2.9
Quality3.9
Difficulty23%
Would Retake192
Reviews23%
Would Retake
192
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
52
4
33
3
34
2
25
1
48
What Students Say
“4) Assignment requirements don't fit his requirements”
CISP360 - 2.0 rating“He has his own teaching material”
CISC360 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
45%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.96 avg changeRatings by Course
301
5.0
(1)C
5.0
(1)CISP440
5.0
(1)CISP360401
5.0
(1)CISP
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
CS32A32B
5.0
CIS2
5.0
C
5.0
COMPUTER
5.0
CIS31
5.0
Reviews (192)
I'm now at CSUChico. Dixon's VERY hard, but I'm glad I had him.
Ok, this guy is going to make you work. But a good thing about him is that you can re-do bad programs for a better grade. His exams are like rock, you're right if you're right and wrong when you're wrong. I got a C, but I know my C++!
This guy should more clearly state what he expects of students. I found him incredibly difficult to deal with, and he dropped my grade by 17.83% because I missed some classes -- even though all my programs were ingenious, and I did not miss as many days
Very hard teacher. He expects the class to work hard and gets very upset if they flake. However you will learn the material really well and he is an excellent preparation for the next level.
Is not afraid to let the students know that he is known as the 'gpa killer'. His assignments weren't that difficult, though when first presented with them they seemed overwhelming. But, watch out for the exams being composed of material he never presented
This instructor doesnt really teach and expect a lot from students. Not much hw assignment but very very tough. Exams are not easy either.
Can't explain things. not very patient. Do not take this class. teacher not very nice
This guy is hard. But if you stick with it he'll help you along. I even met him after some of his night classes and he was always willing to help. Most people dislike him, but if you truely want to become a good programmer take him.
He's not clear at all. He makes you to buy a book but he will never use it. You can't even read what he writes on the board. He expects you to know everything and have a great background in computers. But he will help you as much as he can in his office
lousy teacher and does not know material. doesnt care about students or helping them. He should be out of here.
Mr. Dixon is an interesting instructor.If you don't pay attention or attend class lectures you will miss alot of in class materials.I think he is very helpful with questions and can give you straight answers.His review exams helps me prepare for my final.
Mr. Dixon is an excellent instructor.Great teaching style,patient,willing to help students,and provide great review materials before an exam.He let's you rework your hw assignments.I've enjoyed his class and learned alot from his class.Great Instructor!
Very poor teacher. Not helpful or cares about students. take someone else who knows what he is doing.
Enigmatic would be a good adjective for Mr. Dixon -- but he is a great teacher. Although he has strange methods of instruction, they work very well -- he prefers logic by induction in his explanations, and focuses on the importance of lab work rather than tests. Take lots of notes to breeze through.
He is very easy. He will allow you to rework HW and is not afraid to sit down and help fix a program. However his test kick me in the ass.
This class will be a breeze if he gives the material of the programing aspect or program assignments already written. The only problem is knowing what to do if he doesn't hand anything out. Too many repetition of recently discussed materials are boring and only "exercise" is in the lab. Overall easy
What can I say, he's an average teacher. What's on the board is what matters. If you get his core concept you'll do fine but if you don't you'll struggle. His test questions are somewhat contain ambiguity. Follow what he do and it'll be just fine. Other than that he wants you to hit the mark.
he makes it easy to get an A in his class, but i found him impossible to understand. i got an A. but i am not convinced i learned anything. he is helpful and at leasts attempts to answer questions. he never uses the book so don't buy it. i wouldn't reccomend him
Worst prof I ever had. Would have us include his uncompiled and fatally flawed code in our programs. Workload and difficulty was ridiculous. 30 students started class, 4 showed up for final. Told me I had an A in class before final. Got a B on final. He gave me a C in the class?! Nice.
Dixon didn't bother to show up for the final. And made us reschedule to come in on OUR time to take his final. I had an A in the class going into the final and ended up with a C in the class coming out of the final and I know I didn't bomb on it. :(
He is excellent! I admit his tests and assignments are hard but he is the one helping you to get an A by improving your programming skills while not making the tests simple.
The worst teacher ever! He doesn't know the material very well, and he is lazy. He even didn't bother to return e-mail from students. His assignments are not that hard, just his unclear instructions make them look hard. Also, wrong sample programms help. I got A from him, so I'm not just whinning.
He is a pretty good teacher, I agree with some of the comment that his tests and assignments are hard. But I advise anyone who wants to be a good programmer to take him.
Cocky, arrogant professor who has no clue how to teach a class. The material is relatively easy, but the way he teaches it is vague and confusing. I had a 97% going into the final, and ended up with a B. He did not respond to emails inquiring about my grade. Avoid this teacher like the plague!
his tests are hard (and weighted above assignments) and it seems like you never have time to finish them. if u have any questions about stuff he will stay as long as it takes to answer them. very helpful.
i think rating is a matter of preference. To computer science major, difficult class doesn't mean it's bad; instead, he wants us know more about the base. Just like building a giant building, a firmed base is needed for us.
I have taken many computer science classes and this teacher doesnt even come close to the quality of teaching that I have received before. He is unorganized, and complicates class material so much that it causes class lectures to become a q&a for class members. He also does not respond to emails. I actually learned the material better on my own.
Best computer science teacher I have ever had!!! He knows his stuff better than most people that I have ever known. If you dont put any effort in the class you will get lost very quickly. If you have any questions on the material they better be very specific. He will notice if you are trying and help you in almost any way that you need.
