3.0
Quality3.1
Difficulty33%
Would Retake366
Reviews33%
Would Retake
366
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
366 total ratings5
109
4
65
3
39
2
60
1
93
What Students Say
“I took this as a summer course”
CRM1301 - 3.0 rating“Enthusiastic and engaging (and funny”
SOC2106 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
44%
Textbook Required
42%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.15 avg changeRatings by Course
2106
5.0
(2)METHODS
5.0
(1)POLICING
5.0
(1)CRMSECT
5.0
(1)CMN3117
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
SOC3330A
5.0
CRM2303
4.2
SOC3118
4.0
SOC3331
4.0
ANT2103
4.0
Reviews (300)
really good prof
Absolutely brutal teacher. Wants work done ridiculously specific and makes everything seem harder then it is. Avoid this prof like the plauge, trust me on this!!!!!
Tough class, but 3 hour lectures flew by. Hilarious, encouraged class discussion, lot's of personal stories..would recommend this prof to anyone. Midterm and exam were m.c.
Yuck, yuck and yuck! You soooo do not want to take this course with him. Couldn't even look at my face when I asked for help.
Easy class funny prof
didn''t do anything, relied on TAs
No Comments
Horrible prof. who will do everything he can to make you feel stupid. Never availible, he is always "out of town" for whole week's so don't even bother looking for help.
Great class lots of class discussions.
How is this guy a teacher? Ottawa U's standards must be very low if this guy can be a Prof.
He is the funnist prof - awesome class
Wow. Interesting prof...if your definition of interesting is arrogance. Sure, he's funny at times, and encourages class discussions...probably because he doesn't have anything else to say. Oh yes, and if you're taking his class, you mustn't DARE ask any questions, because god forbid if you don't know the answer.
This is the kind of prof U of O is hiring? For God's sake people review this guy. There is not one student in the class that likes him or considers him to be a good prof.
Great Prof gets the class involved and doesn't read from his notes like most profs I know
University would not have been the same without Sam!
This guy's class is a lot of fun. It's interesting and definatly worth going to.
A confident teacher but too full of himself. Seems to take pleasure in embarrassing students who offer up answers to questions. Often knows his topic but makes many mistakes and often gets off topic. He is chauvinistic & only pays attention to young girls. Class was interesting but his attitude detracted from it. Tests and paper were difficult too.
This is a boring class Alvero made it intersting and fun take it with him!
Sam's a real nice guy, I asked him for a letter for a graduate school and he went out of his way to help me out and who I should talk to. For a part-time prof he really does go out of his way more than the full-timers.
Class was interesting and many good discussions/debates, but most of the material presented seemed totally irrelevant to globalization. Funny guy and good prof, but should stick to criminology and deviance courses.
University would not have been the same without Sam!
HEEEY SAMMY! if you're reading this i want to say that i loved social deviance and that i really wouldn't have gotten up at 8:30 monday mornings to go to any other class! i hope we meet again.
This was an awesome summer class. Sam really cares about this students and really kept us interested in the material even when it was boring. I would take another class with him anytime.
I've had this prof twice, and although he is definitely entertainment, the course structure is bogus. He gave us way too many assignment, that were way too unclear, and even though the students kept on drilling him for explanation, they remained unclear. If you are ok without clear expectations then giver - otherwise stear clear of sam.
aweeeesome prof! i would definitely take another one of his classes again!
Everyone should take this class. He's a great prof. Really opens your eyes even when its 10 at nite
No Comments
Really not a fan of this teacher.. he acts like he wants to help you but as soonn as you go to ask a question its like he doesnt have time for you.. absolutely horrible.. he thinks hes all high and mighty.. and that hes really funny, truth is hes not. He does get the material across but likes to pick on students.
I enjoyed this class and professor. He was interesting and down to earth. Sure, he may have embaressed a few people, but we are all adults, have balls and suck it up!! He was the one who told me/our class about this site actually!
He's an ****.
Awesome class I would take another class with him anytime. Really explains the material and wants to help his students do well
Really interresting class... he is very good at keeping our attention on the material. The only problem with his class was the media analysis essay, he kept saying how great it would be and that everyone usually loves it but I absolutely hated writing it and found it to be really pointless. There is barely any direction as to how he wants it....
Good class, very interesting. The mid-term and exam were multiple choice. You MUST read the text book or you will do horribly. The media analysis assignment was ok, but it was a little unclear what exactly he wanted. I would definably take another class with him.
a jerk. doesn't answer questions with proof or arguments, just insults or jokes to get the dumb kids in class to laugh. insults intelligent students by treating the entire class like first year soc students (who all drop out) even though a class survey showed most of us were 4th years looking for an easy credit. read the text, memorize powerpoint
Great guy!! Very funny, he'll embrarrass you, if you have already embrarrassed yourself with a not so intelligent comment. Lighten up, compared to some other profs it is nice to have a breath of freash air. Keep up the good work, Sammy!! Hope to see you soon!
He was a good, funny teacher but he was an extremely hard marker. No one I've talked to passed the essay and I'm pretty sure the only reason I got a C was because of bellcurving. Good guy though.
I had Sam last year and the year before. I'm a gradate student now at another university and there are only a handful of professors at the University of Ottawa that actually prepared me for graduate school. He was one. I didn't realize until this year how valuable he's classes were. Love him or hate him he makes you thing about the material and ho
hes a really funny teacher and likes to make class fun. he cares for his students and will take time to help them in anyway he can. most of the content on the exams were from the textbook; exams and assignments aren't hard just require you to study and effort. hes a good proff and even better guy.
I loved Sam! He was awesome! I'd take his class anyday!
I had this guy for 2 classes, and will take his class again just because they are that great. I will admit that I would do him in an instant too, great lectures tho. He kinda looks like the cop from Heroes, maybe not to you, but to me, yes. I'd so tap that in an instant. But it's not just looks, it's personality . Really interesting lectures too :)
I agree that he can seem cocky but he's a good teacher. He ALWAYS uses examples and really gets the class to participate. I disagree with people who say his class is hard...those people are just too lazy to study. C'mon, this isn't high school anymore! Study and you'll do fine and make sure to read the text book and DON'T do the essay, bad idea.
This was the best class I have ever had at university. Too bad this is my last year, I would take another class with Alvero anytime.
Best Prof at Ottawa U,this guy knows how to make class interesting. He's also very helpful.I would definetly recommend any classes he teaches.
Class was interesting enough. The midterm and exam had nothing to do with the course. You honestly don't ever need to go to class, just memorize the textbook! He is kinda a jerk, REALLY full of himself, and is quick to belittle students for incorrect answers. Does encourage group nice discussions, so you definatley won't sleep through his class.
I am back and forth with this prof/course... The mid-term followed the 1st half of the course well, but the final was REALLY difficult I think. I did all readings and missed 1 lecture; the readings can kick your butt as there is a lot of it. He is a good professor - I'm just unsure about how to be really successful in this course.
If you do well on MC exams, then you'll excel, but if you're not, I suggest choosing another course. My other courses were MUCH harder and I received A's. I got a B in his class. Writing the optional paper wouldn't have helped since most people did poorly on it as well. The course material is very theoretical and uninspiring.
This was a great class, the prof lets you choose to write essay questions or answer m/c questions for all his exams. Which was great for me becuase I suck I at m/c. Really student friendly, I would take it agian.
The course is great but Alvara is quite pompous and condescending. I read the entire text, went to every class and studied everything, but i still found questions on the midterm and exam that i had no idea where they came from - i'd never seen them before. It's an interesting class, but i wouldn't take another course with Alvaro.
