2.9
Quality3.7
Difficulty39%
Would Retake184
Reviews39%
Would Retake
184
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
184 total ratings5
62
4
19
3
22
2
16
1
65
What Students Say
“Wish I could go back in time and never choose his class”
CSC162 - 1.0 rating“Don't take him even if he is the only option you got”
CSC235 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
35%
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B
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16102
5.0
(1)JAVA202
5.0
(1)CSC16201
5.0
(2)CSC105
4.0
(14)CSC133134
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
CSC166
5.0
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5.0
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5.0
Data-Structure
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236
4.8
Reviews (183)
He will dictate a whole book that is different from your textbook. Your writing hand WILL hurt. He is not helpful at all. tests contain trick questions, and most class does so badly he sometimes curves by 30 points. medium-hard labs. Try to avoid him.
Be prepared to write 10 pages per lecture and dont expect any help in lab except for him to make it even more clear that you're wrong. Impossible to ask questions since he goes to fast to even know what he's talking about.
HORRIBLE. This guy makes you write too many notes.
He covers a lot of materials in every class and very fast. You have to spend time to review it after calss.
This guy will make you literally write until your hand snaps off. He is very unhelpful; his labs don't even match with the lectures he teachers. in addition he makes you make do unnecessary computations in exams which wouldn't give any insight to learning the subject whatsoever. stay away from him.
Very poor teacher. Does not answer questions about labs or course work. Expect to do 2 or 3 times the amount of work in his class. Very hard labs! Lab instructions not clear. He gives tons of notes. Tests very hard! He usually curves tests, but not always enough. Avoid him if you possibly can!!!
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The worst ever. Class is torture. By the end of the course, you will have written a books worth of notes. Test are really long and hard, good curve though.
if his 8 pages of notes per lecture doesnt bother you, his annoying whiny voice will...repeats what he says in notes bout 5 times to try and make the point clear....by the end of class you want to kill your self, be prepared to fall asleep in class...and dont expect any help on the labs
Real nerd. REAL BORING! Gives too much notes.
GOOD TEACHER!!!! I strongly disagree with everyone else's comments. 1st of all I only end up with about 2 pages of notes and he clearly spells out whatever you might need to know for a test. He's easy to follow and willing to go over anything you don't understand. If you just sit in your seat blankly, you're going to get what you give and that's your own fault, not your teacher's.
Prof Zale tells you exactly what you need to know in his notes for his tests. He gives out a fair amount of Labs and HW. Without that, how do people expect to understand the material??? I thought his class was direct and to the point and I learned alot. I used to hate computers, but he simplified them for me and I did well in his class and got an A
HORRIBLE TEACHER! recites notes while writing on the chalk board and expects you to memorize it all. by mid term I had literally 80 pages of notes typed, single spaced (my hand would cramp up from writing so I would bring in my laptop which most of the class soon copied to keep up). Bottom line: your better off buying a text book and reading it.
HE HAS A WIERD AND WINY VOICE
he doesnt explain anything!! He makes u write pages after pages without even 20 secs of break for 2 straight hours!! on top of that he explains while writing on the board and asks questions...but you have no clue what he is talking about because he jus keeps writing and erasing so fast that it is hard to keep up writing, forget answering questions.
I never had such an easy class! HELLO this is college so yes you have to take notes. If hooked on phonics didn't work for you, don't take the class. His notes explain everything! If you bring a problem to him he assists YOU in solving it. Its called learning! Who cares about his voice! Those who do prob failed his class!
He was very fair in the course. I learned a lot but you had to work hard.
Copy down his notes from the board because his exams have questions based on the same notes in the same order. Do your homework and get easy points from that. And you will finally have a presentation at the end of your course in which the way you have to present is easy. Take him and you will get an A if you do what you are supposed to do.
It seemed easy all semester long, did good on tests and labs, and ended up getting a D!!!!! idk... i didnt like him in the end.
he doesnt explain anything!! He makes u write pages after pages without even 20 secs of break for 2 straight hours!! on top of that he explains while writing on the board and asks questions...but you have no clue what he is talking about because he jus keeps writing and erasing so fast that it is hard to keep up writing, forget answering questions.
He doesnt explain anything... All you need to do is read your lecture notes printed and given by him...
great teacher
It's a tough class. if you do your labs and study notes I learn alot
He really shouldn't be teaching at all. He takes a simple thing and tries to make it more complicated. He reads his handout quickly and then the class is over. He'll mostly test on systax and obscure things that are not that important and what he thinks someone would not have studied. His voice is annyoing and you'll want to jump off a bridge.
