BYU Students Rate Daniel C. Peterson (Part I)

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

And the results are not pretty. As an alumnus and financial contributor to BYU, I find DCP's lack of teaching skills and ability troubling.

BYU Provo's professors have an average student rating of 3.99: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/campusR ... sp?sid=135

Unfortunately for DCP, over the years his students have rated him a 3.0 and only 30% of DCP's former students would ever take another class from him. Not a very glowing endorsement for DCP: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRat ... id=1362547

Here are a few comments from DCP's former students:

If you like to listen to your professor talk about all of the expensive trips around the world and all the important people he has met, then this class is just for you.

Peterson is unorganized and unhelpful in class. His lectures are repetitive and off topic. The class is easy, the most difficult part is staying awake and not getting riled up by his offensive comments and logical inconsistencies. Don't endorse

Some days we didn't even have a powerpoint, he just sat there and talked. He has done a lot so he has a lot of experience but it didn't really help us for the tests

For me, I felt like we wasted about 80% of class time.

Maybe it's just me, but I couldn't stand him. Honestly, he's kind of a scornful jerk who doesn't seem to want anyone to succeed. He seems to find pleasure in tricking students and in watching them fail. I never ever felt uplifted in his class.

Professor Peterson's class was mediocre at best. If you need an easy class for credit then this is a class you should sign up for. If you want to learn and be challenged intellectually from a professor who is genuinly interested in teaching then this probably isn't the class for you.

Also, it's interesting how little he cares about your analysis and connection to the readings in the response papers he assigns, and instead chooses to nitpick your grammar.

To be fair, there were some students felt DCP was a good teacher. Stephen Smoot left this glowing review:

Dr. Peterson is, quite frankly, the best professor at BYU and the smartest man in Utah. He was immensely helpful in writing a professional, well-researched capstone paper (on a subject he admitted he knew nothing about, yet knew more about it than I did by the time I finished my paper). He is one of BYU's treasures. The end.

I sympathize with these BYU students who feel ripped-off after taking a class from DCP. These BYU students deserve better. Hopefully, DCP can take the advice from his former students as constructive criticism and finally be the teacher that these students deserve.

[_Kishkumen]

God this is an awful thing to do. What in the hell does this have to do with Mormonism? Or apologetics. This should be moved to Spirit Paridise. Frankly, this is beyond the pale and disgusting behavior.

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

What in the hell does this have to do with Mormonism? Or apologetics.

http://www.mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3 ... =1&t=48018

[_moksha]

If you like to listen to your professor talk about all of the expensive trips around the world and all the important people he has met, then this class is just for you.
-- Eliot Scratch, Applied Recreation major, class of 2021

Dr. Peterson is, quite frankly, the best professor at BYU and the smartest man in Utah. He was immensely helpful in writing a professional, well-researched capstone paper (on a subject he admitted he knew nothing about, yet knew more about it than I did by the time I finished my paper). He is one of BYU's treasures and a marvel of this dispensation. The end.
-- R. Jason Midgley, Family Studies major, class of 2023

[_Dr. Shades]

With my apologies, Everybody Wang Chung, there are two sides to every story, and for whatever reason I feel a compulsion to post some reviews from students who describe quite different experiences:

Very interesting class. I learned a lot about Islam and Middle Eastern culture. Lots of reading, as you read around eight books throughout the semester. Lectures are very eye-opening and Dan Peterson has a lot of interesting experiences and insights to share. If you do the reading, it's an inspiring and fairly easy class.

Prof. Peterson is so kooky and fun! His lectures are a little scattered, but he has SO much knowledge about & love for the subject material. I felt like a chicken with my head cut off trying to complete like an entire book ("like" an entire book, it wasn't always that way) for the daily reading quizzes, but loved learning about lit & architecture.

Dr. Peterson isn't the most organized person in the world but you'll be glad you took his class. He really knows his stuff and his lectures are worth going to class for.

Dr. Peterson is awesome! I really enjoyed his course, however, if you have a heavy semester I would save this class for another semester. There was more reading in this class than I've ever had in my entire life. Dr. Peterson expects a lot from you as a student. With that said, if you do the work you will get a good grade[.]