This guy should be teaching more classes at Ottawa U, he actually makes going to class worthwhile and is extremely interesting,class always goes by fast when he is teaching. His Multiple Choice is sometimes tricky,but it isn't too hard to get a good grade in his class as long as you show up for class and read the textbook
seemed to be disinterested much of the time. Exam questions didn't always reflect what was taught in class (or what was in the book)
He is such a great professor, not matter what he teaches. I have had him for methods, intro and deviance awesome prof makes the material so interesting.
He is such a great professor, not matter what he teaches. I have had him for methods, intro and deviance awesome prof makes the material so interesting.
awesome guy! funny, interesting, and up to date! i love the fact that he saves the rest of the class from the unnecessary rambelings of some. very well informed in his area of knowledge... i mean you actually go in there and you learn... great guy!
he always keeps you entertained
For a methods summer class it was awesome. It was a ton of work, but Sam was always there to answer questions and help out when we got stuck. Great Prof!!!!!!!
Probably the worst professor I've ever had. He was so disinterested in what he was teaching that I found myself bored and unmotivated constantly. His form of help consisted of telling me that I was floundering but that I wasn't "dumb". He did not know what was on his own slides most of them time and gave poor examples in class.
Sam "The Man" Alvaro! -- I took soc-psych with him. He is a very intelligent young professor and conveys the subject matter effectively; however, the exams can be challenging because it requires you to have complete knowledge of the book/CR/Lecs. Not only did i enjoy his class but I made a good friend. Recommend any class Sam is affiliated with!
I find Sam's classes to be relatively easy. I've him twice now and I loved how both classes were strictly mulitple choice exams. You can pretty much show up and get by on them without attending class. When I did attend I thought he came across as a funny guy, not especially helpful though, as he tends to rip on a lot of students.
I was worried about taking this class because I heard he was stuck up and the class was hard. However, that is not the case at all. He is kind of arrogant, but what do you expect from a young Prof who teaches CRIM and Policing. IF you READ the book and TAKE NOTES, you will do well. IF not, you won't. Quite simple
Good prof.
I want to have his babies!!! i love this prof....I want to marry him!!! Arrogant as HECk and i love it!! AAAAAAAND he has CHOPPS what else could a student ask for!!! LOVE HIM!!! MARRY ME SAM!!!
Doesn't send out PowerPoints and while everyones busy scrambling to take the notes he asks us questions. :S And too concerned with getting us to like him. spent way way way too much time on the topic of dating, when there are other great topics we could have explored in social psych! he just thinks sex is the only thing students are interested in.
Best class ever. His TA, Keith, was beautiful.
This was the best globalization class at OU. Prof Alvaro was awesome, he really opened my eyes to different aspects of globalization, not same stuff that all the other profs teach over and over.
He is arrogant, not willing to help, doesn't care about his students and seems like he is merely trying to make your life difficult for his own amusement. Intentionally made things more complicated than they actually are. If you completely ignore his advice on projets you will do well, as I did.
Great Prof. His lectures are interesting and they don't put me to sleep, which puts him ahead of most professors. He always conveys the information very effectively and he always keeps students engaged. It also helps that he very funny. And despite what people say, he really does care about students.
Such a great professor! One of the funniest ones I have ever had. Made it worth the trip to get to class because he made everything so very interesting! Read your book and attend class and you're all set!
If your a serious student who just wants to go to class and sit there quietly and learn boring crap then you won't like this class. If you are sick of that crap and want to enjoy class once in a while, HIGHLY recommend this prof, for pretty much any subject
Great prof. Explains everything really well, so friendly and he makes class fun and interesting.
take his class
Classes always end short except the last class before the exam where he crams things in.most of what he says during class is just extra fun stuff or just copied directly from the textbook. Read the textbook you will get most answers, doesnt post slides though, so you have to be in class to get the canadian stats since textbook is american.
Take his classes if you just want to have a good time in the lectures. It's incredible how well he facilitates interesting discussions with such a big class. He is funny and generally a nice guy but he doesn't talk much outside of class. I don't feel like I learned too much, but I only took the class as a fun elective anyways. It's easy too...
Awesome teacher! I love his class!
Great Professor! He makes class interesting and explains everything really well! Make sure your readings are prepared he likes to ask specific people!
forces you to pay attention out of fear that if he calls you out (which he will definitly do at some point) you won't have a clue what he's talking about, and he will pick on you for the rest of the semester...sounds cruel, but makes you pay attention...also a really chill dude
The class was super informative. He kept the class interesting using different types of media. He loves to joke around, great class but make sure your not the one pranked.
Great prof. Love that he doesn't post his lecture notes online because his classes are a best. Great personality and humour. Tests are relevant to texts book and lecture notes. Highly recommend for crime students.
Great Proff! the only proff that really keeps me interested during a lecture! involves the students in discussion and is a really chill guy. Take his class
FIRE-CRACKER, TAKE HIS CLASS, KEEPS IT REAL, FUN AND ENGAGING.
Both the first and second midterm were 60 questions, u will see some of the questions on the final. There are a few questions on the assigned reading, but mostly he relies on the book, with a little emphasis on class notes too. (book and notes overlap at times). Kinda rude though, I asked a question first thing he says is "Are you in my class?".
VERY entertaining prof. Always wanted to show up to class, because class was always fun. Easy marker and you do learn a lot in the course, not just about criminology. Would recommend
Great prof. All around nice guy and all tests are nice and easy. If you pay attention in class you'll do great.
Great prof. Explained concepts and created class discussion. Asks for qustions instead of just barreling through. comprehensive understanding of what he teaches.
He is an awesome prof and is hilarious. very entertaining during class, but he also teaches a lot and his class was a lot of writing. will deff try to get him next year
Prof. Alvaro is an excellent teacher. His lectures are lively, informative and entertaining. His exams reflect the lectures and the readings well. When doing the readings, keep in mind key terms and random facts that pop up. Also be sure to pay attention to extra information given in lecture. Go to class to get CDN stats as textbook is American.
Alvaro always had interesting lectures. The only thing that bothered me was he tended to shut down student opinions that differed from his own. He's a funny guy, seems a bit conceded, likes to joke around with students. Exams are easy if you attend and listen in class. He relates material well to everyday life which keeps the class entertaining.
BEST PROF EVER!!!! Alvaro had super interesting lectures and made you laugh, I was actually so excited to go to class. I recommend every student take at least one class with him!!! He will make you work hard for exams but you will get the grade you deserve. If you are in crim or soc do whatever you can to take at least one class with Alvaro!
Very interesting lectures/movies, class discussions take up 98%. Discussions not on exams, therefore mostly readings on exams. I am in 2nd year and found the readings to be difficult, not 1st year material. Answers are not easily found in readings. Tricky MC exams. Will never take another class with Prof Alvaro.
Lectures were interesting. However, exams rarely on the lectures, rather they focus on the 40+ page readings we had for each class. Does not give details on what themes etc to focus on while studying.. youre on your own to figure that out. made the class feel like a 4th year class simply because the majority were 4th year students.
Alvaro kept the class interesting. Used a lot of videos to explain his points. Slides were very clear. Exams were somewhat easy, questions came from both slides and the textbook. Showing up to class is fairly important (he gave out bonus marks for attendance). Overall, no issue with this prof.
I've taken a couple classes with Alvaro, and I love him! His lectures are always interesting and he is great at engaging the class. So long as you pay attention in class, take good notes and do the required readings there is no reason not to succeed. I definitely recommend taking any of his SOC or CRM classes!