MCC's version of Mr. Garrison for those who watch south park!!!
its true that his voice is annoying and that he makes you take a lot of notes but he is a fair teacher. he does give a lot of work for a 1 credit class but as long as you do your homework and study a little for the tests (all in the notes) you can get an A
fairest teacher i have had at MCC. Gives a ton of work, but its very easy to do well. He practically gives u the test Q&As. Doesn't allow makeups, but allowed me to make up a QUIZ! He cares. Amazing curve on grade! I had him for winter. Awesome teacher.
Awesome Professor!! gives you the notes, and lets you use them!! He even curves! Best of all you really learn all you need to learn about Java Object Oriented Programming..sigh too bad he doesnt teach data structures =(
Professor Zale gives out TONS of notes; I had 300+ pages by the end of the semester. They aren't useful as a reference material, because they aren't indexed in any way. Students can use the notes and textbook for tests; however, the tests cover obscure, technical stuff - lots of definitions. The labs are hard for anyone not proficient in Java.
ridiculously hard teacher. tonnnnsss of notes, has a boring monotone voice that makes it impossible to stay attentive, he's not very clear on many things. i overall hated the class. i was out for a week because i needed an operation, he was not very understanding.
Worst possible teacher ever. Extremely boring and very repetitive. It's a computer class and we haven't even used a computer at all. This class is just completely ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend this teacher at all.
Horrendous. Might be a knowledgeable guy (but wouldn't know since class consists of him reading word-for-word from notes), but does not know how to teach. Enormous amount of work for the labs, and he grades very strict. Has zero amount of people skills whatsoever. He was right choosing to work with computers. Wrong for working with people.
Great guy! The girls love him too! Those other guys must be talking about a different Zale. You know how the internet is.
If you are the type of person who learns from doing hands on activities, you will be wasting you time in class. The notes can be helpful, but he is very repetitive and usually confusing. He isn't very clear about anything, especially the labs, and doesn't like to admit when he's wrong. You must be very self sufficient to take his class.
It was a very good class. I learn alot from prof. Zale class. The labs were good and notes were very clear. Take this class if you want to learn Java.
Prof. Zale did an awesome job. Just study his notes and do your labs on time and it's easy to get an "A". He lets you use your notes for the test. Gives u 3-4 weeks for each lab. Takes attendance. Posts your grade on campus- cruiser. Nice to know where you stand.
Professor gives alot of work. His grading is very strict. good parts are that your grades are posted on campus cruiser. He is a weird teacher!
prof is excelent. He knows the material and explains it clear. I recommend him for any java class.
I'm a 4.0 CS major, and I got through this class with an A. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. His lectures go on forever, over complicating information that's clear in the book. His grading is unfair; he marked answers wrong that the book, word for word, indicated otherwise. He's not helpful, clear, or sociable. I came in loving the subject, and left hating it.
zale was my dude took him during the winter and we only kept us for an hour his test had stuff on them that he never went over but come end of the semester he curves ur grades which is pretty awesome if ur gunna take this class do it over the winter its cake
prof always knew the stuff & answers quests good. Very prepared. Lotta lab work but pretty ez. Quizs helped for the exams. I learned alot. TAKE THIS CLASS
He's an easy teacher if you take notes cause he tells you in lecture exactly what you need to know for the test. Do all the homework and you need to show up for class. Take him.
He prints out and hands out his lectures now so there are barely any notes. His labs are a little demanding and his tests are a little hard but he curves grades. If you get an 80 or above in his class you will have a great foundation for the other programming courses. If you're not serious about it don't take him because you will fail
It probably isn't more possible to be bored in any other class on campus. Dr. Zale prints out lecture notes and reads them to you for 1.5 hours, twice a week for 3 hours. Half the class is asleep after 20 minutes and it's virtually impossible to stay awake because there is nothing to actively engage you in the class without any note taking.
Dr. Zale was excellent in summer!!I wish they taught like this in my university. His notes were clear. Labs were good too. If you want to learn java take him!!! Don't waste money on another guy.
tiring repetitive lectures, lots of labs and quizes, but there relatively easy. if you like a hands on approach then hes not the guy for you.
Hands down best professor ive ever had and im now worried to learn any computer class that not taught by him for my future computer courses. TAKE HIM AND NOBODY ELSE!
