3.4

Naotaka Hayashi

Anthropology - University of Calgary

3.4
Quality
2.9
Difficulty
62%
Would Retake
115
Reviews
3.4
Quality
2.9
Difficulty
3.5
Helpful
3.2
Clarity

62%

Would Retake

115

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

34

4

32

3

19

2

14

1

16

What Students Say

Great guy but cant teach

ANTH203 - 1.0 rating

I would personally not take his class again

ANTH203 - 2.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

70%

Textbook Required

19%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 70 grades
Most common grades:
A (16)
A- (15)
A+ (11)
Grade Distribution
A(27)B(16)C(1)D(3)F(0)A-/B+(25)
Based on 78 reported grades
A: 16
A-: 15
A+: 11
B+: 10
Common Tags
Skip class? You won't pass. (30)
Hilarious (27)
Test heavy (19)
Get ready to read (17)
Graded by few things (17)
Caring (14)
Lecture heavy (13)
Amazing lectures (10)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.77 avg change
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

203

4.0

(5)

ANTH399

3.7

(3)

ANTH203

3.6

(88)

ANTH357

3.1

(8)

ANTH313

2.9

(9)
+1 more courses
Difficulty by Course

313

4.5

ANTH399

3.7

ANTH313

3.7

ANTH357

3.5

ANTH203

2.7

Reviews (115)
2.0
4.0
ANTH203
Sep 29, 2013

Probably his first time teaching in English ever. I can't understand him in class at all. No need to go because you can access top hat from anywhere and just read the book. Doesn't post notes before class because he wants you to learn note taking skills and takes forever to post them anyway. Overall, not a good prof what so ever. Avoid.

1.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B-
Oct 21, 2013

Terrible, can hardly understand him, has trouble explaining things, students constantly have to correct him.

2.0
4.0
ANTH203
Nov 22, 2013

Made this intro class way harder than it should have been. Not clear at all.

3.0
2.0
ANTH203
Nov 26, 2013

Although he may be hard to understand and has difficulty finding words to explain some concepts, he really tries with his lectures! He is passionate about this stuff and is very approachable. Midterms were all mc I found his midterms quite easy and I barely studied from the textbook. Uses tophat and only marks for attendance not correctness.

2.0
2.0
ANTH203
Dec 4, 2013

Extremely hard to understand, gets confused and gets his words mixed up constantly. He tries really hard with his lectures and is very approachable and nice, but his english is really lacking. His tests aren't that hard, if you read the textbook and go to class most of the time, you'll do fine.

3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not_Sure_Yet
Dec 7, 2013

Overall, as a person he is very sweet, very nice and super approachable. But he does have a VERY thick accent. He often mumbles and stutters. So if you can learn from lecture slides and textbooks, go for it. I found his tests not all that easy, study well! He tries to make class fun, and is passionate.

3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Dec 8, 2013

He is very friendly and approachable, but I also found the exams to be pretty difficult considering it is an intro level course.

3.0
1.0
ANTH203
Dec 13, 2013

Hard to understand (thick accent) but if you can get past that he's excellent. Everything you need to know is in the slides or lectures, which are summaries of the textbook. Tests reflect exactly what was learned in lectures - in fact, some questions are taken directly from the TopHat questions in class. Friendly. Funny.

3.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Dec 19, 2013

He's a really nice guy. He could use some more practice with English, but I really didn't have a problem with it. His tests are rather detail-based, but if you memorize the lecture slides (which you can do in a couple days), you can do great on the exams. Overall, I thought he was perfectly fine. It's his first year teaching, so he'll get better :)

5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 23, 2013

Dr. Hayashi is the best! He's a really nice prof, he has a bit of an accent, but does not affect his speaking at all. The only reason people think he's bad isn't because he's actually bad! It's because they don't pay attention, his exams are based strictly on notes. Attendance would benefit the individual!

3.0
4.0
ANTH399
Grade: B+
May 8, 2014

Attendance will help you understand him better. He takes criticism well, but his tests are ultimately very confusing and hard to do well on - no matter how MANY bonus points he gives us. I won't take a class with him again unless the tests were worth less (50% final!).

4.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Dec 5, 2014

Dr Hayashi is very funny and energetic about social anthropology. He makes what usually would be boring material very engaging with interesting stories and classic videos such as: Cannibal Tours and "Ongka's Big Moka". Take this class if you love Papau New Guinea! Teaches essentially from the textbook, attendance not necessary but you will love to!

