Great teacher. He is a younger teacher and has a very good sense of humor. He makes all the material clear and relates it to you. Fun class, just read and think. I have nothing bad to say, great class and teacher.

Vernon is fantastic and this class has really had an impact on my life. He really makes you think about things in new ways and to be a strong thinker on your own. I like how he's not pushy in his views. He doesn't tell you what to think but gives you new ideas and tools to use on your own. I'm planning on taking his ethics class next semester.

A new teacher who's young with lots of energy and enthusiasm. The most contemporary class I've had as Sierra. The media and identity portion of Critical Thinking rocked! Sometimes the ideas were tough to get, but very fair tests and lots of extra credit opportunities.

Vernon really tried in this class, and I think he did an excellent job. Whatever shortcomings he may have due to his experience, he is more than fair in making it up to you one way or another. Very enthusiastic and motivated. Funny guy, too.

Professor Martin makes this humanities class interesting. The books are really boring, but he makes it pretty cool and shows how ancient civilizations and thinking are still a part of culture and religions today. His tests are tough, but he lets you correct wrong answers for half credit. Lots of other extra credit project too.

Vernon's into it! which is good because I've taken a different humanities class and fell asleep almost every class. He's really into discussing the philosophy ideas and religions and goes into things way better then the books. It's so nice to have a teacher who actually likes teaching. Not too much work. Hard tests but lets you make up points after

I've taken 2 classes from Vernon now (logic and phil 6) and he's one of my favorite teachers at Sierra. He's pretty demanding and there's a lot of reading. But for me it was a good thing since I'm transferring to Berkeley in the fall as a philosophy major. Pretty hard tests but gives lots of extra credit points if you want to do the extra work.

Good teacher, great subject, great literature. I found the two tests to be fairly easy, but he really is no good at grading essays. To get the most out of his lectures you really will need to read a fair amount. He's interesting, interested in what he is teaching, and worth considering.

Great Proffessor. I Learned alot from him, very insightful, took questions well and explained the answers very throughly if needed. wasnt very biased either

Great class and great professor. Vernon keeps the class interesting and uses a lot of videos to help make things clearer. If you like The Daily Show, Colbert Report, South Park, and Monty Python but haven't thought about how they are all about Critical Thinking, philosophy, and the media, take his class.

Vernon teaches a great class. He funny but serious too. Definitely requires college level work and Vernon expects you to put in a serious effort. The existentialism section was my favorite. Learned a lot in Vernon's class, but I had to work for it.

Great professor! really really engaging. great materials. best powerpoints i have ever seen! other teachers should take lessons from this guy. my favorite professor yet.

Professor Martin really enjoys teaching, and it shows with the enthusiasm he puts forth explaining his ideas. He is serious about his subject and expects his students to be the same. Be prepared to think here as he asks you questions in class. DO YOUR READING! Is a hard essay grader but he offers extra credit to help raise grades.

I've taken two classes now from Vernon and I think he's great! He is all about what college is. He loves philosophy and all of its ideas - that's clear. But he wont spoon feed you. If you can't handle thinking for yourself and doing the work it takes, don't take philosophy and don't take Vernon's classes. If you're up for it, I recommend him.

Three exams (including 1 take-home) and one term paper. Fair grader, kinda tough. Gives lots of examples explaining ideas. Goes over things until everyone gets it. Class can bog down because of it, but Vernon's a funny guy and keeps class pretty light even when he's serious.

Vernon Martin is a modern day Socrates. He knows his**** and he applies age old philosophies to the issues of today in a clean concise manner. He brings a really awesome dry sarcasm to class sometimes. Plus he is really hot.

True, don't try to bluff your way past Vernon. He will call you out on it but also tell you when you're on the right track. Essay exams about 50% of the tests. Weekly essays 30% of overall grade. The high point is existentialism which is the last section of class unfortunately. Brilliant and clear. Always challenging.