I thought he was great! He makes some witty jokes now and then but overall he is very good! His tests are very fair and he is very understanding. As long as you study hard in his class you'll be fine :)
Great teach. Awesome lectures, makes me want to goto class
Best Prof EVER. He is fun, interesting, and he actually cares about you and your mark. The lectures are easy to understand and funny. (We made a wave in the class in the middle of the lecture. Just cause…) Anyways. Easy pass and its fun!!
one of the easiest classes you can take. just do the assigned readings and go to the lectures and you will pass the midterms and the class. He cares about your grade he wants you to pass. the lectures are sooo fun and entertaining he likes to joke around. he's totally worth it!!!
He is one of the best profs at lecturing; he is very clear about expectations for the midterms (class notes + textbook). Midterm 1 was on 5 chapters, Midterm 2 was on 8 chapters (all MC). Midterms were average difficulty, but the T.A.s grading the Final Exam (Essay based) are brutal (I don't hold that against the prof). Overall, not a bad choice.
Awesome lecturer! A lot of class involvement, if you do not like to be called out, then you probably shouldn't take this class as name plates are mandatory to make calling people out easier! Tons of readings all which are a huge part of exams, and they are very difficult! If you go to class and study you can get a good mark!
Very nice, fun, and clear. Funny, good environment.
AWESOME PROF, ALWAYS KEPT CLASS ENGAGED. you can tell he's from Toronto by his sass, approachable, caring and really great at discussions. I'm in Health Sciences and this course was mandatory however he made it worth it, and writing essays and doing readings were not as bad as I thought they would be.
Took 2 classes with him. Very interesting prof. Makes you want to go to class, and you won't be bored while listening to him. Very dry humour at times (which can offend people, but i think its hilarious).. 3 total exams, mainly multiple choice. it was kind of hard at times. READING ARE MANDATORY; and heavy on reading materials (my only complaint)..
Always talking to students and making sure our questions are answered and concerns are addressed. He picks on people occasionally but if you are following the lecture it isn't an issue. He will publicly shame anyone who does something to piss him off (not following rules, cell phone goes off, etc) so behave! Does not post slides online.
Great prof, really interesting, but sometimes condescending and rude. He asks for students' questions and opinions, but rejects them and tries his best to disprove them. The exams are based on minute points from the readings and include details that are impossible to remember. If you do all of the readings and attend all lectures you'll be fine.
I loved this prof. Doesn't spoon-feed his student. Loves when people speak up in class, and will challenge you to make you deepen your thinking. I definitely recommend him.
Very well-humoured instructor. Greets everyone at the door, smiles and makes jokes frequently. Speaks clearly and loudly, emphasizes important theories and concepts. Powerpoints are detailed and important to take down. Go to class, participate, and DO YOUR READINGS. Easy pass and all around cool guy. Loved his class, will try to get him again
This course was 2 midterm exams and 1 Paper (Final Exam). The midterms aren't too easy or too difficult, and are graded objectively by a computer since they are MC. The professor is very clear and has some of the most interesting lectures. However, beware the final exam as you may be seriously disappointed since the T.A.'s grade your paper.
I really enjoyed Alvaro's teaching style. At first I was taken aback that he didn't put the slides up on Blackboard, but I think it really helped motivate me to concentrate. His lectures were interesting and very interactive. As long as you study and do the readings, you will get a good grade. Another plus: he typically ends class early.
Two MC midterms based solely off the readings so going to class was pointless in that perspective but the professor himself was what made the classes worth going too. Overall nice guy, does like to call you out (in what he thinks is a good-natured way, and is unless you dislike being called out). Would 100% recommend this professor if possible!
He's a hilarious prof and made lectures go by quickly! His midterms are easy if you attend all the classes (since notes aren't posted online) and read the textbook. He tends to end class early and is very interactive with the students. He always greets us and asks how are we doing. Strongly recommend him :)
Hilarious and awesome dude, except for the fact that he only prefers his answers for questions asked in class. Don't fact-check what he says, because a lot of the time his points are wrong. Midterm questions are oddly specific, maybe based on one sentence out of the text. Overall interesting course, except thoroughly biased by Alvaro.
I actively seek out this prof have taken multiple classes because hes amazing at lectures, funny, keeps the class interesting! and best of all (*for me at least) he doesn't do papers! he typically gives 2 midterms and a final, and sometimes 3 midterms and a final but I prefer tests to papers. Make sure you buy the text B, tests come from reading
This is my third time having him and he's by far one of the best professors at University of Ottawa. He doesn't sugar coat, and tells you how it is. Typically he doesn't do papers, and focuses a lot on the readings, but he's super fun, interactive and funny during class. I highly recommend him as a prof.
Absolutely hilarious, very clear about what he expects, overall an awesome prof. No notes online, but his lectures are so fun and engaging you want to go to them. Marks very fairly, and if you study, you will definitely pass. If you can, take this course.
Professor Alvaro is a wonderful example of what all other professors should want to be. He loves to engage in conversation and discussion with the students during the course of his lectures. He is great!
Read a lot of the textbook and assigned article readings as most of the exam questions come from there. The class was definitely one of the most interesting and fun ones I've taken.
Professor Alvaro is a funny guy. He loves cracking jokes and getting a response from students. For the class itself, we had two MC midterms and one final paper. He will make you participate by calling you out. Every student is expected to have a name plate to facilitate this so if you hate talking in class, BEWARE!
I took both policing classes Alvaro teaches and I loved him. If you go to class and do the readings you will do well.
Enthusiastic and engaging (and funny!) prof but the lectures are basically a vague recounting of the weeks reading. A lot of reading, both a textbook and a course reader and ALL are mandatory to pass. Weekly journals make sure of this. He does call on people and can tend to embarrass them so beware if you have anxiety about speaking in class.
Truly cares about every student. One day he asked us "where's everyone's name plates? You aren't a number... you're a person". Very interesting lectures. Genuinely sad that I might not have him as a prof for the rest of my crim years.
Friggen love this guy.
Best crim prof!! He makes 3 hour lectures go by really quick, sometimes makes cut it short to 2 hrs. He gives 2 midterms and a final take home paper. He's hilarious, caring and interactive with the students. He made the course really interesting! High recommend his class!
Favourite class and professor by far! Extremely engaging, gets to know names, very funny and up to date on everything. Lots of reading and midterms as well as final are very comprehensive but study and read and attend and you should be fine! Definitely recommend this class and prof to everyone! I would take this class again
Prof Alvaro is the best. Tries to learn everyones names. Only 2 online midterms and a take home final. Super interesting and really into what he teaches, finds it important to have actual discussions about random news. Loved this class thanks to him
Great Prof. He makes his lectures very interesting and engaging, although pay attention because he does not post slides to Blackboard. There are two online midterms (60 MC each) and a final take home exam. Do the readings because they will help on the exams, and he will award extra credit for questions that are answered from the text in class.
This teacher was a very very easy class. A funny teacher, but if you are actually wanting to learn, this class is a waste of your time. The teacher is a joke, and does not discuss anything relevant. He also does not know what he is talking about. This class was a waste of my time and money. I would not recommend it. Easy, but not worth it.
made the class funny and interesting, he likes to interact with the students and tries to learn everyones name. Do not be shy with him he likes when people give comments and discussion. Make sure to do the reading most of the readings are on the midterms/final. overall great class, I learned a lot
Such an awesome prof! He likes class discussions which is really great and help you understand the content. The midterms were very easy and the final was a take home which helped lessen the stress of finals. No lectures are posted online so pay attention in class. He awards extra credit for attendance and certain questions regarding the readings.