Very, very helpful teacher. Will make sure students get the foundations down pat. 99.9%chance students will instill confidence within themselves in programming. Highly recommended.
Mr. Dixon is very helpful at the beginning. If you don't come to class you will be lost even though he will help you get back on track. He sometimes talk in code because he really knows his stuff but sometimes that makes is hard to follow. He is a good teacher, but you have to make sure you can keep up with him.
If you plan on going into Computer Science, this guy is a necessity. If not, then you might want to avoid him. Lectures are really interesting and he covers things well. Assignments are challenging, but he's helpful and lenient on due dates. If you're really set on getting a Computer Science degree then take this guy. You'll learn a lot.
Very smart man but talks over/at people and not to them. Unorganized, was late at every class. Enjoyed the labs. He gave possible timeframes as to when he would have assignments graded. He lied and never returned anything when he said he would.
I took several CIS classes with him a few years back and he is the reason I made programming my job. He is a very dedicated and smart teacher. His classes are not easy but you'll learn the important stuff needed to succeed in your future career.
Computer science students should take him. You also have a chance to revise assignments if you turn in on time.
If you are going into a computer science major, then this class is for you.The teacher teaches less cisc and more programing,but if you are transfering into a cisp class next semester then his class is a bonus.Test's are hard with controversal answers.Homework and x-tra credit are easy.Don't buy the book...its a waste of money. Answers all Q's
Dixon is a must for anyone transferring in CS. Lectures were all about the assignments he gave. Course book not necessary or needed. Guy knows his stuff. Probably the toughtest Los Rios CS teacher, but is a necessity for CS students. My only complaint would be the email. He acted like he was out of the country; took a week to respond.
If you are taking any computer classes after CISP 360 this guy is a must. I'm at a UC in CS and Engineering now and notes from his class still help. His lectures are outstanding and he teaches you some phenominal coding methods. Hard, but you leave feeling accomplished if you try. Best CS teacher ever.
Great teacher!
LOOKS OK. HE IS VERY HELPFUL. HE'S MY KIND OF TEACHER.
The guy is so cool. He is the best teacher in losrios. He teaches you lot of concepts, and it's good for CS major students. He explains to you well when you go to his office hours. It's a cool guy, who I never met before.
In spite of the word C++ in the title, this class is actually a clear, rigorous, and tightly organized introduction to C, with a heavy emphasis on learning good structured programming habits. The textbook is almost useless, so if you don't come to all the lectures and put in a lot of "C time" you may not survive this class.
Unusually challenging for SCC. Not a wise choice for the summer course... listen to his warning about keeping up. 40 start and 13 survive.
Professor Dixon is a great, humorous, and smart man. Instead of using the book, he teaches from his head; therefore, the book is unnecessary. His assignments are very fulfilling and you will feel confident about your skills once you finish them. Overall, highly recommended for all of you who wants to learn C and continue the path of programming.
so many works, notes. very hard. take it!!
He is a very good instructor and willing to help. The teaching topics are very comprehensive and very helpful for the next level of programming classes. I think it will be very helpful if you can read some very good C programming book or take his CISP 300 before this class. Learned quite a lot about practical way of programming from him.
I took CISP401 with Prof Dixon in 2007 Fall. This is second time I took class with him. He is a really smart guy, and he know all the stuff of Computer. I don't have any knowledge about Java, but I learned lot from him. He gave me lots of help while I struggled with this class. I like him, and he is my kind of teacher in losrios.
I took Java with Prof Dixon in Fall 2007. He really gave me a lot help when I still struggled with this subject. He is a smart, intelligent, and cool guy, but makes too many jokes. I like him, and he is my kind of teacher. Taking him for your future!
Dixon is very knows the material very well, is very generous in giving the class time to finsih the work, and is willing to spend time to help you with an assignment. With this said I do not recommend this professor. He knows the material very well but doesn't know how to teach it. He goes at his own pace, which is ironically computer speed, and do
This class is Introduction to Structured Programming,but Dixon expect that you already know programming. The require text book is using C++ but he only teach C, also he don't use the book at all. Don't expect the hybrid class will has any online help, he don't use it, and he don't reply email when you need help. He is the worst teach I ever have.
dixon is a really good and helpful professor
Avoid. He enjoys cloning himself and does not foster creative development. He is o.k. with you turning in his own cookie cutter code. If you know the ideas(passing parameters, pointers)ask Douglass or Wei to enroll in C++ or assembly. His exams exhibit grotesque grammatical errors on critical questions. If you must(4 major)do 360 somewhere else.
I am current in UCB, and I took cisp306 and cisp401 with prof Dixon in 2007. He is a great c.s teacher in Scc. Lot of people thought his class is very difficult; however, you will really miss his class when you get into the UC. His class is not hard at all. If you can get A without help, then you get good grade in UC. Take him if you are a C.S.
I encourage anyone taking Computer Engineering/EE to take this class for CISP360. Mr. Dixon is fair at grading, and very knowledgeable on the material. The class work is virtually none, though the homework can be tough at times. He lets you rework your assignments all the way till the day of the final, to ensure your A.
Taking CISP 360 with Mr. Dixon is a pleasure. He shows code samples and is very liberal in the way he lets you execute the code. If you don't have prior knowledge in programming make sure you read the text. prompt and fair grader, funny, and nice. adjusts the pace to the class. the one thing is that it takes him a long time to reply to emails.
Kick ass hard. But you learn..