My favorite prof and my favorite class so far. Covers Plato, Descartes, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche in depth. You will love it or hate it. Prof Martin keeps it fun AND serious. Not for slackers or non-reader/writers.

If you go to class every day, take notes on everything, do the assigned essays, and at least skim through the readings to gain general knowledge on the various philosophers, you will pass; for an A, I would say that true comprehension is necessary. In lectures he is very clear and he gives most of the answers to the essays and tests. Recommended.

Vernon knows his sh*t. He will challenge you but you will come out learning a lot. I thought this was a hard class at the beginning, but stick to it because the best part of the class is the Existentialism part at the end. He is really funny and entertaining. Just going to class is 20% of your grade.

Most useful class I've taken at SC. Makes you see the world and all the media in a whole new way. Thorough and clear.

Great class! Anyone interested in environmental issues should take this class from Vernon. He's into it and knows his way around the subject. Nice to see some relevant classes at Sierra.

One of the few classes that I actually looked forward to going to. Funny and smart.

Dry wit, fun but actually pretty serious. Requires a lot of reading and writing on both assignments and tests. Doesn't give credit for bs so plan accordingly.

awesome class, really fun and engaging. he is very funny and i looked forward to his classes. only 2 papers and 3 tests, no hw other than reading.. so it was fairly easy to just dedicate a few days a month to study or do a paper. he really makes you think!

Vernon is great. Friendly, smart and funny! But I just can't stand the way philosophers write! Seriously, what's the deal? I just never knew what they were trying to say. All of them. Fortunately Vernon is a good at what he does and explains things well. Class is fun and has lively discussions. Sometimes it got silly, but never boring.

Mr. Martin is a funny guy. He makes class fun and interesting. He makes you think! We had 6 short essays & 3 exams that were fairly easy-if you did the readings. Read & pick out your quotes ahead of time! Pt. 2 of final was tough...know the philosophers well you have to write in class essays! I highly recommend his class. Thanks Mr. Martin! : )

Fabulous teacher. Material was engrossing, however it is my major. Vernon does very well at explaining the material without forcing his own opinion. Highly recommend. If you are following along in the class you should have no problem. I took the online class there was 5 essays & 2 exams & 4 quizzes I believe. His book selection is also very good.

He is a great teacher and makes philosophy fun and interesting. He is open to all ideas and opinions and is never negative. Highly recommend:)

most amazing intellecual teacher. changed my perception on so many things. if you are thinking of taking his class, TAKE IT! i am probably one of the few who got an A in the class and never opened his books. so it's possible

Hilarious guy, awesome class. Many people struggled with the concepts but as long as you pay attention and read the book for parts you don't understand, you'll do fine. Tests are multiple choice/essay. Easy grader. My only complaint is that he can be really condescending- I'd still take him again. Don't buy the Daily Show book - we NEVER used it.

Awesome class! Took online, Prof. Martin in very organized and has reasonable expectations. Do the reading and think for yourself and you will do well. He is little slow on grading assignments, but over all a great teacher!! I would totally take another class with him!!!

Alright Sierra College, we want him BACK at Folsom Lake and we're willing to put up a fight! I took Intro with him back in Fall '08 at FLC. I started out just to satisfy GenEd, but he had me HOOKED a week into the semester and I couldn't wait to dive into more. I cant imagine taking them without him teaching though. --Thank you for the inspiration!

excellent teacher. great taste in music!!! take this guy as much as you can. I wish morons like Dr Fairchild could be more like him. Just a great class!!!

Class was not what I expected but it wasnt too hard. Reading is VERY important, if you do it you can get B or A. Grading system seems hard but in the end its not too bad. Short essay every week and midterm/final were very hard, so he curved it for us. Class discussion is really important to understand all the reading. Great class is youre into phil

Prof. Martin is definitely the most interesting professor I've had in all my years of school! He kept me laughing all through the semester, hilarious guy! I highly recommend taking any of his philosophy classes. this was my first and i had NO interest in philosophy but thanks to him Im really into it!Hes def. not SFB. lol. Plus he's supper fine!