He's a hilarious prof who makes even 8:30 lecture interesting and engaging. I took his crim1300 course first semester and changed my electives to take his soc1101 for second semester. You have to attend every class to get the most of the class but the textbook is extremely helpful, he makes every class worth it to attend, and moulds to the class
Lectures are fun and engaging
If you need a bird class, take him. Multiple choice exams, straight forward. You probably won't learn much, most of the things we cover are things that you probably already know but hey we all need that easy to pass class! Doesn't post online so you have to go to class. You can try and find the texbook online or get an older version if you cant buy
Great engaging professor. Made 8:30am lectures very bearable to attend. Only negative is that his exams are multiple choice and involve some very random and specific questions! Get the textbook, you will need it for exams.
Sam is hilarious and makes 8:30 lectures bearable. This course is an easy A. The first midterm and the final were online. I barely studied for either and did well on both. The second midterm is a paper which seemed to screw people over seeing as the class average was 66%, but other than that I would recommend this class!
If you are good at reading and self-study, take his lecture. A lots of notes in class require the strong hands because you have to write down everything on his ppt. He wouldn't post his class notes on Blackboard. His exams are open books and M/C, not very hard if you go over his class notes and the textbook.
Awesome prof, enjoyed going to his classes. Always cracking jokes and tries to make connections with the students. Explains material in a way that's easy to understand. Only thing is he doesn't post his slides on blackboard, so making friends is helpful for missed classes.
Great lecturer and funny, asks lots of questions in class so beware. Doesn't post anything on BB so go to class to take notes. One online open book midterm, one 5 page dbl spaced paper and online open book final, which can be done from home. Overall very interesting lectures but he won't allow talking and will call you out on it. Id recommend him.
AMAZING prof. Definitely my favourite sociology prof hands down. He makes class fun and something you look forward going to. Gets off topic sometimes but in a good way, he's an entertainer. Switched up my whole course timetable for next semester just so I could take another one of his classes again!
Uses a lot of immature humour, and likes to play "guess what I'm thinking" but overall, not bad. Open book midterms/exams that can be done from home and an easy grader for written assignments. Would recommend
Started my first class ever with a large group snapchat. Genuinely seems interested in his students and takes care of sensitive subjects. One of those "cool" teachers.
you have to come to class in order to get note because there is no another way, it really bothers me when keeps looking at his phone during the lecture, don't know what is so important about it. the first exam, assignment, and final exam are all online so it's pretty simple. you have to be a fast note taker because he will keep rushing you.
better bring that nameplate to class
Seems to be an easy class, but it really is not. Very tough grader and we were tested on material not covered in any of the lectures or the text book. He's hilarious, but he can be very moody. Beware.
He makes classes interesting and fun. Midterms, assignments + final exam are all done online which is convenient. He is very interactive with students and calls on people randomly a lot which some people will like but it may not be your thing. Make sure to bring your nameplate to every class! He's more likely to call you out if you don't have it.
His assigned reading and articles are actually enjoyable to read! Interesting and relevant topics. He keeps lectures fun and encourages participation. The atmosphere in his class is great, and rare. His tests are easy and relevant to what we have learned. I would definitely take another class with this prof! However, his TA was not helpful.
Lots of reading for this class but the lectures are just phenomenal! Alvaro is an amazing prof and you would love every single lecture. He is hilarious and is super engaging. He teaches real-world issues in such a comprehensive way, you just HAVE to take a class with him! All his exams are online and he truly cares about his students! TAKE IT!
There was a lot of homework in the class and he is a very tough grader.
Professor Alvaro makes the class so much fun. He literally tries to relate to you in any aspect and is always joking around which usually makes a 3 hour class tolerable. He is also such a nice person. The most bless thing is that his midterms are all done online. He is a must take especially for any CRM or SOC classes!!!!
Great professor, makes class super interesting and always tries to engage everyone in the discussions. Midterms and exam were taken online, but don't be fooled he asks questions about the most irrelevant/specific details from the readings.
He is very funny and entertaining. He knows how to keep the course interesting. Make sure to do your readings which is what most of the tested content is on, otherwise you will not do very well. One online midterm, one paper and one online final.
Very nice prof! He makes class interesting! I love the class discussions. Make sure you do the readings and answer the textbook questions for extra practice!
Such a funny and amazing prof! The material is sometimes hard to understand so make sure you buy the book. Open to in class discussions and loves to hear your point of view.
Do not take this as an elective. This is not a bird class. I repeat. This is not a bird class.
In spite of the fact that he is an amazing prof and his lectures are fun, his exams are all online but very tough. He gives about 120 questions and you just have a minute to answer each question. I would not take him if you have another option
Going to class was always fun. Super chill guy but serious about what he teaches. Always interesting discussion, lots of class participation. Cares about his students. He does get super peeved about talking during class though and will call people out.
This prof only uses Brightspace to evaluate students, including ALL of the exams. There were many technical difficulties throughout the semester with many students and he wouldnt help any of them. He would say to the entire class why dont you just CALL Brightspace? Do the readings or you wont pass. Avoid if you can.
Alvaro is a very engaging prof!! He made each lecture engaging every. single. time. Also the extra credit he gave for attendance (1% extra if you are in class when the attendance is 60%) helped me out a lot! The two midterms and final are online but BE CAREFUL because they are all multiple choice- its not as easy as it sounds!
BEST PROF EVER! enrol in his class if you get the chance, you wont' regret it. Hilarious lectures that make the info easy to remember. Midterms and final online really helped. Downfall is powerpoints aren't online.
Dr Alvaro gets off topic A LOT but he makes class really fun by making connections with things his students can relate to. He doesnt post his slides so you have to go to class, has like 5 online discussions throughout the term. His exams are all online which is really nice bc u can put less emphasis on it. Textbook is so boring tho but necessary!
His lectures were amazing. He was super chill and was always listening to people's opinions. Class had an "open discussion" style which i liked. There were 5 discussions that you had to do during semester on brightspace (10%). The 2 midterms and final were ALL online (!!) You had 1 min to answer each Q. This was good for some, others not so much.
Hes a fun prof, and his lectures are discussion based. He doesnt post notesso make friends if you like to skip class. All exams are online, but theyre difficult. Read the textbook because most questions are from there.
I took this as a summer course. Dr. Alvaro did not account for the fact that there was 1/4 of the time to complete the online discussion questions (5 questions, 1000 words each, worth a total of 10%). Because of the short amount of time, it seemed like a lot of work for not very much of our grade. The online M/C exams were a lot of "who said what".
Very engaging prof as well as cares about his students. Your insight is valued and considered, and he is always trying to stay up to date in pop culture to make lectures relatable. He relies a lot on brightspace and all exams are done online but if you do not mind that I highly recommend him as a prof. Easily my favourite prof this semester
Prof Alvaro is very funny and makes sure to use lots of pop-culture references so we can better understand the subject matter - he even uses references SO current that the students don't even know about it yet. Make sure you attend every lecture since he doesn't post anything online and most discussion boards / projects have to do with the lectures
This class was my only class this semester I actually looked forward to/enjoyed going to. He is always updated on current events as well as pop culture, and speaks to a very 'hip' and current/modern audience. Midterms and exams are online and straight multiple choice, which I found to be nice as you have your notes in front of you.