4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Dec 11, 2014

Has an accent but pretty clear. Has some mic issues but his lecture slides are superb. Tests are very straight forward and you really don't have to attend lecture. Although he does do TopHat bonus questions. He is funny sometimes.

4.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 12, 2014

This guy speaks over 7 languages. Has traveled literally all over the world doing research. I am hardly interested in anthropology but all of the work he did for his studies just amazed me. He was also hilarious. 10% of the grade come from Top Hat questions, and they are only based on participation! Very easy, but not especially interesting

4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 13, 2014

Does have quite a japanese accent, and can stumble for words sometimes, but for the most part you can understand him very well. Attending his lectures are kind of mandatory because his slides are pretty sparse and he explains a lot more than what is there. Tests are OK, if you brush up on your notes.

4.0
4.0
203
Grade: B
Dec 16, 2014

Prof speaks very quietly so make sure you sit closer to the front or else it will be hard to pay attention and follow the lecture. He is funny and nice and helpful, but the lecture material is a bit boring since it's an intro class. The exams are somewhat difficult but as long as you memorize the slides and use the textbook you'll pass.

1.0
4.0
ANTH203
Dec 17, 2014

He barely speaks english. is not approachable out of the classroom. all his tests are relatively easy and are taken straight from his slides. no need to go to class. waste of a class do not take.

5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Mar 11, 2015

This guy is so hilarious, and even when the content is dull, he tells funny stories that make the entire class laugh. His tests are easy as long as you listen in class and look at key terms in the textbook. It is worth taking this course just to have such a funny and approachable professor who actually cares about his students.

5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Mar 18, 2015

Such a hilarious guy and obviously passionate about what he does! He really makes the dry material interesting to listen to by telling funny stories and providing enthusiastic descriptions! His accent is not at all hard to understand, apart for the occasional search for the right word. Slides are sparse but he gives a ton of information in class.

4.0
2.0
203
Apr 9, 2015

Dr. hayashi is an amazing person. he is very funny and his examples make classes refreshing. his videos are the best thing which he does to explain the lectures. i think he is a tough grader but it is a very interesting course.

4.0
1.0
ANTH203
Apr 11, 2015

This is an intro level class, so the curriculum is on the side of boring. That being said, Dr. Hayashi made this class stand out: he has a fascinating life story, shows lots of videos, and some of his explanations are downright hilarious. Testsquizzes are very straightforward as long as you come to class. Has a accent, you'll get used to it.

3.0
5.0
ANTH399
Apr 14, 2015

Professor is very respectful and is there if you need any help. He tries his best to be clear but it is very hard to pinpoint what is important to know for tests and assignments. The test was very hard but to be fair he graded the tests generously. If you want to pass this class DO NOT SKIP!! He is new teaching and tries his best to excel!

1.0
2.0
ANTH203
Apr 21, 2015

Most boring class. He's hard to understand and reads word-for-word what he's written on the slides multiple times. Its easy material though.

1.0
4.0
313
Grade: A-
Apr 25, 2015

Avoid at all costs. This class has such potential but he simply has zero teaching ability. When you ask a question, he doesn't understand you because he does not have good english skills. His tests are almost impossible. There are a lot of readings but he talks about each one in class. Attendance is a must. Worst prof I've ever had.

5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Apr 28, 2015

This guy is so cool. He's traveled to so many places and speaks about as many languages. He is so funny and he really does care about his students. Best part about his classes are the really funny stories that he tells - he's very animated. If you take very good notes in class, you really only need the TB for definitions.

4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
May 11, 2015

Dr. Hayashi was great. He was really interested in the topic and tries to teach it in a relevant way. Cares that his students leave with a greater understanding concerning different cultures. Was pretty funny. Read the text book and you'll be fine.

3.0
3.0
203
Grade: B
Jun 17, 2015

A lot of students don't like him because he is hard to understand but he is a hilarious and great prof

4.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 4, 2015

Really passionate about his work and has a lot of experience in the field. The class itself isn't very hard, especially if you read the textbook. His stories make it even better. Sometimes there's miscommunication but just clarify with him after class he's really genuine and helpful, he understands and explains more than people realize, just listen

2.0
5.0
ANTH313
Grade: B-
Dec 6, 2015

Would not recommend this class with him. He gets distracted easily and then has to rush through material. Very unclear about what you need to know for tests. I think he was trying to cover to much information each class. He seems like a nice guy though. I generally do well in school, but I could not get a satisfactory mark in this class.