He is the best ! This is CS so of course class required a lot of reading and understanding. You will learn a lot in this class and also will get some real life coding experiences. I wish all the CS professors were like him.
For 107, he's a pretty easy professor. He tells you EXACTLY what you need to know for tests, so it's really helpful if you come into class. Don't buy the SNAP book, you can get all the info you need from the online code thing.
I enjoyed learning Java with him. Some claim he doesn't admit when he's wrong; maybe they were wrong. Zale read over assignments before we turned them in, then let us correct errors--very good way to learn. :) Exercises during lecture would have been nice, e.g. give us code to try to break/fix/play with. Some exam questions unclear (2-3 out of 70).
So I took this class over Summer we rarely used the book only for lab assignments He gave us notes for every lecture with plenty of examples so I HIGHLY recommend going to Every lec but his grading style is a bit harsh he gave me points off for not stapling my labs so if I were you do your labs ahead & ask him if this is what he wanted
Dr. Zale is the best computer science professor at MCC. He is also the most hardworking. He is one of those professors, where even if you are lazy, you will still walk away feeling like you learned a lot. His teaching methods are brilliant. Take his class if want to learn. He does not deserve lazy students.
3-4 boring & repetitive lectures; those & some others could've been improved; most were OK. Mixed pedagogy would've been nice, eg have students play with code @ computers, perhaps in groups (like code review). Tests not 100% clear; must know what he wants, then give that answer. He frowns on creative coding & using classes not discussed in lecture.
Dr. Zale is an extremely nice guy and great teacher. Gave all the notes you needed for the test and told you what to know for the homework. Would take him again if I had to take another Computer Science Course. He cares about his students.
don't take him really bad
If you already know the stuff or you know someone who can help you then take him, if not I Dare you'll feel you want to drop out of school
Just like other people said in here, take him only if you know stuff about java. He will teach like you already know java. He will cut off points for small mistakes like no staples on paper. He does not accept his mistake in grading as well. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
he teaches java not a programing language. for instance, if you want to learn another language you won't because he doesn't care if you know how to program
I never learned so much! I'm a repeat and the second time was a breeze. Went rom F to A. He's very thourogh. If you want to go to RU, you need a good background. Got it!
Worst professor! He wont explain anything,DO NOT TAKE HIM if you ate beginner at java.
I have no idea why there are any bad reviews at all about Dr. Zale. His course was very detailed - everyday you get a packet of notes that depicts every point made in his lectures. He is very thorough with his lectures and he is extremely patient. He loves being asked questions and encourages people to ask them. I highly recommend him.
Great professor, I highly recommend. He is very patient and very thorough in his lectures and the notes he gives every day are very detailed and thorough. He is a great teacher for those of you really interested in computer science.
really bad professor. try to avoid him.
He is always will to help you. He inspired me to become a better student.
dr Zale is a good professor, gives you printed notes, quizzes and hw every single class, tests are challenging, but if you do all the assignments, you will pass. Labs are strictly graded. Best CS professor in MCC.
He's a nice person, but not a nice professor.
You have to like the subject. He screwed me by making the last two exams in class. Always stay ahead of him! Be careful, if he sees a pattern in your take home labs and exams vs your in class quizzes prepare for in class exams!
frankly speaking i would not take him again, tough to pass his class, his labs are really hard... would not take him again.
Professor Zale is great. He gives you a printed packet of notes, and he reads off of it and explains everything in his lectures. He is incredibly strict on his labs--but so is a computer, so that's something you should appreciate. He's available almost everyday at his office or after class and he really wants to help every student.
Great teacher he is critical and expects the best so just perform do all you work and study you will pass great Teacher don't buy the book he uses his own lecture guides
if u want to learn how to programming take him but it not a easy A u sure learn a lot
Prof. Zale is outstanding. I'm now studying Computer Science at a top 15 university and the knowledge and topics that were covered in this Data Structures course are simply far and above what is covered even at a prestigious university like mine. Many of the topics seen in 236 are not seen until 400 level courses at my school.
If you care about your career and want to actually learn please take him he is SO CLEAR with his notes and everything syncs so easily i struggled in 161 with another prof but i have Zale now in 162 and its the best choice i made trust me u wont regret i wish i took him for 161 and i will take him for my next semester for data struct hez awesome!