MUST avoid!!! He will make students buy a textbook for C++, but in his class, we have to use C to program which the textbok is useless. Even though his lectures kind of help to do the program assignments, it will not help in his exams. Most of his exams are not from text, lecture or the assignments. You will not learn from this class so AVOID IT!!!
You'll find this class easy if you already know how to program from high school. You'll also spend a lot of time flowcharting your programs. Dixon's a nice guy. He gave us an extra credit project that placed me with above a 100% going into the final.
Example in class: it takes 1 day for you to paint your house, if you get a bro to help it will only take .5 days, if you get another to help it would take .25 days...I know he knows 1 divided by 3 is .33, but he makes these errors constantly! Poor speaking skills! Draws diagrams on top of diagrams...impossible to copy in your notes. Not compatible!
Don't take this class if you've had no prior experience with programming. The textbook is no help and the assignments incomprehensible. His use of the English language is occasionally alarming (syntax and pronunciation) and he would benefit greatly from actual "education" classes - that is, classes that teach him how to teach instead of rambling
If you can avoid this guy, it's probably not a bad idea. He is inconsistent in his grading criteria, will run out of class periods for the homework, and will talk about things that are WAY beyond the scope of the class. He is really wrapped up in his own image, as evidenced by the fact that he may be reading this to you in class. Very frustrating!!
Seriously, everyone that complains about "not learning" in his class wants their life handed to them. Just like in every college class, you have to strive w/ your blood, sweat, and tears. I learned a great deal about Linux, pointers, record-arrays, and parameter passing. I learned these on my own, with Dixon serving as my catalyst. Hi Dixon! G
Summer is always fast, but he got behind and skipped important topics that later proved to be critical. You need to learn completely on your own since you spend the class period figuring out his tough HW. I bought my own C book and worked my butt off to pass. Ambiguity on exam questions is frustrating. I didn't fail, but I regret taking Dixon.
Do not take online classes from him. He provides no lecture materials and uses his non online assignments. There is almost no communication. It takes a week to get email replys and there is no discussion board. Makes it impossible to complete assignments without searching for your own lecture materials online.
Class is in C, textbook is in C++. Be prepared to take excellent notes as the textbook is worthless. He overloads you with information, but never concisely explains anything you need to know. Copy his code from the projector -- you won't figure it out on your own unless you can already program. Sometimes he barely figures it out.
His lectures suck. He doesn't really teach, he just runs through the material. The class is on C, but the book is on C++. My advice: read the book anyways. You must ask questions to make him explain. There's way too much on the in class tests. He wastes your time reviewing the test, then doesnt allow enough time to finish. He's always late to class
Basically all the bad reviews are true. Uses a C++ book but teaches in C. Does not explain the material. Copy what he does in class but that wont help on the tests. Worst teacher i have ever had.
Aside from all the reviews, Dixon is a nice guy. Ask a question and he'll help. He was also generous in giving an extra credit assignment. That being said, he bumps up every grade 3%. (73%=C, 83%=B, 93%=A) Assignments must be done his way. Tests are multi choice (you'd think you'd create a program in this class), then write the program on paper
Exam questions have nothing to do with the book or his lecture material. Doesn't follow the syllibus. I expected I could handle the assignments, then do ok on the exams, but he isn't assigning some material on the syllibus. Now one of my poor exam grades is weighed much heavier because he forgot to assign some assignments.
Taking this class will be challenging, as programmer who does programing outside of college, I can say he really puts you in real life situations, where you are expected to quickly learn and pick up on concepts then apply them well. Very helpful, very professional. If you are looking for an easy A, then go back to getting a Liberal Arts degree.
Dixon really knows what he's talking about in lecture, and was INCREDIBLY helpful during office hours. The book isn't necessary since exams are based on lectures and projects (take lots of notes) but doesn't hurt to have. He allows you to resubmit assignments when you get them back, but his class is not easy (you WILL have to earn an A).
He is really awesome. He is ready to help at anytime. He can program a small program in 5 minutes. Taking his class is a pain for me as his assignments are really though. If you want to take him, ask someone to take it with you. You can't just do it by youself. good luck.
overall good teacher but if you do take his class don't waste $100+ on the "required" book. bought the dang book and looked at it twice. none of his lectures/test are from the book.
Dixon is a great teacher. He is strict with his grading style and wants assignments done 100% to his specifications, but his strict grading is actually a good thing; it helps you learn. He's one of the few CIS professors at SCC that actually WANT you to learn the material. I plan on taking CISP401 with him.
Dixon's not an easy teacher. He's knowledgeable, but uneven. He can be very lucid on certain concepts but will waste time with trivialities. Half the class amounts to watching him code, which teaches nothing. Sometimes his code does not work. Sometimes the assignment specs are flawed. He hunts for errors, and does not read the assignments fully.
Class is not hard. Dixon make it hard by not knowing his own requirements for his projects and exams. Very unclear in what he wants. Dixon, I know your are reading this -- make a example project in what you actually want. Would save you and students a lot of time from recorrecting projects. Remember, "structure"?
I'd like to say that this class was very challenging. I even expressed that I was struggling at times. Mr. Dixon was very sympathetic and offered to help me understand the subject. He took time even after class to help me with my assignment. He is very funny and knows his stuff. He offers countless reworks and tries to help the best he can.
I feel like I earned my "D" in his class. I am just happy it wasn't an "F" because I was flailing in that course and thought I wasn't going to survive...but i think Mr. Dixon had pity on me. I learned so much about computer science from his course and the knowledge he imparted has helped me throughout my career at the state.