4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 8, 2015

Dr. Hayashi is a great professor. In order to do well in this class you have to read the text and take detailed notes. He gives out lots of extra information in tiny bits, pay attention to everything he says. This is not a class where you memorize slides at home and manage 90's on the exams and quizzes, which is what I thought it would be.

1.0
5.0
ANTH313
Grade: A
Dec 12, 2015

Not fluent in English, cannot get his points across. Doesn't actually teach anything, the lectures are just reiterating the textbook. He is extremely unapproachable and rude. He gets angry and defensive if you disagree with him. Class is organized in a ridiculous manner, a 10% final that is cumulative. DO NOT TAKE.

5.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B-
Dec 16, 2015

He is extremely clear in all his explanations, yes he is not English native but he is not hard to understand. Uses relative, easy to remember examples (especially if you like visuals). He is an out of the box guy who loves what he does and it makes you want to love it just as much. He wants everyone to succeeded and cares. Also hilarious!

4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Jan 3, 2016

the Professor is great. there is a language barrier, but honestly, he's really motivated to teach and help you understand if you ask any questions. I'd rather have a professor like him, rather a professor that has no accent and hates their job.

3.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Mar 12, 2016

Honestly, I wish I could sit down with him and discuss different cultures over a beer every other week. He is very funny and tries hard to keep students captivated. He knows more the a couple languages and as a result sometimes struggles to find his words. However, this did not affect the quality of his lecture. I highly recommend him.

5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Apr 2, 2016

Dr. Hayashi is naturally entertaining in his lectures. Has an accent, but unnoticeable by 3rd lecture. Tests and quizzes are 100% based on notes and lectures, posts PPTs. Didn't even touch the textbook. Some answers directly taken from examples in class. Had 7 quizzes and 2 midterms, so mark doesn't hinge on the final. But heavy memorization.

2.0
4.0
ANTH203
Apr 6, 2016

E's nice, but the class itself I found to be difficult because of the lack of clarity and the disparity between lectures and the tests. Only two midterms and I both found that there were a lot of questions that required very close reading of the text. Showed a ton of useless videos and movies, he could have taken the time to be more specific.

5.0
5.0
ANTH203
Grade: B-
Apr 24, 2016

Dr Hayashi had really great lectures, I found them enjoyable! The examples he used were always interesting and varied from his own experiences in his field work to references from popular culture. He is very approachable, and very helpful when you need it. However, be forewarned that his exams are NOT easy, and require alot of work for a good grade

4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Apr 26, 2016

Hayashi is a hilarious prof who gives engaging and entertaining lectures. The content can seem extremely easy during lectures - but DON'T make the mistake I did and skip classes because you think you can just learn the content yourself. Both midterms and the final had detailed questions about movies watched in class that were not found in his notes

2.0
5.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Apr 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

As a fairy smart student, regardless of how many cue cards or how in-depth you study the readings Hayashi's test are communicated in such a tricky way along with a grading scale that WAY to high, thats its almost impossible to get an A. The content is interesting but their is a HUGE discrepancy btw lecture slides and testing material.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
TEST HEAVY
3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Apr 14, 2017
Wouldn't take again

The most annoying thing about this professor is that he doesn't post all of the slides, but then expects you to write down and memorize the smallest details on tests. Meanwhile he is talking, and expects you to write down that content too. AVOID. I have a 3.9 GPA and this class is horrible, almost impossible to get an A on his tests.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
4.0
ANTH203
Apr 22, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Due to his nonexistent teaching skills the class did so poorly that he had to curve the final. Not sure if he has any idea what he is talking about, will mix up facts or disagree with the textbook but not explain his reasoning. When approached in office hours he is defensive and rude. He can't even write a coherent test. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Tough Grader
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Apr 29, 2017
Would take again

I enjoyed ANTH 203! I found Naotaka funny and passionate, and was looking forward his classes. He was super knowledgeable and made me want to know more about cultural anthropology. Some chapters were not as interesting as others, but overall, it was a great class. Make sure you don't skip class to get the most out of it and obtain a good grade.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
5.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
May 15, 2017
Would take again