Dr. Zale is not easy. If an easy A is what you want, you might as well choose a different major. Dr. Zale is by far the BEST CSC professor at MCC. He is extremely thorough and will set you up for success if you're willing to put in the work. public Success drZale(double effort) if(effort 100%) return 200%;
His lectures are very clear and engaging. He expects a lot from his students, and it shows through his tough grading and protocol. On the labs, he does not take little mistakes lightly, and tests are pretty straight forward. He asks students if there are any questions, and help is always there during lectures and his office hours. I would reccomend
You really learn in his class. He gives out homework sheets and his Exams are based on homework and quizzes he takes. He expects you to be perfect in your programs. Helpful during lecture but not in lab. He is a tough grader.
Took Dr Zale for 161 during the Summer session. His class is consisted heavily on exams but ALL his exams are from the quizzes and NOTES that he hands out during every lecture. He practically hands you the test questions since they're from the notes. He's a tough grader on labs but he makes sure you understand the concept. Never used Powerpoint.
This man is very rigorous, he will teach you like you've never been taught before. Very clear, extremely detail oriented. You NEED to take his class, If you WANT to learn JAVA. Because by the end, you will be able to write java code on paper. It's hard to find a old school teacher. Don't lose the chance to take him. But he is not easy!
Took him this past fall 2016, uses two books for his class, one for the file projects and also a Computer book for the HW T/F questions, open ended questions every week. All assignments are stated in his syllabus. I did most assignments before they were due. Easy A.
I do not feel prepared to actually write code using the topics we covered. I do not feel his exams actually tested us on the material covered in class, but instead whether or not you can spot trick questions. Entire first exam was trick questions, on purpose, to which he admitted it was. this is coming from someone who did well, exercise caution.
Great teacher. Come to class with your homework, do the projects before they're due and you're good. Lectures are nice and easy, and he adds his own examples to difficult definitions to make you understand it easier
DO. NOT. TAKE. HIM.
Should rather be teaching at Harvard or Yale. Expects too much from his students. He is also an EXTREMELY HARD GRADER. If you are not good at programming or even an OK programmer then DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT take him. He ruined my GPA. Not helpful in labs either and it is a great portion of your grade.
If you want to learn object oriented programming this is the guy too take. Explains everything very well and knows a lot about programming in general. Gives printed out lectures and plenty of practice problems. He is a very picky grader on labs and loves trick questions on quizzes which is annoying. Have to work for an A for sure.
Okay so heres an important fact you need to know, You cant be a programmer and be lazy. His class consists of rigorous labs, lectures, tricks questions on test and quiz. But, if you come to class, pay full attention, do you work honestly, ask for help when needed, and study what he teaches and follow, youll have a whole new perspective of Java.
Every Class Quiz + HomeWork+ Tough labs
I took him for 161, 162, and 236. I can't say enough good things about him. No teacher will ever put you in the position to succeed as him. He sets it up, so you come to class to learn, and not have to write down notes. Extremely helpful packets and notes he gives you. Super responsive, and answers all emails right away. Very nice man. BEST CS PROF
I took him online in the Winter and it was the best experience ever! It was worth the money. He gives HW and lab assignments everyday, due at 10pm. If you read the UIT textbook to answer the HW multiple choice, fill ins, & T/F, it will be an easy A. There is an online timed 90 M/C & T/F midterm and final as well worth 30% of your grade each.
LOVED HIS CLASS. HE CAN ACTUALLY GET YOU TO LEARN JAVA.
Hes the BEST CSC professor. He will give you his notes printed. Tests and quizzes are from his given notes. Labs are tough. Fair grader. Extremely approachable and helpful. He will make you love Computer Science. He should be teaching at an IVY league; prepares you for university and real jobs. Pay attention in class, study notes and youre gold.
Very difficult if you don't know what your doing, but if you take him from CSC-161 and onwards you will not only learn java, but be prepared for harder courses/other languages and a real job in programming. Study his notepackets and make study guides for yourself. The quizzes/tests/hmwrk count more then the labs so come to class.
Overall a good experience. Very clear in what he wants. Just do the work, and you'll do fine.
This professor is very caring for the students. He is an excellent teacher! I praise him does not mean my grade is fantastic in his class. A minor advice ;)If he could have time explaining his lecture notes together with the programme on screen, it would be easier for the students to better understand how the code works.
He is a wonderful professor! Very responsible! So lucky to be in his class!!!