He is very great teacher who help the student to prepare for the university help. I learn a lot from him and he is not hard or easy. He help student who really want to learn. He lead the student in the right direction and become the successful student. The harder teacher the better you become and help you to improve your achievement.
Michael Dixon is very hard to earn an A. He didn't even fail me. He give me second for me to make up the incomplete grade with letter I. Therefore, I have to complete the class in the following semester. He is very great teacher that I would never have. If any students have any problem learning you may talk to him and help will help you learn.
Michael Dixon is quite challenging teacher. He willing to give any student second change without requesting from a student. He didn't fail me, but he offer me an second chance to make up for the class by giving me I. I final able to complete his course. He help me to become successful in troubleshooting in Shiloh Arm Apartment and prepare for job.
He is one of my best teacher that prepare me for job in Shiloh Arms Department. He have leaded me to become very successful in troubleshooting just not programming. He teach me that great skills and technique in the programming/software design. He offer students many chances to fix your project until you get 100 in your projects. He great teacher.
I've taken 301 and 360 with him now. In 301 he was great. Not so much 360. My main gripe is organization; he lacks it. If your a logical person the work is not that difficult, but figuring out when it is due is another story. The problem seems to stem from having too many students, however that is no excuse to change due dates to early last minute.
Good professor, a bit different though. The class frequently falls behind and due dates are frequently extended. Very helpful for whatever questions you may have. Midterm was HARD. The highest score on the Scantron was 20/30. Very hefty programming questions, kind of a lot to throw at someone on a test. Kindly let us take home and resubmit.
prof dixon is great, he's helpful and friendly, but be prepared to know how to program before you attend his class. He says you don't need to, but you definitely do. If you don't you will find yourself struggling like crazy just to keep up. If you know how to use c++ prior going in you will be fine, but if you don't i suggest you learn it first.
The concepts aren't difficult. Understanding what he wants in his HW is the issue. Combines lots of problems into an outline and vaguely defines the purpose of each function he wants. Grades fair on HW. Very difficult exams. Lots of outside study to prepare for his exams. Exams are open notes/internet. Know how to use pointers/classes for his class
Exams are difficult, he docks a lot of points for minor mistakes. Very particular about the way you do the homework. He was unreachable for me. I believe he only responded to one out of the many emails I sent. So take him if you must; he knows how to teach. He just doesn't know how to write good exams and the like; otherwise would be an easy class.
Great teacher with a great approach for pushing students to learn. Drives students very hard, but provides lots of opportunities and help in return. Definitely not an easy class, arguably one of the harder classes I've taken (engineering major with a 3.9) but I went into this class with the prereq unfulfilled which made it very difficult to pass
Dixon makes this course difficult!!! His test is not difficult, however is unclear on what he wants due to the fact he keeps on changing his mind on what he wants. Is hit or miss on his tests doesn't matter how smart you are or how hard you work. Stay away if you need good GPA to transer. Grading policy (93%A) and rework policy are joke.
Dixon is a super nice guy who will answer any question in depth and on the spot. But his teaching tries to cover a whole lot at once and is sometimes a bit too fast for me personally.
His grading policy is ridiculous. 93% = B 83% = C 73% = F. He is too vague on what he wants accomplished on the homework. I've done some homeworks up to three times trying to do what he wanted. The exams are hit or miss. Get a different teacher if possible if you're trying to keep a high GPA. Only take this guy as a LAST RESORT!
In his class right now. Taking an introduction class and still dont understand what he is talking about. Class starts and he just write on the board. He does not clearly explain what he is talking about. There is alot of note taking and packs alot of information. Tests are pretty okay. Either miss or hit. Weather you read the textbook or not.
Not easy but very do-able. Do all of the homework and take advantage of his midterm extra credit even if you managed a decent grade, you will probably end up with more than 100% in the class for a while (assuming you've turned in everything prior). Keep that up until the final and you wont have to worry about it at all.
I'm still taking his class. It's suppose to be only Introduction to Computer Inf. Systems. But in the first meeting he told us to read chapter 12-witch is programming, and now is almost the end of the class he still teaches some kind of programming stuff. Tests are hard, it's not by the book. I guess he is good programming teacher.
He needs to go back to teaching. He does not use any book, he tells you to go look for any C++ book and u will do fine(NOT). He is one of those pro. that are good at the subject, but do not know how to teach it. Lectures on the board look like a Chart. He sits on the computer, and it seems as if he is talking in a different language.
Took him a while back and I HATED his class. I felt I had to earn my C, as he taught far beyond the scope of the class. Now I'm at a 4 year college, out of state, studying the SAME THINGS now that he taught before. His teaching style better prepared me for these classes. Take him if you're a CS major, as he'll prepare you for your future classes.
Terrible proffesor, took him for 301 and 360, he is stuck in the the 80s. I am now in a 4 year university, and contrary to what people say, he did not prepare me for it better. The prof's here are much clearer and better at teaching, you will do a lot of self teaching in his classes.
His assignments are very clear in what they require, and he lets you fix them if you did something wrong. If you are unsure about what he wants, simply ask him and he will clarify for you. He gives an example on how to do each assignment in class. His tests are just like his assignments and homework. Textbook was only used for homework.
He brags about how he lets you fix and turn in assignments a 2nd time for more credit, but this wouldn't be necessary if his assignments made sense in the first place. Also, he changes the requirements after you have already turned things in (resulting in a lower grade). The tests had absolutely nothing to do with the textbook or his lectures.