Prof Hayashi is a funny person and had entertaining lectures. I definitely enjoyed the course and most of the course content. His tests often had examples mentioned in his notes/lecture/videos, so I wouldn't recommend skipping the lectures. This course requires a lot of memorization.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Hilarious
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Aug 7, 2017
Would take again

I disagree with almost everyone on here! Dr. Hayashi is a great and sweet prof! Yes theres work to do in the class but my God you're in Uni.. you HAVE to put some sort of effort everywhere... If you read the textbook you're golden for his exams. Which btw are not that difficult, and I wasn't present in all lectures. tests are 95% textbook 5%lecture

Respected
Hilarious
Caring
1.0
4.0
ANTH313
Oct 13, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Prof is very disorganized. He does not check facts and takes things at face value, making majority of his info incorrect and useless. He tests you on things he briefly mentions in class and does not elaborate his expectations. Super vague and confusing and hard to follow in lectures. Strongly recommend avoiding his classes if at all possible.

Tough Grader
1.0
5.0
ANTH313
Grade: A-
Dec 6, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Do not take this class if you are looking for an option class. This professor is trying to teach this course as if it is a 500 or 600 conferences, core, required course. He uses 50000 examples for one simple topic and very unorganized. Thus, leaving you unaware of what you should have been learning.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
5.0
ANTH357
Grade: A-
Dec 6, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Too many readings assigned, you have to go to class even though everything he talks about in class is not tested. He is not organized at all, leaving you confused and him 3 lectures behind schedule. If you are looking for an option class this is not the one for you.

Skip class? You won't pass.
SO MANY PAPERS
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
4.0
ANTH313
Dec 15, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Very dry to listen to in lectures, heavy readings and hard to communicate with. He will make you memorize the author and date of an article, as well as specific details and quotes. Most of his lecture slides are summaries of the articles that you have to read.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Tests are tough
5.0
3.0
ANTH313
Grade: A
Dec 21, 2017
Would take again

Hayashi is an awesome, hilarious and kind Professor. Of all the classes I've taken at U of C, I learned the most in this one, and he changed the way I look at the world. Not easy, but worth the work. Of course, there was a group of lazy complainers, so take the bad reviews here with salt. Take this class if you're in school to learn!

Respected
Skip class? You won't pass.
Inspirational
4.0
3.0
ANTH357
Grade: A+
Jan 3, 2018
Would take again

Taking anth 357 with Dr. Hayashi was a highlight of my semester. I'm not sure why these reviews are so harsh. He gives you everything you need for his exams in his lectures, you just have to make sure to attend class. You don't even need to read the textbook and you'll still get an A-. Also, he's a really positive & enthusiastic prof!!

Skip class? You won't pass.
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
4.0
3.0
ANTH313
Grade: A
Jan 11, 2018
Would take again

This class was pretty easy. If you do the readings and come to class you'll do great, his tests are pretty easy if you know your stuff. His lectures can be sort of all over the place and random. He's super approachable and answers questions well.

3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Nov 16, 2018
Wouldn't take again

-Has questions on midterms that relate to a small comment that he mentioned in class

Skip class? You won't pass.
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 30, 2018
Would take again

He gives funny, but not necessarily informant lectures. You need to go to class because he shows videos that he doesn't provide on d2l and they WILL be on the midterm. Textbook is a must as it explains everything perfectly. If you follow his study guides and read the textbook, getting a good grade in this class shouldn't be a big deal.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
Caring
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Nov 30, 2018
Would take again

there's questions on the midterm on things that were briefly shown in class so attending lectures is very important, dr hayashi is very enthusiastic and hes hilarious too! id love to take another class taught by him

Skip class? You won't pass.
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
2.0
ANTH313
Grade: A+
Dec 5, 2018
Would take again

I will always take any class that Dr. Hayashi teaches! I finish each semester with him feeling like my world view has gotten bigger. I've never found him to be a tough grader as long as you write clearly and in an organized manner. He's extremely knowledgeable about his field and as long as you write good notes you're going to do well on his exams.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Inspirational
3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Dec 9, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Naotaka is very funny, but not the best at teaching. He sounds confused when he provides examples, does not explain properly at all. Most of the content is boring, a few chapters are interesting. A LOT of reading for the exams. Final is cumulative and worth 40% If you want an A you have to put in the work and read a lottt. Attend lectures.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
4.0
ANTH203
Dec 10, 2018
Would take again

SHOW UP TO CLASS!! He posts powerpoints on D2L but with some slides missing, also shows a lot of videos that he will test on exams - they are usually not on the powerpoints. Very organized on D2L. Will post study guides for exams. Final is cumulative. He is funny. Most of the lectures do align with textbook material as well .

