HILTNER K C
Prepare for a heavy workload - lots of readings, films, and memorization required. But if you put in the effort, unstuckstudy AI and other study tools can really help you succeed on the tough exams.
Although this class has 140 pages of reading every week and a film assigned every week, it is totally doable if you keep up. The guest lectures might be a bit boring, take notes it helps. During the TA strike he actually included many curves, some people's grades were raised a whole letter grade.
Ken was amazing in English 22. English 23 was a bit less engaging for me because of the nature of the material. I also think parts of the lectures were redundant and unnecessary. Classes felt long at times, but I did enjoy the message behind his lectures and think he's a really sweet person.
If you are one of the people who knows they are great at remembering things and multiple choice tests, this is a phenomenal GE. Not the most interesting class, but tests are always curved and if you're not lazy and actually do the work they should be pretty easy. People complaining here must be either mid test takers or simply not up to par.
this class had the potential to be interesting but the tests were super tedious and difficult for no reason. over 150 pages of reading per week which was usually not interesting, overall a difficult class to manage if you are taking other hard classes. ken doesn't really do much in this class though its all speakers and readings.
There are about 150 pages of reading and a 2-hour film every week, so if you don't want to put in the work, do not take the class. Ken did not handle the TA strike well and canceled the final leaving many students with failing grades due to poor performance on the midterm. He did little to help students do well in his course and had no sympathy.
He gave too much reading. He gave a very difficult exam. I nearly failed this class.
Good class to take if you complete the weekly films (1-2hrs) and readings (100-150pg). Taking notes during lecture is also important. Most of the people complain that it is difficult, but this is because they didn't do the work. Attendance is very important for grade and taken with iClicker. Ken is very nice and understading
The class is definitely unique and one of a kind. The subject matter is interesting for most people at UCSB but the class is massive which makes the grading weird. It's based off his YouTube which we comment on and tests. Very fair but honestly the tests had some extremely specific questions that were opinion based which low key made the class hard
this class isn't super difficult, but a lot of time needs to be devoted to the course though. both the midterm and final are heavily based on the material learned in lecture (weekly videos, weekly documentaries, readings, and lectures). his lectures are generally flat, but if you dedicate time to the course you'll do well.
Only take this class if you have the time and energy to pay attention to films, lectures, and have a lot of free time to do his boring readings. If you are taking classes that are really time consuming don't take this class unless you are pass no passing it.
Ken was a cool person but a terrible professor. He was not engaging, lecture was monotonous and he just read off students' comments without telling us anything new. Long weekly readings/films for homework. The midterm and final asked obscure, nitpicky questions and were weighed to be the majority of our grade which made a lot of students suffer.