Just pay attention in class and you will be fine. For the exams listen carefully to the oral review he gives. The best Java professor
If your a slow learner, or need accommodations because of having learning disabilities don't take him. Expects you to learn straight from the book, know everything inside and out, study guides were vague. Went to his office hours and does not answer my questions, only gives vague feedback. If you need patience, time to learn don't take him,Terrible
Professor Zale never feels tired of teaching students to understand every detailed meaning of the programming language. He really wants to prepare you well enough for coding. This why he works so hard. I hope he could teach computer science as long as he likes to. Very appreciated!!!
If you want to dive deep in computer science and care a lot about learning, Dr. Zale is the best choice. One will have to toil for getting good grades in his exams and quizzes. But it is worth it.
Everyone is saying he is amazing. He Is 100% not a 3.0 out of 5 he is easily a 4.3. Quizzes everyday consisting of trick questions. Hard labs, that are graded to the fullest potential. Doesn't look our for the best interest of student. Overall Would Not Take Unless you want to spend all your time for this one class studying.
Extremely difficult, very hard to do well. Doing well requires hours of studying, and although you will learn a lot it is not a justification for the difficulty of this course. Don't be deceived by the # of students who've gotten an A on here. It's actually very difficult, and will most likely impact your gpa or your performance in other classes.
Expects you to do Microsoft office 2016 assignments with out him going over it in class. The worst teacher to take if you dont have computer knowledge before hand.
If you are not highly self-motivated, you should take him because his weekly hw, quizzes and labs will make you move ahead. If you want to dive more by yourself, then you should not take him. He is hardworking undoubtedly. Will his class allow you much time to think by yourself?
I had professor for my entire career as a CS student at MCC for Java and I can honestly say nobody had a more positive impact on me. Hes easy to work with as long as you stay on his good side. Pay attention, be respectful, and you will learn A LOT from his classes. The man really knows what hes talking about and pays attention to detail.
Professor Zale teaches very well. He works hard.
Prof. Zale is the best CS teacher at MCC and will prepare for transfer at rutgers or NJIT, Take him if you want to Learn JAVA and Data Structures and Algorithms. Class Contains HWs which will prepare you for in class quizzes and For Tests as well. Easy to pass his class because he will make you learn. Just Take Him.
I took Datastruct 1 year after i took 162. I was scared going into the class considering that i forgot java here and there. Prof Zale made the class soo easy for me to understand, I honestly can say that i found his Datastruct easier than 162 that i took with another professor. His lectures are the best, always answers any question asked. Hes a Gem
You have to work very hard in order to do well but it will all be worth it for what you gain out of it. I agree with the person who said he should be teaching at ivy level. His teaching has surpassed any CS professor I have taken at Rutgers as of yet. Goes over data structure with great detail and then some. I highly recommend you take him for CS.
I have taken different professors for 161,162 ,Arch 1 & Arch 2. I took my last and only course Data Struct with Zale in the summer before transferring to Rutgers. I regret not taking him for every single CS class for my associates. Although other profs are good, he is the best CS professor at MCC Period. The dropout rate of his class is low aswell.
No matter how hard you try he wont give you a better grade.
I had to take his class for requirements i.e. not a comp sci major. The course is a piece of cake unless you're a big procrastinator. Basic Microsoft apps, tests based on textbook questions (HW), PPT project worth only 10% of the total grade! Overall, I'm glad I was able to pass easily and finish requirements more easily :)
Probably the hardest CSC professor I've taken here, but he leaves you with a really strong knowledge of the subject. Especially recommend for CSC transfer students. He's also great at explaining topics-- let him know mid-lecture if you want clarification. Always print out his lecture notes beforehand so you can annotate during lecture.
I took him During COVID 19 and he will give you 2 labs per week and there were 4 exams. Exams are the heaviest in your grades. Exams are not cumulative and that makes the exams easy.
Man I wish I took him for my first CS class. His lectures and everything were amazing, he explained the concepts so well. I got a bad grade because I didn't do work. If you are considering majoring in CS, take this man you will not regret it. Almost no work on the computer he just wanted to build the fundamentals through paper and pen.
He just reads from his lecture notes. Literally reads off of it and expects to be an expert and do all coding by reading. Do not take him.
He is very nice professor, and he explain everything. I took an online course but he provide all the recordings of the lecture, and he even answer the email very fast. You have to do a hard work but you will definitely pass the class with good grades from the homework and class material.
He is tough. he teaches well but he gives way too much hw and quizzes. extremely tough grader. Id not take him again.
This professor is different to deal with and make his class even more difficult by talking from notes only.
I never had an issue with any of my professors for online classes. He lacks the empathy to understand distance learning is a huge challenge, especially during this time of the year. I wouldn't recommend unless you happened to have 100% dedication to his class and access to supplemental materials to assist. He is NOT forgiving.