Terrible teacher. The final exam reviews he gave look like they were thrown together at 2:00 in the morning and are full of typos. The answer sheet doesnt even match the study guide he gave us. Sure he gives lot's of chances to re-do work, but that wouldnt be necessary if he could actually teach it in a way that people could understand. UNORGANIZED
He is definitely a very difficult teacher. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you want to learn a lot (which I feel I did). You have to learn some on your own. Overall I think he was fair with his expectations and his grading, although requiring 93% for an A is pretty harsh. As hard as it was, I would sign up for another class from him.
Worst prof at sac city. Seriously made me question my major. He is helpful, but you'll feel like you need to ask him a question ever 5 minutes to clarify what he just said. Midterm "extra credit" was a joke, tests are hard unless you do EXACTLY what he wants, no more no less. Yeah he gives you a 2nd chance to correct hw but otherwise not worthwhile
His lack of organization & clarity make his class useless. He is lax about turning in assignments but be ready to redo assignments several times. Be ready to waste a lot of paper. During his lectures he only speaks in pronouns so nothing ever makes sense to anyone. I think alot of the problem is that he has to many classes...not the students fault
Professor Dixon's class is a very hard class. Take his class if you are a hard working student, otherwise it is just a pain! The textbook(starting out with c++) is not very helpful because the course is about C not C++. He cares more about the design and not much about sourcecodes. Making flowcharts is crucial for this class. Good luck my friends!
There are several things you need to know before taking this professor. Do NOT expect anything else. 1 he teaches c not c++, 2. expect to go over the labs the day they're due, 3. YOU WILL NOT GET ANY LAB TIME. 4. Expect to do almost all of your work twice. if it's not perfect he'll hand it back with a zero and you'll have to do it over.
A so-so professor. He is very clear on what he wants and won't take BS homework or assignment. Very helpful. He won't teach syntax instead he teaches the concepts of a program. His tests are very tough. It challenges students to actually think instead of repeating something he wrote. Recommend only if you can be on top of your game.
Teaches to what you'll see in the real world environment or the university. Some say he's mean, but it's tough love to prepare you for the real world. His high expectations is great preparation and I've learned a lot from his classes. Also he's a very dynamic speaker. If you're ready to commit, he's a fantastic teacher! (not mean)
Dixon is one of my favorite professors. He makes the concepts he teaches easy to understand, he is approachable and nice if you have questions. And to those complaining about him having you re-do assignments you're crazy. It basically guarantees an A if you just do it.
Class is easy if you come to learn. If you choose to play around on the internet while he lectures, expect to struggle. Directions were clear and consistent. Opportunity to redo work is a chance for more credit but not required. Everything on tests are covered in class well in advance. There were no surprises. A very good professor who is fair.
Very hard class! But you can redo your work to get a better grade. He is very helpful if you come to class and learn.
Having no experience in programming whatsoever, this class was extremely easy for me to pick up and learn. Dixon makes his ideas very clear: algorithm over syntax. He emphasizes greatly on the importance of flow charting, although Dixon could use a little more pseudo code if he wished. Attend the class with an open mind and and eagerness to learn.
Dixon quickly reviewed over 301, and dove into the 360 material. His tests were straight forward, and he goes over everything ahead of time. Work quickly through the exams so that you have enough time to finish the entire exam. Problems on the midterm and the final are comprehensive but take quite some time to complete. His grading policy is superb
I only have two problems with Prof. Dixon's class. The first is that he will explain how to do something, draw it out and when you return with a near replica of what he asked you to do, he has changed his mind and will refuse to believe he told you something else. The 2nd is how poorly written the questions are on the mid and final. Clear as mud.
Don't expect any lab time. He will mock you if you ask for help. All his labs are pass or fail. If it's not to his liking he'll hand it back to you to fix it. Problem is his requirements are so vague and your labs have to be so perfect that you'll have to spend hours in the comp lab correcting and all your work will pile up. DON"T TAKE HIS CLASS!
Avoid this professor at all costs.
Some say he's tough, but he's a great teacher, you'll learn a lot more from him than any other CS teacher in the district. Don't take this class for any easy A. You might hate this class while taking it and assignments are tough, but that's the point. You push yourself harder, you'll end up a better programmer then when you started.
one of the worst professors ever. he is intelligent and knows his field but cannot teach. his lectures are confusing, he expects you to figure things out on your own, he changes his mind about how he wants an assignment turned in the day it is due. his lectures are soooo boring and irrational. Avoid him.
Do not take him if you can help it.i showed his code that he uses in class to a 10 year professional programmer and he said it was unorganized and overly complicated for a intro class. he makes you learn c++ on the fly because he expects your programs to work, but this isnt a programming course its an algorithms and design course. AVOID HIM!
I didnt like the way this professor taught he didnt really go by the but by how he wanted to teach didnt like him at all and plus he missed almost 6classes due to being sick. I dont recommend this teacher at all
This instructor is hard. Do not take him! He doesn't check or respond to emails.
The instructor write lot of notes on the board --- be sure to take good notes because he lets you use your notes on exams.
It is critical that you read the chapters he assigns as he won't lecture to teach the material. The test and assignments are very vague and leave you wondering if you're doing it right. His midterm and final are very difficult and his clarity needs improvement. You will also have to use other resources to figure out how to solve his assignments.
He let's you rework any of your homework assignments and turn it in back to him.
