

Got a review for my teacher, you gotta hear me, Got a C, but don't you worry 'bout me, Learned so much, and that's the key! My teacher's tough, but he's also fair, Pushed me hard, made me go the extra square, Never let me slack, always had me on my toes, Now I'm smarter, thanks to him, innit bruv, it shows!

Mccann is amazing at educating and his lectures are extremely entertaining and informative. Although the class was difficult, doing the work was exciting and if you put in the effort, you will get what you want out of the class. I highly recommend anyone to take this professor as your love for the concepts will grow.

This professor is a very tough grader but is an amazing lecturer. The homework consists of mostly textbook questions, which can be very difficult. Questions on quizzes and exams tend to be much easier than the homework. Also, there were 12 quizzes that can be given out in any class session except on exam weeks.

Lester McCanns class was my favorite that I've taken so far at the University of Arizona, his lectures are well prepared and you can tell he cares. This class is very memorization heavy and grading is tough but sort of fair at the same time. Don't skip class, even though slides are posted you can get lost if you dont keep up, there are pop quizzes.

Don't hate the professor. Hate the course. Many reviews seem to be getting that wrong. Discrete is not an easy course, but Dr. McCann is easily the best DM teacher at UA. Very fair and forgiving grading policy - it takes effort to fail. Review lessons and get help from the TAs (they were great) & SI sesh. Don't memorize definitions; understand them

Discrete Math is an extremely difficult concept to learn. But McCann puts so much effort into his lectures, and he really loves teaching. Even though he was a tough grader, it's a hard class, and I didn't even get a good grade, he taught you a lot. I fully believe the only reason I got an A in Discrete Math II was because he taught so well.

The course content is extremely difficult, but I felt as though Dr. McCann gave the opportunities to succeed in the class. He has the best lectures I have ever had. The homework was much harder than the exams and even though attendance isn't mandatory, there are pop quizzes. All of the quizzes were simple, and helped outline what to study.

Discrete math is a tough subject to learn, it was tough on me the first few lectures due to language; and yes, pop quizzes are challenging. But the class is extremely interesting, McCann puts care and effort into his lectures and content; getting the hang of logic is very rewarding and the way he connects it to real life with examples is very fun!

Assignments are challenging in the first few weeks but become easier over time. Homework isn't too difficult because he provides many examples on the lecture slides. The midterm exam is quite comprehensive, requiring memorization of material from the slides and class discussions. The professor is good and grades fairly.

Hahaha, dropped cs major because of this class, not 120 unlike most people. The quizzes in this class are definition memorization heavy and barely quiz you on actual methodology. Felt like I was taking English class instead of something cs related. Mccann himself is a good lecturer, however the class is just not that great overall.

Professor McCann's Discrete Math class is challenging but rewarding. His lectures are engaging, and he makes complex topics comprehensible. Study aids like unstuck ai, alongside the textbook, can help manage the heavy memorization. Mandatory attendance and pop quizzes keep you on track.

Best professor I've had at Uofa. Very funny and engaging lecture, and just a nice guy. Taught the content well so it was easy to perform well on exams if you just show up to class and do the classwork. Just one weekly homework, doesn't take too long. Overall a very easy class if you do your part which isn't that much.

Simply the goat. Very engaging lectures in my opinion. Some of the material is hard the first time around but as you wrap your mind around it it's not bad. There are some pop quizzes to keep you on your toes, but they are fairly often that its less pop and more of a weakly quiz instead. Weakly in both sense of the word. Yeah I might be the Kendrick

I had McCann in 144 and left a positive review. 345 was much easier than 144. He tries to expand the knowledge and give plenty of examples. One homework was absurd, the rest (including PAs) were easy. He grades tough (less so than 144) but he is extremely knowledgeable and great lecturer. Overall fairly enjoyable class with interesting content.

Dr. McCann's class is straightforward. I could understand why people have a hard time with discrete math, but I found his teaching style entertaining, as Dr. McCann is knowledgeable. The syllabus has everything you need to know, including the pop quizzes and the overall rubric. The exams and homework are long but fair. Review before class!

Had him in 144 and 345. Amazing lecturer, no other CS prof rivals him in that. Dr. M's classes are difficult, but are extremely fair and straight forward. You will never encounter something on a homework, quiz, or test that you haven't been adequately taught how to do. Want an easy A, don't take him. Want to actually learn, take him. Simple as that

Dr. McCann is a wonderful professor. His classes are difficult but extremely fair. You put in the work with the resources McCann provides, and you will succeed.

I've had him 3 times already and will have him twice next semester for a total of 5 times while at UofA. He is an excellent professor; the lectures are the most useful things ever. The slides are great, and he explains things well. There are random quizzes once a week for attendance, while 2-3 are normally dropped. He has done this for 144 and 345.