Get ready to read
Hilarious
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 28, 2018
Would take again

Funny and entertaining guy. Shows lots of videos in class that are tested but not posted on D2L so you NEED to come to class, reading the textbook helps if you need further clarification for a topic. Overall an interesting class.

Skip class? You won't pass.
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
3.0
ANTH203
Mar 30, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Engaging professor who uses humour to connect with students and enhance lectures. Tests however are unfair measures of knowledge and are difficult to understand due to lack of clarity in wording. Studying specific details is a must in this course.

Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
1.0
ANTH203
Apr 1, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Hayashi is funny but his tests are dumb, they are worded and formatted terribly. He has so so so many videos in class THAT HE TESTS YOU ON!!! Like you are going to remeber every single detail. Silly guy

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Apr 8, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Great guy but cant teach. His powerpoints are very disorganized and you dont have access to them if you missed the class. He emphasized the use of textbook but the textbook is not enough. There was 8 question on the midterm that was based on the video he showed. If you missed the video day, you will fail the midterm.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
2.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Apr 12, 2019
Wouldn't take again

He speaks very softly which can sometimes cause you to zone off. However, most of the things spoken in the lectures did not appear on the Midterms. I would personally not take his class again.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
ANTH203
Apr 18, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Dr Hayashi is not a good prof. His lectures are very disorganized and there is a HUGE language barrier. His test are made of wordy and confusing questions that honestly, I don't even know what he is trying to ask... He is a caring guy, but his English is where he suffers and you will suffer significantly because of it. Also, MUST WATCH MOVIES!

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
5.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Apr 25, 2019
Would take again

Dr. Hayashi makes lectures really interesting and uses lots of cool examples. I don't feel like there is any language barrier, he is very clear in his teaching, even if his powerpoints aren't that organized. In terms of questions about documentaries/videos, he usually posts questions so just make sure you do those and you will be prepared.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Hilarious
Caring
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Apr 26, 2019
Would take again

Hes a super funny guy which makes his lectures engaging. Sometimes hes not super clear and the tests have some very specific questions but if you show up to class and watch the videos he shows youll be fine.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Hilarious
2.0
4.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Apr 26, 2019
Wouldn't take again

I've never had a professor post a disclaimer saying that you have to come to class to get all the lecture slides. That being said, going to class was frustrating because he frequently goes off topic and is very hard to understand. I really feel like I would have gotten a lot more out of this class if it was taught by someone else.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Grade: B-
Apr 29, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Don't regret taking the class but wouldn't do it again. Tests were quite unreasonable and difficult. MUST use the textbook as most of the test is from it. Remember class examples and take good notes on what he says and videos. D2L is organized, but everything was not posted (as in slides), but the general outline for the class would be put up.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
5.0
5.0
ANTH203
May 13, 2019
Would take again

made my fav anime also a good prof

Respected
Inspirational
Tough grader
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
May 18, 2019
Would take again

I dont get why the reviews are so low! As long as you actually put in the effort to come to class and read the textbook for definitions its not that bad for a first year course .. just put in the effort

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Amazing lectures
1.0
3.0
ANTH203
Oct 14, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Very hard to understand, isn't comfortable answering questions outside of the curriculum. Wording on test is very hard to understand. Majority of test questions are very specific details from the textbook and videos in class. He doesn't post full lecture notes so lectures are a must despite how boring they are. Would not recommend

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Oct 25, 2019
Would take again

Great prof, I enjoy all of his classes and he knows how to make them interesting. If you skip class you won't get all of the notes and I didn't use the textbook but those who did found that he would take exam questions directly from the readings.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Dec 4, 2019
Would take again

Very enthusiastic lectures. His accent wasn't a learning barrier but when students asked questions, he wouldn't really answer them properly. His power points are disorganized and he intentionally leaves blank spaces on them so you need to go to class for those. You could pass the class with an A- without the textbook as his tests were lecture heavy

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Amazing lectures
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Dec 4, 2019
Wouldn't take again