Here's the thing about Zale, he teaches very well and even provides recordings of the weekly lecture with extra notes. The exams are based on the lecture, so if you spend 1 ½ hours watching the recordings he submits weekly, you should have all the answers. If you use the answers given in his lectures you'll find he's not a tough grader.
I think he is one of best CSC professors ever, hes very knowledgeable about Java. The good news is that he tells you what to study so study the parts where he tells you to study. The only problem with him is his grading criteria. His quizzes, labs and assignments are worth 5-15% of the grade and exams are 70% of the grade.
Zale is probably the best CS prof at MCC but this class is torture. You will learn a lot in the class but you need to pay attention to all the small details. 1st exam was a scam as you were tested on the previous course's material which is not fair. Grading was too harsh for no reason. He didn't spend any time coding and was in a rush to end class.
If youre not a comp sci major, do not take his class under any circumstances . Go get a easy A elsewhere because you wont get it here . But if you are, take him 100%. Hes very hard, tough grader, but you will learn a ridiculous amount . Your understanding of coding will grow massively .
His class is a lot of work, but if you pay attention you will learn a lot. He's a pretty chill guy and honestly he teaches really well.
he takes off points for every small mistake. Expects you to be already an expert in JAVA. Come on! He never replies to emails.
There are tons of assignments. His exams are a complete surprise and the hardest. AVOID HIM. Take other professors if you have a choice.
His online class is miserable, the worst lectures I've ever had to endure. He reads straight from a white word doc and scribbles his comments on a piece of paper like a person with schizophrenia then scans it onto the word doc. Expect to spend 5-6+ hours on every exam. Exams are 70% of the grade and he grades like a nazi.
He teaches straight up from a word doc and reads every line like a robot word for word. His lectures are long and heavy and ineffective and all over the place. He does not take the concepts that he explained in his lecture and implement it on computer. Grades super tough. I believe he knows java well but he cannot teach if his life depended on it.
This professor is extremely hard, strict, grades harshly and looks for little mistakes. You probably thinking just because its online, it will be easy?! NOPE. He is also merciless when it comes to late work unless you got good reason along with PROOF!! I'd not recommend.
If you are taking him, that means you are ONLY taking him in the semester (no other classes) . let that sink in. He makes you feel like you are only taking him in this semester. why? because EXCESSIVE amount of HW and quizzes every week. His class is equivalent to a torture chamber. Take these prof instead (Ghulam Nabi, Burke or Brany suero).
He is the hardest professor I've ever taken. He teaches right from his word doc with his ridiculous handwriting. Multiple Quiz and HWs every week. Grades very very tough, looks for every mistakes possible. you HAVE to hand in your work in PDF format. All his answers can be found online but DONT COPY anything from internet because He will fail you.
I am just starting off with him for CSC236. I will not suggest anyone take him. He subtracts points for capitalization in coding and really small mistakes.
Don't take him even if he is the only option you got. He will make you regret for taking him. very hard professor
he is to the point where you can say he is EXTREMELY hard.
Tough professor so far. I have him online for data structures, in person for arch. I generally get good grades but the online class is very tough, I recommend in person. But overall I'd say a good professor. Gives great feedback on assignments/labs and you'll definitely understand the material. Make sure to ask questions in class if you can.
Tough grader. Mean person. Take some other professor(take Ghulam). He never usebtextbook and comes up with his own notes. Never gives real coding example. He gives code which are not runnable. He gets annoyed very easily. He teaches at Kean University. He is at Middlesex to collect pay.
Terrible pacing and grading. Go ahead and take him if you're okay teaching yourself, but be SUPER CAREFUL on the tests. His grading criteria don't make any sense, and the final was 45% of the overall grade, and most of the class didn't pass. Listen to other reviews.
His class is a nightmare. Handwritten code sucks. Tough grader and had crazy quizzes and exams every week. So many sheets to print that one may just go crazy managing it. But he teaches very well and you learn a lot but this is NOT AN EASY CLASS. basically just forget other classes and try to get a B in this class. BIG REGRET TAKING HIM.
I took Zale for CSC236 in Fall 2022. I would never take him again. Lots of work, hardest exams. And he removed course from Canvas just after everyone submit Final Exam so you are not able to see your Final Exam scores and anything which he grade after course removal. He directly post grade to self service.