Vernon's a really cool guy. He's very approachable and takes the time to engage the class to ensure everyone understands the material. Attendance is a must as he has a strict policy regarding make-up assignments. Overall I really enjoyed the class and look forward to taking some other classes with him in the near future.

Vernon is a great teacher! Took this class online, definitely not an easy course (not due to the teacher). Vernon is extremely well organized! You know what's coming and when things are due. There are no surprises! There are a lot of PowerPoints that accompany the assignments which are very helpful. You will learn a lot in this class.

vernon is a great teacher. He is funny, energetic and even if your argument is assinine he will still work with you on it. Provides a lot of oppurtunities to earn points and makes it easy to maintain an A all semester. However: BE ADVISED vernon knows his stuff so BS will only get you so far. He is a great teacher

He was the man. Sierra has a pretty amazing philosophy department these days. Class was difficult but just right for setting groundwork in philosophy. He's a dynamic lecturer and you'll be entertained most of the time. Take his class if you can.

Vernon totally rocked my world. He is funny, smart, passionate, and VERY interesting. ;HE is reasonable with grading and as long as you do the reading and pay attention during the lecture, you'll do great! Good luck!

Vernon Martin is a great teacher! I took his class online, and the powerpoints were so clear and informative it felt like I was in an in class lecture! He clarifies everything and is extremely helpful. The class itself is pretty hard, but he is an incredible teacher! I definitely recommend taking him!

He is the man. I switched from a political science to philosophy major and enjoyed every everything about this class. A LOT of reading, which you should enjoy if you're not a slacker. Great powerpoints, detailed instructions, and excellent feedback on all assignments. By far the best class I've taken at Sierra.

Great teacher. Well organized, knowledgeable. A lot of reading but he makes a hard topic, digestible. Loved his power-point lectures and hearing his calm voice. You need to do the work but well worth it. Easily accessible too.

Vernon is the only professor I've known at Sierra who teaches at the college level. Take him if you are an adult.

Excellent teacher. He is articulate and has high expectations. One of the best college professors bar none. If my major was philosophy I would take all classes I could with him. Makes the subject interesting and I had no desire to take this class whatsoever. He is the best!

Hands down one of the best professors I've had at Sierra so far. He is very passionate about philosophy and you can see it when he lectures. There are four reading quizzes that are five points but don't let the little number fool you, if you bomb them you will bomb the class so read!! Definitely recommend!! 2 test, 4 small essays, and 4 RR's

Prof Martin is the man! He is a passionate and dynamic lecturer, which helps to make a subject like ancient Greek philosophy very interesting. He makes expectations clear and uses Canvas well. I can't say enough good things about this man. Be prepared- you must keep up with the reading and know how to write effectively in order to be successful.

Great teacher! Only had him for the second half of the semester, but definitely enjoyed the time that he was there. He cares very much about making sure his students understand the material and is very patient and helpful as long as students are receptive. Would definitely take a class with him again. Highly recommended.

I can't stop thinking about his class once it's over. My favorite class. Of course!

Great teacher. very helpful and a generous grader.

This professor is there for you. If you don't understand a particular topic, he will take the time to talk to you over the phone and help you understand it. Quizzes can be hard, if you don't study or read the book. Don't fall behind, especially being an online class. Stay current on all reading and assignments.

Vernon is very helpful. He gives a lot of feed back and answers questions. This was a online class and if you turn in your assignment a couple days early he will let you know if there is anything wrong so you can fix it before he grades it. I had some personal issues come up right at the end of the class and he was understanding and gave me time.:)

Vernon is a class act in every sense. He's funny, friendly, and will always go the extra mile for his students. His lectures are light and full of humor, but to the point and very informative. Vern is always quick to respond to messages and always offers valuable constructive feedback. In short, his classes are a must.

