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Prof: Melanie Bedore / Fall 2022
Mar 18, 2024
This course and this professor were what convinced me that the field of geography was what I wanted to study. It was by far my favourite course in first year and the only course I didn't feel burnt out attending during the last month of the term.
1HA3 is the first step into what the ENVSOCTY experience at McMaster is like. It was a fantastic first impression. Similarly to 1HB3, even if you have no interest towards geography, this course is an eye opener to just how much the world can offer. The course takes a cultural spin on humans and geography.
Dr. Bedore is such a passionate lecturer. She greatly encourages us to challenge our thinking. Very friendly, approachable, and her lectures feel much more like an engaging group discussion. She is a rather difficult marker though. As someone who has taken other courses with her as of 2024, she can be very picky with what counts for full marks.
As long as you are enjoying the content, you will get by and feel encouraged to keep up with the content.
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Prof: Luc Bernier / Fall 2023
Mar 18, 2024
I would not recommend this course if you are looking for something fun and engaging. The content is easy to grasp, but there are also many assignment due dates to keep track of throughout the term.
The content is incredibly straightforward... as in it doesn't feel like you're learning anything new. The entire course can be summed up as "the environment is in danger because of this and that; here are some generic solutions that can be implemented to save it." The actual work can be somewhat demanding, not because it's hard but because there's a lot to do. There were weekly discussion posts to complete, bi-weekly quizzes, and multiple projects that required you to hand in drafts before the final.
I have heard many classmates say that Dr. Bernier is a but too nice. You can have a whole lecture hall full of students on day 1 but by week 2, only 10 remain in-person. He never questions it either. With the combo of lectures being streamed live and content being bland, of course students have no desire to show up. On the flip side this means that he is more than happy to chat and answer questions for those who do attend lectures.
Since this is a project and assignment heavy course, I recommend attending tutorials and lectures for the sole purpose of asking questions about your projects. With no midterm or final exam, the content is basically negligible but your marks sit in the projects. Make use of the time in-person to ask about them.
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Prof: M. Mercier / Fall 2023
Mar 18, 2024
As my first course with Dr. Mercier, I had a great first impression. It was fun, assessments were straightforward, and lectures were engaging.
I took Dr. Bedore's 1HA3 before taking 1HB3 so the content felt rather straightforward to me. The content leaned more into an economic and political lens than 1HA3's cultural lens. It was different but interesting nonetheless. Even if you aren't a geography student, I still think taking this course can be an eye opener to the world.
I really enjoy the way Dr. Mercier teaches. He is a great lecturer, especially in-person, bringing up relevant anecdotes and examples to help explain concepts. His slides are also easy to understand. The one caveat I have is that he doesn't record his lectures nor does he share his fully completed slides. This is to make sure people avoid skipping his classes. I personally don't mind too much, but there are instances where you will need to find a way to make up for a missed lecture.
Attending lectures regularly and taking notes as you usually do will take you far. There isn't much work to do outside of lectures other than two midterms, a few tutorial assignments, and a final project.
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Prof: Darren Scott / Fall 2023
Mar 18, 2024
As someone who had no background working with GIS or similar software, I managed to get through the course just fine. Its main strength for me was that it was interesting. Otherwise, the way it was taught was less than ideal.
Lecture slides are not very well organized and there can be a lot of going back and forth on concepts. Some of the content didn't even feel relevant to GIS at all. The labs are incredibly useful though, dare I say more useful than the lectures. Even then there was not enough time to spend playing around with the software.
The way Dr. Scott lectures makes it feel like you should already be aware of certain mapping or computer jargon. It is off putting and difficult to grasp when the course is starting out. He seems happy to answer questions when approached. Overall, I have no strong opinions.
Review and annotate lab assignment sheets prior to your lab slot to make the best use of your time with the TAs. Skimming slides before lectures as well.