He's a good teacher but he's very difficult and generally not fair. You're really thrown to the sharks in his class, he makes the course much harder than it needs to be. Not uncommon to hear people who took him for 161 or 162 say Data Structures was easier just because they didn't have to take him. He likes trick questions and assigns A LOT of HW
If you're a slow learner or want an easy A, look elsewhere. If you actually want to learn something, there's no better CS professor at Middlesex.
Reuses old lectures to teach the class and is an extremely hard grader. Wish I could go back in time and never choose his class. Take this class if you want to make your life miserable.
He grades like a perfectionist, when in reality, we're still learning the field and will make a lot of mistakes. Furthermore, there's a high chance that some of the 5.0 reviews are made by him. To be honest, if a review is saying how there're "no better CS professor at Middlesex", and the majority of his class are saying otherwise? Big red flag.
Professor Zale is the type of professor that'll show you tough love in his lectures. CS is not an easy major, and once you take Zale for a class you'll understand the complexity of coding. After I took his class, I was able to write code on blank sheets of paper. For every quiz or exam, he will let you know the specific material he will test.
I'm taking his class online. He links 2 lectures a week that are older and tough to sit through. We are expected to complete 2 substantial hw assignments each week for a measly 5% of our final grade. He takes off points for many small things, though I appreciate that he points out what I did wrong. Finally, the exams are worth 70%. Low motivation.
I had Prof Zale back in the early 2000s. Very knowledgeable and you can learn alot from him if you choose to. If I could go back and do it again, I would choose Prof Zale.
Worse professor. Worse attitude. Tough grader. Don't care about students.
Dr.Zale is a knowledgable professor and gives informational and thorough lectures. I had him twice and enjoyed both of his classes. That being said, he is a tough grader and has strict deadlines. His lectures contain ALOT of info so its hard to keep up sometimes. Aslong as you do your part and study you should be fine.
if you have chegg you might as well use it but not on labs hes strict on labs but i didnt do any of them they are like worth 5% i barely passed with a C. his grading style is very strict he'll take 2-3 points off it you forget to captalize or use commas. lectures are boring dont watch them
Explains well. Tough grader. Caring.
An unorganized terrible teacher doesn't provide any study guides or practice exams; his lecture notes are horrific. Also, the dude is living in an old era, outdated material; his material needs an update.
Will not allow you to make-up an assignment ever! Doesn't matter for what and since tests are 84% of your grade say bye to 21% of your final grade, avoid at all costs.
Mandatory attendance. Quizzes every other class. Outdated material. Very strict with grading. Never taking classes with him ever again. Midterm exam average was 58%. His midterm is 30% and final exam is 40%. Good luck lol
Nah man, Forget this guy!
Just don't take him. I have no idea how I passed this class. more than half of the class dropped out. dont even think about looking up his questions online. it will be a straight up ZERO. no chatgpt. hw and quiz every class. and he grades tough as well. even if he is your only choice, dont take him. I wouldnt take him even if the class was free.
Unless you are the smartest student and excel in Maths, NEVER TAKE HIM. Very overwhelming and heavy lectures at a very fast pace. Gives lots of homework. I think he teaches so much outdated stuff. TAKE EASY PROFESSOR (Ghulam).
I wish I listened to the reviews, he gives so much homework, quizzes every week, labs are extremely hard and due almost every two weeks, he takes off points for every little thing (if you think you did well on an assignment, you didn't). Save yourself and take another professor.
Professor Zale is one of the best instructors I have ever had. I have already completed a BS and MS but I attribute part of my success his teaching style and attitude toward learning. He is firm, but fair, and gives challenging work. If you actually care about learning, take him. If you're looking for an easy A, don't waste your time, or his.
Professor Zale's class was a nightmare. Felt more like a harsh trial than education. Overwhelming workload and hella tests. Grading was merciless; it felt like he was more interested in penalizing students for minor slip-ups than assessing our understanding of the material.
Might be worst professor of my whole life.
Avoid this prof if you need extra support due to learning disabilities or you learn at a slower pace. He expects you to grasp everything from the textbook without providing adequate guidance. Office hours are unhelpful as he offers only vague feedback and fails to address questions directly. Patience and support are lacking in his teaching approach
- 2 to 3 HWs every week along with quizzes as well. - Often you have to write handwritten codes (submit work in PDF) - f you Cheat (such as using chegg or chatgpt) , automatic 0 (he checks) - Expect you to be smart at everything. - Doesn't know how to give feedback. - Tough Grader (looks for little mistakes) Conclusion: Don't take him.