Really cool guy, lectures were entertaining. Powerpoints were really helpful and I always looked forward to coming to this class. Make sure you keep up on the reading because he gives pop quizzes almost every week. We only had a midterm and pop quizzes. 3 short essays which were fairly easy! Definitely recommend!!

Great professor. Very laid back, and super funny! He makes philosophy fun. Not much work in this class. He goes over things in great detail to prepare you for quizzes. 4 books for this class, make sure to get them all. A little bit of reading, and some pop reading quizzes. It's an easy A if you just show up and pay attention.

As a general requirement class this was pretty easy. It certainly wasn't challenging in any way. Martin seems to be knowledgeable, but an awful lot of time was spent in small group discussion. I fear that this may be the result of not having real lesson plans for the class. Oh well....

I took his online class. He honestly cares about his students. Ive never had a teacher email me after an assignment was due & ask why I didn't turn it in. I accidentally missed the due date & his syllabus says no late work so I didn't ask to turn it in late. He emailed me a few days later concerned & let me turn it in full credit!! Much respect.

Classes are mostly filled with discussion but he does give lectures on certain readings. Vernon is amazing. He is charismatic, funny, intelligent, and has a deep passion for the subject. His classes are very easy; we had one paper for the semester, two tests, and one quiz. Take him, don't hesitate, you'll love him.

Good teacher, would recommend for philosophy if you are willing to do the assigned readings and work. Easy A if you don't skip class like I did and miss the quizzes, quizzes are 20% of the grade. Funny, gives decent lectures and I would take again.

I took Vernon to fill my general education and his class was fairly easy. Make sure you read the assigned readings, he'll go over them in class but it's easier to understand what he's talking about if you've read the material. Didn't feel that stressed out about this class. There were a few reading quizzes, 2 short essays and the midterm and final.

Vernon was an awesome teacher but the class wasn't easy. He graded pretty harshly (in a fair way) on the written assignments such as test essays or short essays. You have to know your stuff so make sure you do the reading. I had multiple meet ups to study and discuss with classmates. If you do the work, it's an A. Fascinating class, loved it

Vernon's class was great! The only thing I didn't like was how the class wasn't very structured. I like to know when things are due but all the assignments in this class just kind of pop up on short notice. I really liked Vernon though and I would recommend him.

Hilarious, makes tons of jokes but explains things well. You really cant copy his notes, you need to take notes on his words that he says in order to ace the tests. Hard but great professor

This professor is very passionate not only about Philosophy but TEACHING. He takes the time to help you understand. He spent over an hour on video chat with me and would not go until he knew I understood. He cares. He teaches at a college level, more than I can say for most other professors I've had who seem to dumb down material for some reason.

Good teacher and very nice!

He is awesome! I loved his class. if you don't understand he will help you in anyway he can. Not too much reading, lectures are fun Power Point slides. I would take another class with him if I had the chance. Great experience!!

Really great guy who cares for his students . Course was really easy and the textbook was barely needed. Tests and assignments are also easy and simple.

There was a lot asked in this class and it pushed me, but I really appreciated the professor being available when I struggled to understand some of the concepts.

Mr. Martin was amazing, he was easy to communicate with, he clarified all of your work when youre stuck, he is very lenient on if you miss a discussion or quiz just notify him. The text book youre supposedly suppose to use weekly but he usually provides the sites you need for the weekly discussion so I wouldnt say we use the books. Overall great

I am not a philosophy person, but this class really made me to think about things in a whole new way. It got confusing at times, but Vernon is overall a great teacher. He goes in depth and challenges his students when explaining topics. There is reading but it is manageable and he goes over everything to clarify. Beware of pop quizzes and read!

This is a really easy class. You'd have to try to get anything lower than an A, and you'd have to try even harder to fail. He's got a really chill vibe, and his lectures are fun and straightforward.

Good online teacher, responds to every discussion and paper and tests you take for you personally. However, this class required a lot of assignments that needed to be shown in person. Exams and tests are a huge part of your grade, huge paper at end of term.