I did the basics of being a student - went to class, read assigned reading, took notes, and followed instructions for assignments and midterm/final. Not surprised I earned an A in the course. Class is real world prep to make real world money. Dixon was clear, consistent, approachable, very knowledgeable, and always made time if I had questions.
I agree that he is very helpful whenever you needed help with homework assignments.
Professor Dixon motivates you to expect more of yourself. He sets a high standard but gives you the opportunity and tools to reach that standard.
He is really good at explaining things when he actually explains them. However, for the assignments, he expects us to know how to program in C++ and tells us that it's easy to figure out. I spent about 90% of the time trying to learn C++ on my own for the assignments just so that I didn't fail them.
Unclear in what he wants for students in terms of assignments. Will lecture about things not in the book. Will make things more difficult than needs to be.
Do not take this Professor if you want to learn something because you will not learn anything from this guy. He makes you buy a book for $150 but he never uses the book. He makes you to buy the C++ book but he uses the C language in class. If you take him, you will either drop the class or you will definitely fail the class.
Mr. Dixon is a knowledgable and experienced professor, and he is willing to help students at all cost. This class is hard whoever teaches it. The keys to do well in this class are get involved, get all your questions answered and read all chapters multiple times. Highly recommend for CS major students.
His assignment is very UNCLEAR and vague. His teaching style is boring and never respond your email. Midterm and Final is really hard (he expects you know every details but he teaches none). avoid.
SUMMER 2013: Professor Dixon is very knowledgeable about the course material. The homework assignments were out of the book, but exams mostly cover lecture material. He gives you a chance to redo homework to get 100% on it. As long as you do all of the homework and do okay on the exams, you should get at least a B.
93% for an A is wrong. He should not be able to do this at school where people are transferring. Figure out what he wants your flow charts, heirartical charts, and external files to be right away or work will be sent back to fix. Paying attention to this helps your grade a lot. Final and Midterm will be confusing with some new terms so watchout.
Does not make his expectations clear. The book he assigns is almost useless. He once missed an entire week of class with no warning, then literally yelled at the entire class for not turning in the assignment to his office.
Professor Dixon is a cool teacher. He helps you by showing the basics of all assignments on how to do them. You really need to stay awake during class though otherwise you will have no idea about whats going on.
I have taken 4 classes from Prof. Dixon, and I have enjoyed each, and earned an A each time. It does take a lot of time investment, but as someone with no programming experience, I would not have been this successful without Dixon. recommended for hard workers.
This is not a programming class; you make designs of the programs he GIVES you using flowcharts and pseudocode. He is a stickler for having the right heading on HW you turn in so MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THE HEADING ON THE SYLLABUS AND TYPE ALL HW. You get a 0 if you don't follow this. You can redo all assignments except 0s so TYPE + HAVE HEADER ON SYL.
Take this teacher if you are serious about learning the material and you are pursuing a 4yr degree in CS. His unconventional technique of reverse engineering a program will give you a great head start in understanding all the primary programming concepts. I was more prepared than my peers when I transferred to Chico because of his class.
Grades by the seat of his pants not a rubric. Lectures on things that do not pertain to the course. Talks down to the entire class. Heven is unclear on assignments. Be warned, you will hate this class and learn very little.
Wanted to like. Vague on assignment requirements. Marks items wrong on redone work where no fault was the first time around(that was unchanged). Not only is that sloppy but unfair. Book is outdated and hardly useful. Also, this is 2014. We should not be printing out code for compsci assigments. It's wasteful and impractical. Always late to class.
Professor Dixon is a no nonsense kind of instructor. He makes you work for the grade. He's very willing to help you understand the material if you're struggling though. Gives you an opportunity to rework assignments. Pay attention during his lectures and write notes! Don't forget to 'go ye forth'
Some flaws: (1) in projects you have to have know of concepts that haven't been presented yet. (2) His lectures are purely from a design standpoint, brief to no explanation of syntax. (3) Required knowledge of file managementshell scripting in linux. 4) Assignment requirements don't fit his requirements. Keep an ear open for what he wants!
Knows his stuff very well and teach it alright but as a teacher he's much to disorganized, strict and confusing. Ask questions when you need to (especially on assignments) otherwise when you're lost, don't expect any slack.
Not a good teacher. Doesn't explain things well. Assumes that you already know all material. Lazy. I had to drop his class; did not do well, even though always had As in all other classes. Made me feel uncomfortable and self-conscience, because I had a hard time with programming.
Dixon really knows his stuff and if you're willing to learn, he's willing to teach. He isn't always initially clear on what he wants for assignments, but he gives lots of feedback and a week to resubmit. Doesn't teach syntax and instead focuses on algorithms, but it isn't hard to pick up on what most of the syntax means and reimplement it.
Unclear, Very unclear on tests and Assignments. 70% on lab Assignments which no matter how many times you fix , its never good. You don't learn anything from this class because you are basically working with dixon's curriculum. Thats why the book isn't helpful.
Professor Dixon's teaching style was different. This was a self study class. Study the resources he provides, and you will be prepared for the lectures and projects. With the exception of one, he gave a fair amount of time to turn in assignments. Taking good notes will be a HUGE help for the midterm and final. Don't be afraid to ask him questions.
Great as a programmer, he really knows his stuff. His lectures are actually very informational, it's the rest that's a problem. If you plan to take CISP at SCC, take Dixon all the way from 301. His requirements are somewhat exclusive to him, such as flowcharts. Assignments, as others here have said, are confusing which can be true, depending.