Prof is hilarious, makes references to pop culture to make the content relatable and relevant. Participation is encouraged and he will call on people randomly. midterm and final are online and theres a paper. slides are NOT posted online and no laptops so you gotta go to class and write them in a notebook. overall decent though
He doesnt post his notes and has lots of discussions not related to course material. His tests are online but you have 50 minutes to answer 50 questions and they are hard. 5 discussions online and the TA is a hard grader with no helpful feedback. I regret BIG time taking this class as an elective. I would NEVER reccomend this class to anyone.
Very good prof, his lectures are engaging and interesting. Although you do learn a lot in his class, his exams are very very tough. Be prepared to study very hard for his exams.
His lectures are very interesting, for he discusses pop culture very often. Although, on saying this, his class is very tough. His exams are multiple choice with only a minute per question. You must read the textbook because that is where all of his difficult questions come from. For a first year intro class he is very hard, but he is a fun prof.
He seems to be a nice guy, but he is not passionate about teaching. He gives you an entire textbook and then tests you on it. Do NOT be fooled, it is hard. His lectures are engaging, but you are not really tested on his lectures, and are tested on the textbook. His tests use odd diction, so it is easy to get questions wrong for no reason... AVOID
I enjoy his classes, they are very fun! After that, it all goes down hill. His tests are not on what he talks about in class!! Very frustrating! His questions are based around minute details in the textbook... its a 500 page textbook. His grades discussions are marked on how to cite properly ... even though we have never talked about it in class??
Just wrote his crm1300 final... the exam DID NOT reflect what we talked about in class! Everything is small details from the textbook, and not fundamental aspects of criminology.. absolutely terrible prof and teaching style!! Everything is online so you can google or work with friends , but that is not impartial and fair to ur actual knowledge!!!
Out of my 10 first year profs ... he is by far the worst! He is funny and his lectures are interesting, but you are not graded on the lectures at all!!! Good luck remembering the smallest of details from the textbook !! You can write the exam from home, and even with friends from the class? No regulations ... u can use google when writing the exam
By far the worst prof I've had is far! What you are tested on on exams and tests are so random. His lectures are super interesting but who cares about an interesting prof if you can't get a good grade? WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
good lecturer but lazy prof. His exams are computer generated so the questions come from random details in the text. Avoid him if you want an A
Prof Alvaros lectures are interesting, but that is the only positive thing I can say about his classes. The tests are all online and do not match what he teaches in class. Many of the questions are small facts that are buried in the textbook. He does not put the time in to help students, which shows that he is a selfish and careless professor.
For all of you saying his midterms don't reflect the class material and are mainly from the textbook... get used to it in your upper year classes. Maybe that's why I wasn't so upset when I actually DID the readings and got an A- in the course. Teachers aren't going to just hand you material for you to memorize you have to work for it.
He is the worst professor I have had at U of O. He doesnt not care for his students, as his tests do not reflect what he teaches. The questions on the test are about random facts from the textbook, which shows that he is a lazy professor, as he does not make the questions himself. He does not care for his students, and I would AVOID at all costs!!
Lectures are note heavy, he doesn't upload ANYTHING online. Lectures barely used in tests, which are usually focused on the texts and textbook, on the smallest details. Would NOT recommend, worst prof I had in first year.
His lectures are engaging however as mentioned before he IS a very lazy prof. All midterms online so you can work with friends etc (recommended) but they have nothing to do with what he teaches in class? Scared to put my hand up bc he often mocks students in front of the class. Interesting content so a shame he lacks effort/passion as an educator.
He was super funny and interesting, and the lectures were fun at times. This is a class where you have to go 100% of the time and read ALL of the texts (in detail). The exams are online but they include even the most minor details from the textbook or lectures. If you want an A, you need to work HARD.
Great lecturer, great human being. Just his exams. I've never taken a worser exam in my life. Completely randomized textbooks questions. I studied for weeks prior, memorized nearly all the class notes & took extensive notes on the textbook. Still was never able to break an A. . Goodluck, you'll need it. And Trevor is a beauty of a TA.
He's an excellent and interesting lecturer, extremely good at explaining criminological concepts which was very fresh and engaging to listen to. Test content is a nightmare though, you will spend a LOT of time with your textbook. Open book exams, but all multiple choice with odd diction. Id rec him IF you have lots of free time to read. Decent!
He's a great professor! He has an intimidating personality but his jokes are hilarious. Lectures are a very BRIEF summary of the readings so make sure you read ALL of the readings CAREFULLY. Midterms and final are fair. Just don't miss class and do all the readings and take really good reading notes.
He is a good professor, passionate and interesting. He is intimidating however and often made fun of our responses. You MUST do the readings in order to succeed on the exams. He will take specific parts of the readings for questions, so you won't get by just by skimming them.
He is not funny and people need to stop pretending he is. Ridiculously condescending, picks on students, and embarrasses them in class when they ask questions (which is really unfortunate for first-years who are adapting). Don't fall for the snapchat selfie. If you need help, ask a TA. They do all the work for him. Wish I had something nicer to say
Classes were interesting. Tests were hard. He was a very lazy prof, and had a temper. He let his TA do all the work and didn't do any one-on-one interaction with students at all. Exams were based solely on the readings, making class attendance useless. I am glad that I only had one class with him.
Fun guy, but I'm lucky I only have one class with him. Don't take him if not necessary.
He couldn't care less for his students. He puts up a front like he is super cool and chill and wants everyone to succeed. However, the large majority of his test questions come from textbook test banks. It's useless to study class notes. His rubrics are also very broad and unclear. Also very condescending when answering students questions. AVOID!!!
This prof has no idea what he's doing. He's one of those "I want my class to appear hardcore and not easy!" Content is easy. Prof will throw assignments at you left n right, grade you unfairly, with no rubric for you to go off of. Doesn't care what you say either won't listen. He's a legitimate piece of trash. Doesn't care about student wellbeing
God he's so bad at teaching. Doesn't show up to class half the time for no reason. Brushes off all complaints. Doesn't listen to students. Also cringy and pretentious. Tries really hard to be "hip and cool" but it doesn't work. Seriously though, he grades tough, doesn't give proper instructions on assignments, doesn't listen to student feedback.
Worst prof Ive ever had avoid if possible!! Heavy textbook readings, articles then tested on the smallest details. Doesnt lecture, uses class time for discussion then brushes off all student concerns. Time consuming discussions worth almost nothing, TAs do all the work for him. I was constantly ignored when asking questions, extremely rude prof
Avoid Avoid Avoid A lot of readings, unclear rubric for assignments or discussion boards, unclear instructions for exams, unclear and irrelevant questions in exams, chaotic gradings, literally wasting student's time, weird assignment topics. He literally gives everything to his TAs and not take any responsibilities.
The class material is so easy and straightforward but prof Alvaro makes it so difficult. There are SO many readings, mainly articles and journals, and you are tested based on the smallest details from these readings. Lectures are useless, no class material is taught. Expectations for assignments/tests are non-existent so you get awful grades
Exams barely reflect lecture content, if at all. Midterms are 50 questions in 50 minutes, including more than a few vignettes. It's also become apparent that he just uses a question bank since the last midterm, some people randomly also got 1-4 short answer questions others only multiples choice, and more than a few others had duplicate questions.
LOL, I just notice that he literally put a lot of PUA-related content in his lectures.
This teacher gave me depression, I am going through mental trauma after these exams they questions have no connection with the course material. highly disturbing do not recommend one bit.
Tough class to do online. Reading is endless, he doesnt seem to care about most students. Talks about inappropriate topics, we had a survey about our sex life that was worth a portion of your grade so not really optional. Discussion assignments are worth 2-5% but are very time consuming. Avoid this class and the prof if possible.