I took Professor Martin's Critical Thinking class online over the summer and while I was faced with some difficulties, I was able to finish this class with a strong grade. Some of the concepts are hard to learn on your own online, so do not hesitate to contact him and ask questions. Your best bet is to do all he assigns and you will be fine.

Vernon's Knowledge and Reality course was my introduction to philosophy, and I absolutely fell in love with the subject thanks to him. He introduces topics and various ideas in a highly engaging manner that always left me wanting to learn more. He never assigned an unreasonable amount of reading, and only assigns essays until you pass.

This was my first PHIL class and I have to say professor Martin is incredible. Very patient, understanding. So knowledgeable on the subject. He provides a lot of homework, but it's all quite fluid in the understanding of the topic. Overall 100% would recommend. Fantastic lectures. Very interesting material. Awesome!

This class requires a lot of reading from different sources. You won't be able to reply to discussions without satisfactory knowledge of the topic. His grading is reasonable. The exams are pretty easy. An A is very possible to do.

I can't say enough about Prof. Martin. He was very patient with me and he challenged my long held beliefs without judgment. He had me write a reflective essay on a topic I had a hard time being open-minded about and he helped me with any questions I had along the way. I have never had a teacher help me so much. I'd 100% take his class again.

Definitely made the class interesting. Incorporates a good blend of modern and historical philosophy. The only thing that's a bit concerning is that he was really slow at grading sometimes. He hasn't graded anything from November (about a month ago), but I'm hoping he'll get it taken care of before the end of the semester in a few weeks.

Mr. Martin is great. He really maintains an easy-going learning environment which is key in classes such as Moral Philosophy. If you pay attention and do all of the reading, this class is no problem. He adds a good sense of humor to the course as well as breaks in lectures. Class discussions can be really thought-provoking.

Everyone else covered everything good about him, so I'll go over everything else. All was good in his class until he stopped grading around November-December. A strange thing he does is he makes students copy-paste their replies to other students in a separate discussion board. He won't grade the ones in the original boards.

I loved this class. This instructor makes his lectures easy to listen to and learn from. He gets everyone involved. At the end of the seamster, I felt super comfortable in class. He makes you learn a lot, but it is easy as well as you listen a lot and read a little. He gives chapter outlines with them most important information. Would recommend!!

Great professor, knowledgeable; interesting and great class. Professor Vernon is objective, caring and provides all of the tools and information needed to do well in his class.

Great prof. Very organized. If you do the work, you will do well.

If your goal is to learn Critical Thinking well, Professor Martin is the teacher for you. He is consistent and thorough in his feedback, he responds quickly to email questions, and he genuinely wants to see his students succeed. I've never had a teacher so on top of getting work back to me with helpful comments.

He is extremely good at explaining really dense topics in a way that's easy to understand. There is very little reading, but the reading that is assigned is very important. The way he conducts exams and activities is to promote learning rather than meaningless memorization. Super chill dude. Your mindset will be challenged in his class.

Loved Martin's class. Laid back, engaging and very solid lectures. All exams were take-home, attendance is relaxed but you won't want to miss class. Lots of reading but the content is often very interesting. He seems to love what he does and cares for student success. Not a hard class at all.

Really passionate about his subject. He's very good at explaining concepts through lectures that make sense and he always makes sure to thoroughly explain every concept. Little bit of reading, but the material wasn't that hard to understand. A really chill dude & fun to learn from. I loved this class!!

Professor Vernon is awesome. One of the best professors I've had. It's very easy to tell he loves philosophy and also loves all his students. His lectures we're never boring. You do have to show up and read the material to do good but nothing too difficult. I for sure would take him again if I needed to.

Professor Martin is amazing! He is easy going and also easy to come to with issues. There is group work and he is always willing to help you ask answer questions. He is all about learning and growing in his class. Definitely buy and read the textbook

Took online. A really nice and understanding teacher. Grades highly if he sees you made a good effort and recognize your mistakes in discussion boards. Quiz every week with three tests mixed in, all based off of the weeks discussions. Didnt have to ask for help but knew he would be there if I needed it!