If you are not comfortable with watching videos of animal abuse I would not take this class. There were multiple times he would play videos (that did relate to the class) that included animal abuse. He did not ask if everyone is comfortable or give anyone a chance to leave the room if they are sensitive to the topic.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 12, 2019
Would take again

Awesome guy. Avoid if you're absolutely terrible with understanding accents, but almost everyone should be fine. Awesome lectures, really funny too. Easy A if you read the textbook before tests and show up to class. Very underrated tbh. He's a 5/5 for sure

Test heavy
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Dec 14, 2019
Would take again

not sure why people complain so much about tests being textbook heavy. the textbook is easy to understand, not too long and pretty cheap! his notes and overall organization of lessons was rough though

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Hilarious
3.0
4.0
ANTH203
Dec 21, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Hayashi is a nice guy that would keep u fairly engaged in his lectures. There was a bit of language barrier however, which led to difficulties in understanding him at times. In terms of the course you absolutely can't miss lectures because of how detailed his questions are. He doesn't post full notes online, which was extremely annoying.

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Jan 14, 2020
Would take again

Not sure why people are complaining about having to show up to lectures because he doesnt post complete lecture slides... thats usually a pretty standard part of university. Hes super funny and caring and this class IS a super easy A if you show up. Yes, it can be a bit boring but if you want that A I say its worth it!

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
ANTH313
Grade: A+
Dec 21, 2020
Would take again

Dr. Hayashi was the professor who had the biggest impact on me in my undergrad. I would take any class taught by him. He provides such an interesting perspective on all the subjects he teaches because of his immense international experience. Not only are his lecture contents and assigned readings incredibly interesting but his classes are SO easy.

Inspirational
Clear grading criteria
Amazing lectures
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Dec 24, 2020
Would take again

He did a good job teaching the material through videos, and they were very easy to understand. For the tests, he does ask specific questions, but if you study off of his lectures, watch the films, and read the textbook, you should be good to go.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Hilarious
2.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Dec 26, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Nice guy however his lecture videos were almost unwatchable because he went too slowly and tended to repeat himself over and over even for very basic subjects. Granted English is his second language so I do understand the issues with the wording of some test questions and why lectures seemed slow sometimes. Went over allotted lecture time sometimes

Skip class? You won't pass.
Caring
2.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Dec 26, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Nice guy, but lectures were unwatchable because they went way too slow and he repeated himself a lot for basic subjects. English as his second language did contribute to some of the slowness and confusion on test questions, but I don't blame him for this. Seems like a caring prof but I did not enjoy this course at all. Went way over lecture times.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
2.0
3.0
ANTH203
Jan 3, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Please do get a textbook. You see I did not get one and thought that I could get an easy A for an option. I get almost all 100 for quizzes and a passing grade for the final. The lecture videos are slow, I usually watch them x2 speed with subtitles. The final is just awful.

2.0
4.0
ANTH203
Jan 5, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Very nice prof, you can tell he is super passionate about what he does and teaching. Although, lectures were very slow - I had to watch them at 1.5x in order to actually focus on what he was saying. If you use the textbook and teach yourself you might do better than watching the lectures. Quizzes are pretty easy but midterm/final exams are brutal.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Jan 12, 2021
Would take again

Its an easy class and Hayashi made it fun, he does speak a little slowly but English isnt his first language so its a given, besides that it is a university course... just watch all the lectures and read the textbook. People just didnt enjoy it cause they were heavily unprepared for the midterm an final and that is not his fault.

1.0
4.0
ANTH357
Grade: A-
Feb 23, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Didnt post anything for exams, no question numbers, examples, study guides. Very unaccommodating. Didnt post full lecture slides or recording of zooms.

5.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Mar 9, 2021
Would take again

I took this class in fall 2020 and loved it! Yes, he can speak a little slow, but English isn't his first language and I didn't have a problem. I found that I didn't need the textbook - just watch his lectures. Usually he had 6-7 15 minute videos which were easy to get through. The difficulty was consistent start to finish. Would take again!

Test heavy
Amazing lectures
1.0
3.0
ANTH357
Grade: B-
Apr 24, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I definitely wouldnt take a class with him again. I was often very confused during his lectures, and did not like his teaching style (not very organized). He only gives letter grades for multiple choice exams so you dont know your percentage... this makes it quite difficult to calculate your average.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
May 24, 2021
Would take again

Hes a very good professor! as long as you watch his lectures and can take decent notes its very easy! Honestly dont even need the notes because he explains the topic very well and his questions are soooooo fair and easy! He is very nice and marks very easy. Accent is not bad because you can understand what he means using context. super interesting!