Although the class content is interesting, much of what is learned is never on the exams. This is further complicated by the fact that Alvaro is a lazy condescending prof who acts like a know it all but is unavailable to answer questions both in and outside class.
Horrible teacher, horrible grading system, gets his TAs to do everything for him. also rude lol. i wouldnt take his classes if ur not willing to dedicate 100% of ur time to it
I would never take his classes ever again (I had 2 at the same time). Blogs were a lot of work (essay style) and were worth 2-4% per each. Exams were extremely hard with no time (50 mins per 50 questions) and did not include course content. Inappropriate topics and the TAs did all the work and I felt that they were under a lot of stress.
He makes you work for the grade thats for sure. But as long as you do ALL the readings and attend all the lectures and pay attention, youll do fine! For his online class, he used the live class time to do discussions and take questions. He sometimes comes off as lazy however. I think thats because his TAs do most of the work for the class.
Avoid him if you can. There's so much reading to do in this class. The class is cumulative. He uses the class time to discuss the class content and answer questions which is fine. His midterms are 50 questions and gives you 50 min to answer them. He gives out discussion assignments and they are time consuming and worth like 5% at most
Do NOT take him! His tests have literally nothing to do with the material he tells you to study! And he doesn't use his lecture time effectively at all! Also, he is condescending!
Amazing recorded lectures with fun animation in it. Reading the textbook is very important. He gave out two midterms.
He didn't even give us lecture notes or powerpoint slides, so I basically had to write out everything he said during the lecture videos, which was extremely exhausting. Not only that, but he made one of the assignments due during Reading Week. Avoid this prof if you can.
SOO condescending and acts likes he's the best prof (when he's definitely not )! Very very rude during class and when students are done talking he states "are you done now " AVOID at all costs and save yourselves...
Speaking from taking the course online. Cool guy, terrible prof. He expects way too much from his students. Like are we really going to remember a small insignificant statement from the first week of class? His lectures are not interesting enough to ask such specific questions on a final. If youre looking for an fun, easy elective this aint it.
professor alvaro is hard but fair in my opinion. there is a lot of material but he doesn't discuss any new matieral in the live lectures and they're kind of a waste of time. the tas weren't sociology students so they weren't much help for content related things. definitely not a bird course but still interesting
tests have nothing to do with what we were lectured on! stay away!
I liked the material but I did not like the professor. His live lectures were useless and he wouldn't talk about the actual material. His posted lectures are animated videos, which might seem stupid but they were actually entertaining. His exams were very specific and you needed to know every little detail about the readings and lectures.
Such a good class and you get the grade for the work you put in! Really reading heavy but the assignments are easy to do and thoughtfully spaced out. Lots of discussion in the class time. Prof Alvaro wants you to do well and the TA was so helpful. Loved this class!
Okay, so I took it as a summer course from 7-10 pm. And honestly I Never attend my classes but I literally never skip this one. He is interesting and makes the topic relatable to daily life. He engages with students and is clear on instructions and marks fairly.
Stop whatever you're doing, and TAKE HIS CLASS I would do it all over again!!!
His exams really rely on the textbook/reading materials so make sure you really take notes. It won't be hard to get a good grade if you really pay attention. His live lectures aren't really related to the course material unless it's a powerpoint. He's a funny guy tho.
do ! not ! take ! his ! class !! worst prof ever and doesnt even teach! lectures are just games which is annoying bc the tests are hard and based on the material he doesnt actually go thru. it takes all my will to get thru his "lectures" bc of his unfunny jokes. too many assignments and too arrogant for someone who does not do much
lectures were a huge waste of time. our three hour lectures, that would consist of stupid kid games and random conversations would always be cut about an hour short because there "wasn't enough content to fill three hours" but he would post hours worth of information for us to teach ourselves throughout the week. avoid at all costs!! smh
The classes are 3 hour long but not much is done in those hours and it is not useful for exams.
Tests/exams are super hard. Super reading-based, make sure you take DETAILED notes. Class is a waste of time but hours of lecture content is posted online instead
His video lessons are very visual, which was super nice, but the lectures are a total waste of time !! I wish we went over the material during them ... instead, he does kahoots and talks to the class.
The exams he makes are ridiculous and he does not go over anything in his lectures.
I had this prof once a week for about 2.5 hours, and that's probably the only negative aspect of the class. Prof. Alvaro himself is really engaging; he likes interacting with students and tries to get to know everyone. Plus, he's really knowledgeable about the subject and prefers to teach Crim through group discussions.
Such a useless prof. Gets paid 100k to post prerecorded lectures that were completely edited by his TA's. Taught myself the entire course through the textbook. Actually showing up to class is a waste of time, all we did was kahoots and he made cringy jokes. Midterms and exam completey based on random tidbits of info in the textbook, so goodluck.
Honestly one of the best profs i've had at UOttawa. He's absolutely hilarious and super fun! Attendance is definitely mandatory because classes a re not recorded. However, I had a 3 hour lecture with him every Thursday night and it flew by. He includes his students in discussion throughout the lecture and is very clear on material and assignments.
Professor goes on hour long tangents in class and then removes those tangents from the recorded lectures and he then turns his nigh on incomprehensible ramblings into testable content. Contradicts himself constantly, has horrible organization and you better memorize that textbook like gospel.
I swear he must be writing the good reviews on here lol! He is an awful prof! I would not recommend him to anyone! He is condescending! He also test on minute details from the textbook! Avoid !!
I attended his lecture once in person and it genuinely made me cry. He is extremely condescending and confrontational, every chance he gets. He makes you have name plates for discussions during class, and then proceeds to butcher your name pronunciation anyways, regardless of if you correct him or not. TA's do everything for him. TA's are great.
All material for exams come from his recorded videos, long articles, and the textbook. His lectures are a waste of time since he barely discusses all of the content during class time. His exams cover very specific details of his recorded videos and the textbook, they are not easy. Any prof is better than Alvaro, avoid him if you can.
Prof Alvaro makes the best use of technology and sparks great conversation. Going to class is optional but shouldn't be missed because discussion-based learning means a lot of material is covered through real-world examples. There is so much reading though and you will be tested on it. Don't take this class if you prefer lecture-based courses.
A very humorous and hilarious professor,the lectures are very exciting and I benefited a lot. However, the exam is really difficult. Although all the questions are multiple choice, I feel that a lot of knowledge has not been taught, but it appeared in the midterm and Final exam.The exam content is very detailed!
Very good prof and loves what he does which is criminology
I enjoyed this class however, I did not enjoy Dr. Alvaro. All of the Zoom sessions were just crazy discussions about things that had nothing to do with class - 3 hour long discussions.
Would not recommend !! There are 3 tests overall, two midterms each worth 30% and one final worth 40%. There are 60 questions and 65 minutes for the test, it is all multiple choice and half of those questions are on the readings. He does not post the lecture material online so be prepared to type fast, class average on tests is around 69.7%.
Prof Alvaro is 1 of the best profs I've had. He connects with students (bring up the Kardashians and TikTok ALL the time). He is really funny and keeps the classes engaging. Attendance isn't mandatory, but he doesn't post lectures or PP, and the reading is mandatory for the exams (which are pretty easy). If you can, take a class with Prof Alvaro!
Good prof. Hard tests though.
Very funny and entertaining professor. Lectures were decently enjoyable. Only complaint is that some questions on exams are based on small, easy-to-miss details in the textbook.
