Seminar for first year pre-biology students. Focus is on developing scientific study skills and fostering the confidence and motivation involved in higher cognitive learning. Students engage in peer mentoring activities, problem-solving exercises and relevant discussion promoting academic success.
1
UnitsPass no pass
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNew freshmen only
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeCaring, Funny, Accessible through email and Office Hour, Deeply wants you to succeed, Cares for the wellbeing and success of the students, Light workload. Wish all professors were like her.
So kind and values learning over testing. Went over topics again she thought we didn't fully understand. Offers ways to makeup missed exam questions. Super kind, office hours are unique and have a lot of learning activities. Highlights varied speakers who give info about getting into their various careers/fields. Really cares about her students
This class was really easy for a biology class, which was honestly a good break from some of the other harder intro bio classes. It's not really helpful if you are actually interested in learning more about ecology/evolution. But, James is always upbeat, lenient, and willing to talk to you about biology after class/during office hours.
Tbf this was the first time she taught the class: it was so easy a non-biology major could take the class and get a good grade. You'd think this is good but we honestly barely learned ANYTHING. We didn't get any content week 1, and we only got one more lecture of content post midterm 2. It felt like I was wasting my time.I actually wanted to learn.
Professor James is one of my favorite professors at UCSB. She is so kind and cares about her students so much. She is also amazing to go to just to talk or for advice. The class with her is pretty easy and does not require too much work. She is a great lecturer and explains topics really well.
Amazing professor, and very inviting to talk with and learn from. Truly cares for students and comprehension of the material