Hilarious
Amazing lectures
Caring
5.0
4.0
ANTH203
Oct 22, 2021
Would take again

This man is adorable. He does have an accent which can make the class seem easier than it is, because he explains things in simple terms - but his midterms definitely require some studying. Overall hes an amazing and funny prof and the class is genuinely interesting.

Respected
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Nov 26, 2021
Would take again

I LOVED this man, he makes class fun and is very enthusiastic, which makes it easier to pay attention rather than other profs who speak in a monotone voice. He answers your questions in good detail and you can tell he cares about his students. His tests are fair as long as you follow along with the lectures and take good notes.

Respected
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
5.0
3.0
ANTH357
Grade: A
Dec 1, 2021
Would take again

This man is a treasure and as long as you show up to lectures you'll do great on the tests. Clearly very passionate about the subject matter and teaching. His accent is a little heavy but not hard to understand. I really enjoyed his class and wish more professors cared this much and were as animated during lectures. Highly recommend.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Dec 22, 2021
Would take again

This prof is a real gem, he explains every subject really well and with a lot of passion. He does extra fun demonstrations in class which keep you interested. His exams are also really fair, if you pay attention to his lectures you will do good.

Respected
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
5.0
ANTH203
Grade: D
Dec 26, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Had no chance in getting a good grade, because all you had was your 2 midterms and a final. Each one was based off the videos he showed and random examples he used in class. Was very hard to follow because it was hard to remember each video, as multiple videos were used for multiple units. If there was some extra assignments that would have helped.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
3.0
3.0
ANTH357
Jan 2, 2022
Wouldn't take again

I really like Professor Hayashi, but he did not make this online class easy. He refused to record lectures for the students that had mixed online and in-person classes. The slides he posts are purposely missing half the content, and it is not very easy to catch up if you miss class. This course should have been more accommodating this semester.

Participation matters
Graded by few things
Hilarious
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Jan 6, 2022
Would take again

Dr. Hayashi is very kind and caring. He makes the class very interesting and is a great professor. Your grade consists only of 2 midterms and a final, so every exam really counts. A lot of the exams are based on what was learned in class, but the assigned readings in the textbook are also great for preparing for the exams.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Test heavy
3.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Jan 28, 2022
Would take again

A solid lecturer, and the content was fine, but did not make things as accessible as they could be. Tests were challenging to study for if you happened to miss class or not take something down, as he would not record lectures or post complete slides.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Oct 26, 2022
Would take again

He shows passion in his teaching and is a very positive prof. Tests are straightforward, but slightly challenging. My only critique would be that the note slides provided are a bit vague and don't define topics all that well, and ones used during the lecture are slightly different than the ones posted.

Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Nov 20, 2022
Would take again

His lectures are very entertaining and he's very passionate about the subject matter. Overall, the guy has great energy. The midterms and final are all online + open book, so as long as you pay attention to the lectures and read the textbook you should be great. Highly recommend.

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 27, 2022
Would take again

Love his lectures. He is very enthusiastic and fun to listen to.

Inspirational
Caring
Online Savvy
4.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 6, 2022
Would take again

Dr. Hayashi is a pretty decent prof! He is a super nice man and it obviously very passionate about what he does. Sometimes his explanations on certain subjects can get a bit lengthy and confusing. He also purposely leaves out certain slides on D2L which makes taking notes hard and catching up on missed lectures even harder.

Caring
Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Dec 10, 2022
Would take again

Amazing prof! Very enthusiastic and entertaining in lectures. Presentations uploaded on D2L are simplified and missing some information on purpose, but the tests should be very quick and easy if you go to class.

Amazing lectures
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Dec 17, 2022

Very passionate and does a good job of making his lectures entertaining and engaging. He's very caring and approachable. Lectures sometimes get a bit disorganized/confusing which can make notetaking difficult, and he intentionally leaves out info in online slides so it's very hard to catch up if you need to revisit something or missed a class.

Hilarious
Caring
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: B
Dec 26, 2022
Would take again

Hayashi was an amazing prof! He was very enthusiastic in his lectures and really cared about his students. There are only 2 midterms and a final but all open book and done online. He would post lecture agendas but would include more slides in the lectures and explain them in depth so he definitely wouldn't want to miss a lecture.