This guy sucks at teaching and is very fast-paced. He criticizes you for every little thing and WILL try to embarrass you if you use online resources!! you don't even have to use them he just automatically assumes! DO NOT TAKE him. 2 people I knew dropped out of this class and swapped because of HIM.
Words cannot even describe how awful this was. The professor was horrible, his boring 2 hour lectures made me want to drop the class but I couldn't because I had already paid for it. Take this class if you're not interested in self care it will mess you up. Also I didn't learn anything bc he went too fast I just did enough to get a good grade.
This man has single Handley stopped me from graduating I just received the email the sadness I feel and disdain towards zale will never go away. My happiness is gone and a day I was looking forward to it. Honestly I wish I never took zale I. I just hate zale he's the worse cs professor we have at middlesex. He made me hate cs that's is all
The worst professor ever! I dont have to say anything. all these other reviews describes him perfectly. I had to stop doing "lab (codes)" which is 25% of the grade. because he automatically assume you cheat. I just did homeworks, assignments, quiz ,projects and exams (75% of the grade). huge risk... and I somehow passed. Miserable class
He took some getting used to, I FAILED BOTH OF HIS FINAL EXAMS but a lot of his students do, so he curved them. You are given a lab(2-4 programs) and quiz every week, DO NOT FALL BEHIND, he does NOT accept lates. It's easy for your grade to drop, he's a picky grader. Have a class group chat and help each other out. Vent about him together.
It taking an online course, He will reuse the videos from years prior and just reupload over and over again. Not helpful
Professor Zale is a good lecturer. He however is a tough grader. There were weekly quizzes, and one lab and test every two weeks. Completing the homework and reviewing your notes on the lectures is crucial to succeeding in this class. You must take out the time.
I will never forget him. Probably the worst professor ever next to (Prof. Nick Picicio). Shame on MC that they still teaching in this college.
Professor Zale's CS236 class is challenging but worth it. His lectures are engaging, and he cares about student learning. Staying on top of the work is key - use the textbook, attend study sessions, and try out unstuck study for efficient prep.
Professor Zale's class requires lots of independent learning. You will be given homework assignments almost every class day, and quizzes almost every week. If you don't pay attention during the lectures or homework review it will be difficult to keep up with the material.
Making friends or even talking to someone else will definitely help to see if someone else understood it. As a professor, he can be rude if you ask for help or you don't understand but overall keep pushing for help. He is much nicer in office hours. He responds to email late or doesn't respond at all. Better to ask in person.
you will do good in this class as long as you do homeworks and quizzes, the exams are similar to the quizzes, so if you do good on that, you will pass.
I can't believe Middlesex College has such terrible professors. Avoid him. He's got short temper and humiliate students in front of entire class when question asked.
Worse professor. This old guy need to retire. He reads his notes throughout. Go with Sachin Sharma. He is much better than Zalle.
At his retirement stage, he can manage to read from the notes and not teach you to code in IDE. You can tell he is there for just paycheck. He says he teach at Kean University too and makes good money combined. idk why he thinks students care about that. He is really poor at teaching data structure. Get ready for lots of selfstudy.
He forces to use TextPad. He's got no knowledge of latest technology. Old fashioned teaching from written/typed notes. Gives parts of code and never teach how to design/write data structure code, gives pieces of information which is very hard to put together and make sense. Don't take class with zale. He is not fair.
Poor lectures. He reads form paper notes. Doesn't teach you how to write data structure code. Never taking class with him. Not recommended at all.
Professor posts 2 lectures every week. Watch them and take notes! Otherwise, you'll likely fail. There are couple of labs and he gives about ~3 weeks to submit for each. There are a few tests, you'll do just fine if you watched the lectures. The final is in person and you only have to write code on the computer.
Dull lectures read straight from outdated notes. Exams were tough- highest score was 40/100 on all exams, then he curved 30 points to boost grades. Everyone was bored and sleepy during lecture. No coding taught; all work was on paper. I would give him negative review if there was option here.
DO NOT take classes with Zale Steven. You don't learn anything. His class is all from reading notes and exams are hard. You don't learn anything about data structure. You have to memorize 100 definations and they were useless unless you learn how to use them.
Very tough, if you're lazy don't take him. You will learn a lot if you take his class seriously though.
Worse computer science professor at Middlesex College. Very tough. Ridiculous attitude and way difficult exams. Listen to other reviews and don't take this guy.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
35%
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