Great professor, get ready to be quizzed on the most detailed bits of information from the textbook. The midterms were difficult (1 question per minute online), however, he does offer a 2% bonus to your final mark if you complete an assignment. His slides were huge chunks of information that he couldn't be bothered to turn into bullet points.
Alvaro is obsessed with being perceived as cool and with the times. He makes unfunny jokes about TikTok, furries and the Kardashians. He is very condescending when students share their opinion in class. READ THE TEXTBOOK he copy pastes passages on exams verbatim. All his exams and midterms are online which is nice. Notes are not posted anywhere.
Exams are hard (30/30/40 split, 1min per MC) and all online with no lockdown software. The textbook is very expensive and required, along with very dense. Stick to reading chapter summaries and you'll be fine. His exams are taken word for word from Quizlets. Alvaro can be condescending and rude when you ask a question, and lectures are very fast.
2104* The content in this course is interesting, however, I find this prof very condescending to students who speak up and in many instances, inappropriate. He does not post the lecture slides anywhere and does not give any sort of exam review. Pay very close attention to the details in the readings because it will probably be on the midterm/exam.
Very engaging lectures. Exams are multiple choice but they are VERY poorly made. It's either copy-pasted questions directly from the class slides (easy) or impossible questions from the textbook (insanely specific things that you can't possibly remember or questions that have two possible correct answers, but only one is "right" according to him).
SOC2104. Goes off on random rants during class. All of his examples are super dated. Talks about research without referencing anything? His exams are all online which is good but they aren't about your knowledge but how well you can find VERY specific details in lectures/textbook. Condensing to points that differ from his. Will cut people off.
2104. I'm sincerely amazed that Sam Alvaro was somehow able to trick uOttawa into hiring him. I'm not sure he could even teach a 9th grade social studies class. Lectures are completely incoherent, and when he does say something decipherable, he has no idea what he's talking about. I truly hated my time with Alvaro. Nice enough guy tho.
Great guy, the lectures are amazing and worth attending. However, his exams are definitely long and you can't do it on a whim. I highly recommend him as an extra credit class.
He's engaging most of the time but asks student their opinions then gets sidetracked for most of the class/argues. I think he tries not to but he ends up saying some questionable things and can be condescending. Examinations are difficult because they are all extremely specific content questions and often there are 2 questions that could be right
Amazing Professor! The lectures were great and made me want to go. Very laid back and would recommend.
Really enjoyed my time with prof Alvaro. The final exam was brutally long and hard but doable if you study and have good notes. You cannot do any of his exams without the readings because he asks super specific questions. He is an engaging and caring professor and I think the people who skipped out on his class missed out
2nd time having him as a prof and honestly he's great. very funny, class discussions (no need to take notes) are fun and he's one of the chill profs. The only reason I took this class was bcs he was teaching. You have 2 midterms and a final, Take notes on the videos and do the reading and you should be fine. Highly recommend him!
Idk what other people on here are saying he was amazing. A teacher to actually engage with students on a bonding level. He reminds me of a Redditor in a cool way.
Professor Alvaro is a really nice guy and super funny. He enjoys engaging with students and he loves relating the course content back to real life situations, experiences and issues. Beware though, his exams are difficult, you will need to take notes as the slides are not posted. While attendance is not recorded, it is essentially mandatory.
I took his class for a sociology class. One of the worst professors ive ever had in my time at uottawa. outside of his poor class structure, his personality is strange and often rude. will either spend an entire class gossiping, making problematic comments about marginalized groups, or acting vaguely threatening towards students.
His exams are extremely difficult. Often has questions with terms that were never mentioned in the textbook or lectures
- 3 exams all multiple choice which may sound like a piece of cake but the questions were either very ambiguous or so very specific - prof sent out an email to say that students had noticed 7 mistakes on the final exam :0 - Nothing learnt in class that aided me on the exams (useless to go to class) - unfortunately a disappointing class
He seems like a nice guy, but you learn nothing in his classes. His lectures shift between boring and outright offensive, and no material learned in class is on his extremely hard exams. Do not recommend.
Often rude and condescending towards students and his TA's seem to run the course. Exams are all multiple choice style but are very difficult. The questions are often so specific to a seemly insignificant sentence mentioned once either in the textbook or videos. Do not recommend.
I URGE YOU, DO NOT TAKE ANY COURSES TAUGHT BY SAM ALVARO. He does not do any lectures in the zooms. He wastes time on useless activities in zoom classes, will post animated lectures which exceeds the ALLOTTED CLASS TIME.THE EXAMS ARE SUPER INTRICATE AND BASED ON THE TEXTBOOK WHICH IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO MEMORIZE. You get a minute a question
Genuinely a horrible prof. Stopped attending his lectures after the first one. All the content tested on is in his long weekly videos and the textbook. During his useless lectures he is rude and condescending. His exams are open book, but are extremely hard nonetheless. Only upside is you don't need to attend class and there is no essays.
His TAs ran the class, I'm not sure he put in any work at all for this course. All of the videos he posts are him clearly reading off of the slide or some sort of script. What really pushed it over the top for me was when I was listening to one of the videos and I could hear an iMessage notification and he took like a 5 second pause to check it.
the ratings are right, this man's class is literally taught by the TAs. you can't even email him cuz they say you can only email them instead or it wont be answered. No lecture slides are posted, alot of info as well. he only 'teaches' the class. more like yaps the whole entire time. At least every assignment/exam is online. Don't take his class.
He would make a great high school gym teacher - with all the good and bad facets that statement entails. Prepare to be told repeatedly that you should have gone into trades not university, that AI is a godsend that is already smarter than you, etc.
I've taken 3 classes with Alvaro, both online and in person. Lectures themselves are engaging. Online classes are difficult to pay attention to, especially when prerecorded. Most exam qs come from textbook. Exams are difficult and despite doing readings/getting good grades on the assignments, I've never done better than a B- on an exam of his.
If you have the desire to read a textbook cover to cover and be quizzed on the most minute details then go for it. He's alright as a prof but I'm not rushing to take another class with him. Exams were all MC, and a few small assignments. Its too labour intensive for a first year class imo
The professor doesn't seem engaged and the course is tough. The exams are extremely difficult, focusing on obscure textbook details. Missed classes don't matter much, but unstuckstudy AI could help with the challenging content.
Very patronizing. The lecture material is very biased toward his opinion on cops. Would get angry when no one would answer his questions. Very condescending. I felt that he was often mocking his students.
If you can, avoid this prof at all costs. His tests are literally impossible and no info from it is in the class notes. Lectures are based on his opinions and he is overall not an approachable person. I took the class thinking it would be a fun elective, and turned out to be my hardest class.
Alvaro's lectures were super interesting; he was amazing at relating things to the audience that would be relevant to them. It was funny when he tried to talk using the latest slang. Go to class, or you won't get the notes, they aren't posted. Exams are a bit tough, so read the textbook. He likes to get to know his students, so don't be shy!
Take this class if you are interested in sociology. It is very interesting, mainly because how Alvaro presents it. He has many stories to tell. Exams are a bit tricky but they're online so manageable and there are a few assignments that require some writing marked by TAs that are very kind. Go to class and take notes because they aren't posted.
Good Lectures, although discussion can be unrelated to central course topics. Very very hard exams, if you do not study you will not pass, exams almost entirely disregard central course topics and focus on primarily on obscure details from the text book or extra course videos.
Tests are super fair and easy. Two midterms and a final, all online and very fair. Assignments were straight forward and fairly graded. If you are in health sciences and looking for an easier/lighter course then this is the way to go.