He really cares about student success and was very accommodating. He took the time to explain concepts to me whenever I had questions, and this class has been very pleasant. Definitely an amazing professor!

I loved Vernon and his class!! I took this class online and he made it feel like we were in person. He always responded quickly to emails and was super thorough in his instructions and grading criteria. If you put some effort into this class you will get an A! I recommend Vernon for all courses especially if you want a caring and understanding prof

You will learn!!!! Much of college feels like a waste of time but not this class. He is detailed and organized and you can tell he cares about the class.

Love him! By far my favorite professor. He has a set up like no one else. He gives you plenty of time to read and understand the topics. Topics are usually hit or miss for most students. I love ethics so it was super easy for me. Detailed assignments. You must know what your taking about and reflect your knowledge in discussions in order to pass!

Vernon let's you learn from your mistakes by letting you take them twice. He's flexible with due dates and gives feedback on every written assignment. Video lectures go with the powerpoints so I can watch on my phone during breaks. Very organized online and easy to reach for help.

Excellent feedback. Most I've gotten from a professor. If you try you'll get an A.

Vernon is a very kind and understanding professor who truly wants his students to learn. This is by no means an easy class and you will be working and writing a lot, but you will also learn a lot. Vernon is very good about providing lots of feedback and is always easy to get in touch with if I need. As long as you follow the rubrics you will be ok.

Professor Vernon is truly an amazing teacher. His lectures are very engaging and has a way with explaining hard to understand concepts. His assignments are also clear and easy to understand. He is beyond understanding and helpful, one of my top professors ever taken.

Professor Martin was an amazing professor to have. He made the class interesting and homework fun (as much homework can be).

Prof Martin was fabulous. Very organized, and gives extremely thorough feedback for all assignment types. Can sometimes grade essays with a little less leniency, but still fair. Easily accesible outside of class, too. Highly recommend

If you follow the writing guidelines that he gives everyone at the beginning of the course and are religious about evidence in the writing assignments, he gives you an a on all assignments. I usually read the lecture summaries last minute and they were easy to understand, plus he drops the lowest grades for most assignments. Easy class overall.

Not a easy class by any means but he is a fair grader and gives good feedback.

8-week. such a nice professor! lectures mostly review but helpful. gave full credit for most writing assignments, just incorporate evidence/follow instructions. two attempts on quizzes & final mcqs, no cumulative final, just weeks 1-4/5-8. slowish grader but heavy feedback. would recommend!

Professor Martin is amazing and one of the kindest and most understanding Professors I've had. He's clearly very passionate about what he teaches and will go out of his way to help you. While he is very good, his class is not an easy pass and anyone who goes into it should definitely expect to do a lot of work especially if its an 8 week course

This class is work-heavy, but Prof. Martin provides detailed feedback and is willing to grant extensions. Unstuck study was a great study tool alongside the readings. Overall, a challenging yet rewarding course.

Mr. Martian is very nice and understanding. His courses are very easy to comprehend and he assigns a very fair amount of work. He gives you amazing feed back on what to study and where you went wrong in the reading responses and discussion post. I would highly recommend to take any of his classes.

I would recommend taking this professor, but not if you're used to being graded for doing the bare minimum. Usually online electives don't expect much from you, but your written assignments in this class must be very precise, proper, and accurate. The workload is very manageable, just make sure you really take your time on written assignments.

Great professor. Very talented in the ability to explain & teach logic. Always provided helpful feedback. Was highly responsive to questions. When he gives you advice, take it. He's a tough grader. He didn't let me get by with my careless mistakes. It only challenged me to work even harder and by the end of it, couldn't believe I was doing proofs.

Super easy 8 week class. You come in one day a week for going over material then a quick quiz. Nothing too crazy!!