Amazing lectures
Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Jan 9, 2023
Would take again

I enjoyed his lectures soo much, he is very hilarious and makes the lectures fun. I recommend going to ALL his lectures as all his exams are based on whatever he goes over. For D2L he doesn't post his slides that he shows in class but a summary of it, which won't be enough for you to get a good grade.

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A-
Jan 10, 2023
Would take again

He is engaging, funny and caring. Exams are online, open book, and multiple choice and you have 24 hours to complete them (including the final). He doesn't post the full notes and you are tested on case studies talked about in class so attend lectures and do readings (skimming them is fine since the test is open book). Pretty chill class, good prof

Participation matters
Hilarious
Respected
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A
Jan 12, 2023
Would take again

Definitely top three professors I've had so far. His lectures are super engaging and the textbook used for this course was really good, in my opinion. One thing though is he tends to not stick to the course schedule and is always strapped for time, but besides that tests were online + open book, straightforward and the class was super interesting.

Hilarious
Caring
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
ANTH399
Grade: A-
Feb 25, 2023
Would take again

Lovely professor. It might be hard for some people to understand him because English is not his first language and he has a bit of an accent but he's a really likeable person and his lectures are always very interesting!

Caring
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
4.0
2.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Mar 28, 2023
Would take again

I would recommend taking this class with him! He is a very fun professor who makes the lectures interesting. His tests are very easy & the material is easy to understand. His notes are hard to study from as they are a bit difficult to understand at a glance so you must attend the lectures. Overall a really sweet, fun prof.

Amazing lectures
Clear grading criteria
Test heavy
4.0
2.0
203
Grade: A+
Mar 30, 2023
Would take again

Entertaining and clearly explains main lecture ideas while still making it fun! Does not post full slides online so you will miss content if you don't go to lectures. Tests were online, multiple choice and very straight-forward if you understood the course content. As long as you attend lecture and read the textbook, this is a very easy course.

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
203
Grade: B+
Apr 21, 2023
Would take again

Professor Naotaka is an amazing and engaging lecturer, his lectures are always fun to attend and he constantly makes sure everyone is engaged with learning! Always brings up his fieldwork and his move to Canada from Japan, the stories he tells are so entertaining and also relevant to the course. Loved his class, and would learn from him again.

Amazing lectures
Hilarious
Graded by few things
5.0
1.0
ANTH203
Grade: A+
Apr 24, 2023
Would take again

DR HAYASHI IS THE GREATEST! Take his class. His lectures were brilliant, he started the class by doing a dance battle against HIMSELF. Very fun and energetic lectures, he is super passionate about the subject matter and really cares about the students. Also the class was super easy, no assignments and all of the tests were online and open book.

Amazing lectures
Inspirational
Caring
5.0
3.0
ANTH203
Grade: B+
Sep 6, 2023
Would take again

Naotaka was super positive and inspired. You have to pay attention in lecture to his examples as they make up a lot of the basis for his tests. Tests were online, but difficult.

Participation matters
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
5.0
3.0
ANTH357
Grade: B
Mar 18, 2024
Would take again

One of my favorite professors so far. He does not post many slides so make sure you go to class

Amazing lectures
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
4.0
ANTH357
Grade: A
Apr 26, 2024
Would take again

Great professor. Hard exams. Probably should go to class.

Amazing lectures
Test heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
313
Grade: C+
Aug 19, 2024

Exams were brutal. It felt like no matter how hard I worked, and despite doing all of the readings, it never made a difference. Exam questions are so confusing and ridiculously specific to the smallest parts of readings. I had some friends in the class and they got the exact same grade as I did.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

70%

Textbook Required

19%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 70 grades
Most common grades:
A (16)
A- (15)
A+ (11)
Grade Distribution
A(27)B(16)C(1)D(3)F(0)A-/B+(25)
Based on 78 reported grades
A: 16
A-: 15
A+: 11
B+: 10
Common Tags
Skip class? You won't pass. (30)
Hilarious (27)
Test heavy (19)
Get ready to read (17)
Graded by few things (17)
Caring (14)
Lecture heavy (13)
Amazing lectures (10)
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203

4.0

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3.7

(3)

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3.6

(88)

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3.1

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2.9

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3.7

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2.7

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