Fun classroom presence but his exams suck tremendously. Based on minute specificities from the manual and sometimes using different terminology or wording so its unclear even if you know the material a question is referencing. I got As on all my assignments but still got a C+ on the final despite having nearly 100 pages of notes from the manual.
Lectures themselves are fun and productive, although he will call on people randomly to speak. The exams are VERY hard, but he technically says they're open book since they're online. Make sure to study well for the tests, and use plenty of quotations in written assignments.
I've never met a person who thinks they can be so disrespectful and condescending to strangers (mostly 18 year olds) until entering his lecture. I ended up dropping his class because I started having panic attacks after he literally called me derogatory names before a lecture (I wish I was joking)
Great teacher, online class. 2 midterms 1 final exam 3 assignments... Rather funny, everyone complaining is coo coo / soft hearted; a great teacher would take it again. Easy A+
took this online. lectures were filled with discussion that felt off topic and meaningless in regards to the material presented. he would ask questions but then respond with condescending and patronizing remarks as if he didn't ask them. HOWEVER, both midterms and final were online and open book, leaving not much room for error (overall bird).
He is one of a kind, a gem in a university full of terrible profs, who care about his teachings while engaging with students in the best way possible. I had a lot of joy being in his class, and hearing his passion and insights in his lectures. Yeah, there's massive hate towards him for humiliating students, but that's exactly what I love about him
Did soc1101 online. He doesn't provide any material on brightspace so if you miss a lecture there is no way to get the content unless you know someone who took notes. Doesn't explain his assignments at all, responds to students in condescending ways and doesn't feel very inclusive. Guy needs to chill out and reflect on whats best for his students.
Uses lockdown browser and zoom for exams
look, prof. Alvaro is not the worst prof in the world, his lectures usually show that he cares and his assignments are actually quite easy. The problem is his midterms and exam... I don't know who is writing these tests but they are not at ALL fair to what was covered in the lectures or in the textbook. AT ALL. + he didn't post notes for my class
He is an alright professor. He is passionate about his teaching, but his lectures were filled with discussions, which I found unrelated to class material. Doesn't post anything on Brightspace, no notes, no lecture, so you kinda have to attend all classes even though it is online. Exams are fair, lockdown browser is used.
His exams are extremely difficult, and even though they are open book, they include extremely minute details within the textbooks and the lecture slideshows. Would not recommend.
Make sure you read and highlight the readings and try to get physical copies! It's worth it to get the textbook in this class, trust me. The lectures were great, but the exams tended to focus on specific snip bits of the readings instead of the overall ideas and the final is really long so eat some trail mix during. Helped me a lot.
S. Alvaro was my least favourite prof at uOttawa. The lectures had discussions unrelated to the course and the midterms/exam were very difficult even though they were open book. He was not compassionate whatsoever and his tone was always negative. Unfreindly and not approachable. This course also sucked in general.
Hypercasual lecturer. Not expressively empathetic. Pretty opinionated, and it shows. Said he has no idea how we didn't get exposed to Indigenous teachings, and it's "sad, honestly", when the same can be said regarding other branches of knowledge that he lacks; bias isn't so much of an issue as his accusatory tone. cool guy. But too casual for me :P
I understand the emphasis on independent learning since university is a different environment, however I wish he taught more professionally in the lectures themselves. We're paying to learn, and sometimes it is entertaining and might I say .. engaging, although many of his tangents are often unrelated to the course material. Must read the textbook.
It boggles my mind to read these reviews. Open book doesn't mean the exam will be easy. You still need to study and know the material. I took several classes with Sam. He's trying to teach REAL SKILLS and have real discussions but I'm not sure that's what this generation is looking for.
Prof can be frustrating, frequently asking broad questions while looking for very specific answers. He instigates what could've been good discussions but ruins them when he takes thoughtful student contributions for granted. His tone is always condescending and judgmental. The textbook is more useful than the lectures & the exams are open book.
Horrible. I would prefer no professor. Detriment to the class.
He was many TA's that do most of his job, he interrupt students when they are participating, but his assignments are straight forward, the TA's grade really hard! the dates are always mixed up to make sure you read the weekly emails, and only reach out to the head TA or he won't answer you.
The hubris on this man is unreal, condescending towards everyone, feels his experiences and knowledge are more valid than anyone else, no room for discussion when a student brings up good refutations. His opinion is law, does no work, poor ta is constantly the one addressing any course problems(emails, assignments, even some course material, etc.).
This course is terrible as an elective. The assignments are all papers, making it very difficult to get a good grade. If you're not good at writing papers, don't choose this course. The professor delegates all emails and assignment grading to the teaching assistant, so you have to email the teaching assistant.
If you want a relatively easy elective DO NOT choose this course with him. The course itself isn't too bad but the TAs grade like you slimed their family. He also moves all of the responsibilities apart from the lectures onto the TAs. The midterms were also very difficult although they were open book.
Biggest complaint I have for Alvaro is that his lectures occasionally feel phoned in, but other than that, I really liked him and his course. He's really good at getting the class to participate despite how dead it is, and we had a couple class discussions that have really stuck with me. Exams are pretty simple too if you just do all the readings.
DID NOT GIVE US ENOUGH TIME FOR FINAL EXAM DO NOT TAKE HIM
Doesn't post notes for his virtual class (no accommodation to tech issues so you'll just be missing notes) The assignments require you watch six 40-minute videos and read 2 insanely long articles to write 500-600 words. Grades grammar. Asks questions and disregards/denies answers even if they are factual. Does not give enough time to complete exams
One of the worst profs I've had at UOttawa. He is condescending, interrupts, and acts like students are stupid for asking questions. Very unfriendly environment. Exams are extremely hard despite being open book, as he chooses to focus on the most unimportant minuscule details in the textbook no one would remember. Do NOT take him.
He brings great real-world examples to explain concepts. However, he is quite condescending and rude in the lectures, and if students brought up counterpoints, he would argue that they were always wrong. It was difficult to reach out to him and the TAs marked harshly. The course was interesting, but he brought my interest in sociology down.
When asked why he cuts the elated time for exams he said it's because he's testing his students time management skills. This is a sociology class. Meanwhile his exams consist of very specific or vague questions that require a specific answer. Sometimes he expects you to remember a specific statistic, or he will ask about a study without context
Not only does the textbook do a better job at teaching, it also has a better personality
He makes this class almost impossible to skip and so I would recommend making a friend so if you're ever sick or unable to go you'll have someone to ask because there is nothing on the bright-space to really help you. His lectures focus on discussion a lot and half the time he is just trying to use pop culture references which gets old fast.
Don't take this class unless you want to learn the most useless theories ever. He also makes attendance manditory so it's hard to keep up if you miss a class, make good friends if you do to help with notes. Assignments are honestly irrelevant to class material. The textbook is more useful then the actual lectures. Gives you no time for midterms.
if you want to keep any ounce of happiness left in your body, do not take this course. The prof bases all his midterms on the coursebook, and questions in the midterm are so specific you wont even have time to answer everything. TA also corrects like i wiped out her whole family lineage. On top of that, he doesnt even post the slides.
does not post lecture slides and the info for buying a textbook was very unclear, it wasn't even listed in the syllabus. he asks questions, wants students to engage, then absolutely dogs on any answers given. I think he just has a superiority complex idfk. he's from Toronto. that's all you need to know.
He's an okay professor, if I had to take him again I would feel neither positive nor negative. Assignments had a clear outline but I found that the TAs did mark harshly. Midterms were okay other than I should've studied content more. Was kind of annoying that he only gave us 2 hours for the final which was 2 essays and 40 multiple choice questions.
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