Professor Peterson was an amazing professor and if you have the chance to take any class from him I would highly suggest it. He's really funny and has a lot of personal experience in the Middle East!

I took the MESA Capstone class in 2009 from Dr. Peterson, whose teaching methods and knowledge are exceptional. His insights are helpful, and his enthusiasm about Medieval Islamic Philosophy is contagious. I wish I had taken more classes from him. He still influences me in an immense way; I hope to obtain a PhD. in Medieval Islamic Philosophy[.]

I took Dr. Peterson for my MESA Capstone class. I love the fact that he let us choose our own topic. Also, our daily discussions in class made it enjoyable learn and prepare for class. He is a great man to learn from. If you are a MESA major do not leave BYU without taking a class from this man. He is exceptional.

Dr. Peterson is by far one of my favorite teachers at BYU. I took MESA 201 from him in the Fall of 2008. He vast knowledge of the Middle Eastern World is intriguing and eye opening. If you ever have a chance to take a class from this man do not pass up the opportunity to do so. I highly recommend him.

[_Kishkumen]

What in the hell does this have to do with Mormonism? Or apologetics.

http://www.mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3 ... =1&t=48018

I agree with DCP when he says,

I would never use "Rate My Professor" as a weapon against an academic with whom I differed. It would be rather like using comments on Amazon.com as if they constituted a scientific sample.

Doctor Scratch referred to this in the context of a conversation about sexually explicit bishop’s interviews. He did not simply start a thread designed to make DCP look bad professionally. There is a difference. I gave “Simon Belmont” what for when he posted my teacher reviews on this board, and I was right to do so. I would do no less for any of my colleagues in the profession.

[_Chap]

I gave “Simon Belmont” what for when he posted my teacher reviews on this board, and I was right to do so. I would do no less for any of my colleagues in the profession.

Positive and detailed student reviews do suggest that at least one student has had a good experience with the teacher concerned (otherwise, why would they even bother writing?).

Negative reviews, however, may be posted for at least two different reasons:

1. The teacher in question performed badly in professional terms.
2. The student has a grudge against the teacher, because the teacher gave the student a grade that accurately reflected the quality of that student's work.

If the reviews are all or mostly negative, and no or very few positive reviews appear, then it would be hard to escape the impression that the teacher is lacking in some respects. But is that the case with the DCP reviews?

[_Kishkumen]

If the reviews are all or mostly negative, and no or very few positive reviews appear, then it would be hard to escape the impression that the teacher is lacking in some respects. But is that the case with the DCP reviews?

My point is that this is irrelevant to a discussion of DCP as an apologist. The only reason to delve into his teaching career, as far as I can see, is to humiliate him, and I will not be a party to that kind of low behavior.

[_Chap]

Positive and detailed student reviews do suggest that at least one student has had a good experience with the teacher concerned (otherwise, why would they even bother writing?).

Negative reviews, however, may be posted for at least two different reasons:

1. The teacher in question performed badly in professional terms.
2. The student has a grudge against the teacher, because the teacher gave the student a grade that accurately reflected the quality of that student's work.

If the reviews are all or mostly negative, and no or very few positive reviews appear, then it would be hard to escape the impression that the teacher is lacking in some respects. But is that the case with the DCP reviews?

My point is that this is irrelevant to a discussion of DCP as an apologist. The only reason to delve into his teaching career, as far as I can see, is to humiliate him, and I will not be a party to that kind of low behavior.

Yup, you have made that clear. My point was different.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

If the reviews are all or mostly negative, and no or very few positive reviews appear, then it would be hard to escape the impression that the teacher is lacking in some respects. But is that the case with the DCP reviews?

My point is that this is irrelevant to a discussion of DCP as an apologist. The only reason to delve into his teaching career, as far as I can see, is to humiliate him, and I will not be a party to that kind of low behavior.

I think Everybody Wang Chung's post was in retaliation to DCP's recent blog post. There seems to be a universal constant with regard to human nature. If you extend wellness into the universe it seems wellness comes back to you. If you extend hate into the universe hate comes back to you. DCP can complain all he wants, but if he conducted himself personally and professionally by extending goodness into the world I have a feeling whatever's going on with him, Scratch, and others wouldn't be happening.

- Doc