Took this class in the summer! The instructor missed 1 class meeting so we had an extra day to study and review for the midterm exam. The midterm exam was very hard. Final exam was extra hard!!!!! Hopefully, I will pass this class & don't have to take it again!!!!!
Dixon knows his stuff, and his lectures cover extreme details about programming and computer science. Great if you are VERY enthusiastic about computer science and have a very good understanding of computers. He holds his students to a high standard. Format your homework wrong or incomplete answers? get a 0 (he does let you resubmit for credit).
Does not offer much help, offers to find someone who knows what they are doing to help you. If you do not know C++ already then do not take his class. A lot of work with little explanation on assignments. Does not grade assignments in a timely manner. Does not give any partial credit.
Not clear with everything and the class that he usually offers first thing you will understand is. No you don't understand anything at all
Students BEWARE! Do NOT take classes with this guy! I do not have enough space to list my issues with this guy. He is extremely unclear, teaches obviously outdated techniques, expects you to know topics not covered, he will find a way to fail you. Not a single student finished the final exam!!!! He's forgetful and rude and talks down to students.
Read the book, Take Good notes, Go to tutoring lab, talk to prof, work hard and you'll do fine. Many students complain about his toughness as a grader, but he allows reworked assignments and gives good feedback. I found the tutors really helpful, since they know what he wants which is neatness. Don't give up on the class and remember, Go Ye Forth!
Professor Dixon gets a bad rep for no reason. I imagine most people that dislike him are not ready for college level courses. He is an adult and college level professor. He is Brilliant Clear, concise, tough but fair. More than willing to help an engage with his students. You'd be depriving yourself not to take his class. Take if you'll put in work
Does nt teach out of the book or follow any structure for you 2 follow along. Does not teach ANY syntax but his projects (5-Difficult)requires syntax. he is still stuck on the design process which was taught 2 pre-reqs ago. Lectures R ALL concepts and definitions, no syntax or design. caters 2 his pre req students. saw him 3x after class nt helpful
Dixon is a rockstar. I would absolutely take another class w/ him. If you're interested in learning, he's there to help you. You don't have to go to class, but it will really help you be successful. Be sure to plan your life so that you can stay for lab to ask him questions. He is definitely reasonable if you demonstrate that you're working/trying.
Don't take this class if your not going to put in the work it takes to be a college student. Dixon isn't a easy professor, but he's fair. I'm taking him again next semester. His class challenged me and I thought it was going to be a blow off class. Talking to people in other classes I learned more. Take Dixon if u want to be prepared for a 4 yr.
So unclear, just talk with himself during entire class, assignment confused, unfair grading, no 70 or 80 just 0, he knows 90 and zero, never ever take any class of him, don't like him, wasted my 3 months with him, don't recommend him!!!
Dixon seems to push you a little harder than necessary some times but his style of grading assignments is fair. He always lets you resubmit your work after turning it in and getting feedback on it. Work on your assignments ahead of time and get help from him after the lecture if necessary and you should do well.
It's obvious Dixon has a lot of knowledge. But the material he uses is specific and the tutors in lab will not be able to help. The book is useless and only used to do chapter work, not the 5 major assignments. Directions for assignments were unclear for the 2 that impact grade the most. I suggest taking a different Prof. if new to programming.
Dixon does not use anything in the book or even talk about it. Most of the time he rants about things unrelated to the course and instead of normal grading he only gives out two types of grades, 0's and 90's.
I can tell why I lot of people give him mediocre reviews, when I first met him see seemed a little weird, but over a week or so you get to see his passion for computer science. He's a little old school and you have to focus hard on what he is saying to understand him, but he really wants us to learn, not just pass the class.
Test is super unclear, he will give u 0 credit if u use your own method and u cannot fix it. Just don't take his class, never!!
A solid and competent teacher, who focuses on trying to get students to understand the LOGIC that the course material is based on, rather than the wrote memorization of it. This can lead to problems completing assignments, since you are graded on your programs' abilities to do the objective, but he is always helpful when it comes to feedback.
I am writing this not to hate, but to give you guys a fair warning. 1) Grading system: Nope, 90% won't get you an A, you will need a 92 or above to get an A in this class. So, goes for Bs. 82 - 91.99. Thus, you worked really hard and got a 90.7. You still get a B in his class.
2) Lots of Hwk and assignments: He lets you resubmit the ones you didn't get a full score. Yet, he is very particular about how you submit them. You need to submit using Doc (2003 version), nothing else. Even the chapter review questions need to be in the format of his way. Copy all the questions from the book paste them on to your word and answer.
He is lecture-heavy. He has his own teaching material. But, he requires you to use the textbook to do hwk. The book will barely help with his lab assignments and tests. One positive is his tests are all open book. So, if you are good at looking up information. Good for you! But, beware, his test is lengthy but you have a small time frame to finish
Yes, he has a weird grading system. And, it's 93-100 to get an A. Not 92 and above. Bs are 83-92.99 and so on...
If there's one thing to know about Professor Dixon, it's that he really wants and cares that you know the material. Most of the grade in this class came from projects, which you have several "bites of the apple" from to get right. Super helpful outside of class and willing to work with students on any issues that come up. tl;dr Take Dixon to learn.
His teaching methodology revolves around students reevaluating their assignment work based off his feedback. Get right, get grade. This system contextualizes the "0 or 90" grades as well as the 3% increase to grade cutoffs. Exams are curved in favor of students and students can use notes for them. Exams are long, though. Great professor overall.
This professor is tough as nails. I hear he eats his cereal without any milk.
If you want to have to remind your professor to grade your work, give 100% misleading study guides and never be at his office for office hours, LOOK NO FURTHER! This professor comes checked out and ready to make sure your semester is full of anxiety and ?marks. Want to learn? Go to the tutors where they pick up his slack!
I put attendance as non-mandatory because he doesn't teach anything. Most professors have labs you do to practice, nope! Not this guy! This guy lives below the standard, not working with technology as he states just how much he doesn't want any part of it. Ask yourselves something, folks, how can you learn a tech language if the prof isn't techy?!
I've never had a Computer programming class before. I came in to learn and put in hard work. I went to tutoring EVERYDAY and read the book. I was passing of course but I didn't learn.
let me start by saying that this professor is the worst professor in scc. People say he been teaching for 15 years hell no. he dont know how to teach. In cisp360 it says nowhere that learn to use UNIX and PRINT F AND SCAN F. his class is so easy to pass if you know little about somestuff but if you tryna learn. good luck he dont know how to teach.
Sorry to say but this professor wasted my semester he so garbage at teaching he doesn't grade things even months after submission and he never in his office hours he teaching stuff not from the book when even he make us get. he just types the code in class and gives you the copy so u can code same program but has to be different from his. smh
I wish I had 3000 chars to describe how terrible taking classes with him is. Takes weeks to answer to emails or to grade the simplest of assignments. Rambles on and on without any sense of structure during lecture. He barely mentions the book but he relies on it for exercises. Doesn't give breaks in a 3 hour class... Avoid him by all means.
His class simulates working for neurotic, narcissistic, nit-picky manager who's vain enough to constantly impress you with BIG BOY WORDS. He says you should do projects your way, but those are lies--you will get 0. Just do hw exactly like his template and stay quiet when he complains about 'your bad' program design.
Has chapter hw/review and 2 open note tests (midterm and final). Spends too much time talking during lecture. Makes you read from a textbook basically to learn. Goes over additional information not provided in text book instead of reinforcing information. Feels very overwhelming and confusing. BUT IS A VERY SWEET LENIENT PROF.
4 words. I hated this class.
He likes to write things on the board and explain them by saying "whatever that means". That doesn't help in any way when you're trying to learn the subject. He issues a textbook, but it is only used for completing homework assignments, never in class. He's supposed to teach C++, but teaches C instead.
Nice and respectful, he has the potential to be a good professor except he doesnt understand how to teach. Theres no teaching involved he pretty much shows u how to write the program, then says you cannot use the content he wrote. Which would make sense if he taught you how to write it yourself, so be ready to rely heavily on the textbook.
His 430 class is heavily centered on projects. Rather than lecture about the specific textbook definitions, he discusses the homework projects in great detail and you learn ALOT from the projects. His teaching takes about a month to get used to, but don't be discouraged. Very challenging class, but very rewarding. Not for people who are "getting by
You have to earn 93% to get an A, 83% for B, and so on so forth. He only lectured once after weeks of many students asked him about one same assignment. During the 3 hours lecture, he said if it's in person he could go on great detail very early on, so why doesn't he lecture then?? Why can't he do that in zoom then? He is 99% useless.
(I'm taking CISC 355 too) Lack of lectures kills this class. He asks for lab assignments bi-weekly and these have been awful to do. The lack of direction, communication, and overall grading of these assignments has made this the most stressful class I've had. As someone who is taking 2 of his classes right now, do not take this professors classes.
Not a single lecture from him, no notes from him, no form of direction from him. This class was a canvas shell of assignments that have the most unclear instructions and he will not provide any resources to help you navigate your way. I get CS is mostly self discovery, but we need DIRECTION. Absolute terrible instructor, I would avoid at all costs.
He's kind of nice, albeit rude. His class is disorganized. He's unclear on assignment instructions & class expectations. He gives 0's on assignments with a chance 2 fix 4 partial credit. Fall 2020 semester ended Dec. 17. He opened finals on Dec. 16-17 & gave until Dec. 24-25 2 finish. Midterm & final's nothing like the study guide. Don't take him.
Majority of 310 material comes from the book, which is ok because assignments closely match the material from the book. Although he is a ghost in the class. no lecture, no notes from him, only occasional message every 3 weeks. He's not very transparent with material so you have to email him alot. he seems very uninterested in this class, but easy
I didnt know professors could make up their own grading scale. In his class, an A: 93%-above, B: 83%-92% & so on. Hes inaccessible, uninterested, confusing & no help. He delays in responding 2 emails, gave no notes, no resources & no lectures. He waited last minute 2 tell us the books & materials needed 4 class. Dont waste time with this clown.
Essentially lets students fly blind and only gives proper instructions upon grading a project the first time, at which point you may have to do the entire thing again. Genuinely does not prepare you at all and acts like he is doing you a service by allowing you to "learn from your mistakes." (?) Do not take him unless you know the material already!
The worst class I've ever taken. I've asked him for help many times and it took him A WEEK to respond, AND it was on a weekday where his policy says "I respond to student emails and voice messages within 24-48 hours on weekdays". Moreover, he tells us to use methods and techniques that are completely unknown to us AND outside the textbook.
The personification of the word "vague". Many students inquired about assignments and projects, and Dixon utilized multiple emails to get his point across. It was hard to know what he wanted in the projects and exams. Took an average of 3 days to respond to an individual email; immediate replies do not shorten that wait. Made the class unorganized
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45%
Textbook Required
67%
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