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Ryan, Kathy

Cumulative GPA: 2.41/4.00 with 39 evaluations
Presents Material Clearly: 2.41
Recognizes Student Difficulties: 2.44

Psychology and Human Development Department, Cal Poly, SLO
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PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: C Elective 11:13 pm, Mar 21, 2013 Report Evaluation		This class should really be called "More than you ever wanted or needed to know about classical conditioning". It is without a doubt the worst class I have ever taken at Poly. I took it as an elective for my minor and regretted my decision since the first day of class. No wonder the class doesn't fill up during registration. The homework is very time consuming. I would rather go to the dentist than sit through the lectures. The midterms are the hardest tests I have ever had and not to mention the book is so dense you don't even know what you're reading. Im sure Dr. Ryan is a nice person and all but considering this class is supposed to teach us about learning I expected to learn something about learning. I also thought she would be creative with her teaching and make it interesting. If you have the opportunity to take something else I suggest you take it.

PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 11:20 am, Mar 20, 2013 Report Evaluation		Seriously, probably the most boring psychology class I have ever taken. Prof Ryan is sweet and very understanding if something comes up for turning something in late etc. Its seriously so boring and theoretical, unless your are a psych major I would not recommend taking this class whatsoever. However I also took her for the psy 330 (drugs class), and shes still a little boring but that class was WAAAAY more interesting :)

PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Support) 4:49 pm, Mar 10, 2013 Report Evaluation		Dr Ryan is nice and down to earth in office hours. but MY GOD the lectures are terrible to sit through, especially for a two hour class. she doesnt clarify the information in the book that well (which is tough because the book is very dense). although the material is intimidating, its easy to get by with a passing grade. ill be going into the final with a B and i didnt try too hard on the hw and essay but still got by with A's and B's

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: N/A General Ed 12:43 pm, Feb 19, 2013 Report Evaluation		This professor was not very good at presenting the information in the lecture in a way that kept me focused on the topic. I often found myself drifting off, and not paying good enough attention.

PSY 330 Senior Grade Earned: C Elective 12:49 pm, Dec 29, 2012 Report Evaluation		Dr. Ryan is a really sweet lady, but is not a good teacher. She gives tons of power point notes, but hardly anything she says is on the actual test. For an elective course I would say this class was way too difficult and contained too much reading and required material. She had three midterm like test, non-cumulative, and one paper which she does grade hard on. This course could have been interesting, but she talks really slow and is totally boring. It is really hard to follow her during class and it's hard to know what you should study for her tests. I thought it would get easier, but it didn't.

PSY 458 Sophomore Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 3:57 pm, Mar 6, 2012 Report Evaluation		This is a required class but UGH, so boring and theoretical. Makes nooo sense even if I did get jacked up on caffeine and listened intently. I have no idea why this is a required class and at least, it needs to be taught in a more interactive,interesting, and updated way. The textbook is lengthy and useless but you must spend hours of your life searching for learning objectives. I do not dislike Professor Ryan, she is a kind person but the whole class needs to be restructured.

PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 6:28 pm, Dec 22, 2011 Report Evaluation		If you want to do well in this class i recommend reading each chapter before the lecture and trying to get as many of the learning objectives done before the exams as possible. You do not want to get behind in this class. Also don't plan on Professor Ryan rounding your grade up, I got a 89.5 and worked so hard in this class ( which she was aware of) yet she till gave me a B+ knowing how hard I worked which was upsetting. In order to get a B or above you are definitely going to have to put in the work but if you do this class is interesting and not entirely impossible.



PSY 330 Senior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 11:40 am, Dec 5, 2011 Report Evaluation		She was alright. Her tests are pretty easy, but don't listen when she says to just study the Learning Objectives. There's no telling whether or not the test will actually be reflective of them. There were 3 midterms (50 MC questions), a 4-page paper and a 99 MC question final, and she drops the lowest test grade. There were a few HW assignments, but they were no big deal. I usually did them in class the day of with my iPhone.

PSY 330 Junior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 7:51 am, Mar 29, 2010 Report Evaluation		She\'s so boring. The curves she applies do not help or make sense. She is available during office hours, but NO HELP at all. Try to avoid this instructor, but if you have to take her, it will be okay.

PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 3:02 pm, Dec 17, 2009 Report Evaluation		I actually didn\'t mind this class. Although the material is a little difficult, I definitely was able to learn well from her teaching style. There were a few things that she had some trouble explaining when students had questions, but if you keep up with the reading you should have absolutely no problem. Make sure to read because the tests are mostly from the text!

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: N/A General Ed 3:58 pm, Feb 9, 2009 Report Evaluation		I hated having Ryan as a teacher. She is incredibly boring and one of the hardest people to approach with any questions. All the other discussion sections got to know each other whereas Ryan would just stand in front of the class and make you take notes off a projector. I would avoid her!!

PSY 202 Sophomore Grade Earned: A General Ed 5:07 pm, Jan 9, 2009 Report Evaluation		Ahhhh! Dr. Ryan is very boring! She's a very nice professor but don't take her for recitation for 202. Psy 202 is an awesome class, all the lectures are very interesting and although it's in a 500 person lecture i never missed class or fell asleep! However in Dr. Ryan's recitation, she does not help clarify the lecture(which is what the tests are partly based on, and does not teach you anything new. Kind of a waste of time, but she takes role so you have to go. From the lectures, any of the other teachers for the class seem great!

PSY 202 Sophomore Grade Earned: C General Ed 3:57 pm, Jan 4, 2009 Report Evaluation		The lecture is pretty good. Most of the topics are really interesting. The psych faculty is better than the guest speakers. Except Slem, he is such a nice guy but his voice puts you straight to sleep. I had Dr. Ryan for discussion. AVOID! The discussion is suppost to help you for the test and she only gave out more work and she is so boring. Some people are made to be teachers and other researchers, she is a researcher. She is really boring and her quizzes are really really hard. The only thing that is good about having her a a discussion teacher is that she grades all of the papers. So you can bring your paper to her and she will check it for you before you turn it in.



PSY 458 Junior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 5:12 pm, Dec 18, 2008 Report Evaluation		She is a very sweet woman who tries to teach to her best ability. The material is somewhat difficult to grasp and sometimes boring but she tries to make the lectures not so boring by explaining interesting experiments and making jokes. I liked her, I'm not sure why her rating is this low. Only 2 midterms, a final, and a short 4-6 pg paper on topics of your choice that isn't graded hard. You definitely need to read the chapters and know the study guides for the tests. Very helpful in office hours too.

PSY 458 Junior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 5:18 pm, Mar 7, 2008 Report Evaluation		This class can be boring (especially at the beginning of the quarter), but if you can try to relate it to something you know then it can be enjoyable. I have two dogs and work with little kids so I relate all these learning theories to things I've seen my dogs and these kids do. It makes sense, and I get to apply it my puppies and the kids I work with, which have never behaved better, by the way. Dr. Ryan really knows and enjoys the topic and she is very helpful if you ask her for help. There are tests and 1 paper (4-6 pages but it's on two topics so it's really like 2 shorter papers). She gives you very thorough learning objectives for the tests. Tests are comprised of multiple choice and short answer. Make sure you can apply the concepts that you learn because there as many applied questions as there are definition type questions. Read the chapters, pay attention in lecture, and make sure you understand the learning objectives and you will get an A.

PSY 366 Senior Grade Earned: A Elective 8:41 pm, Oct 31, 2007 Report Evaluation		Lecture and lab course: If you

PSY 201 Sophomore Grade Earned: A General Ed 11:42 am, Sep 10, 2007 Report Evaluation		Well this was a very easy class. Use the website to study before the tests! Lecture was extremely boring, I could understand the 2.3 hour lecture in 20 minute of reading in the library. Tests are all multiple choice, and the paper is a piece of cake if you took ENG 134 seriously. Would reccomend 201 with Ryan for anyone who is looking to take a easy GE. Very interesting topic too, maybe I was just too dissapointed that we didn't go into more details in some areas.

PSY 458 Junior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 4:02 pm, Jun 3, 2007 Report Evaluation		Dr.Ryan is incredibly helpful and understand of students needs. She is also good at answering students questions in class and helping her students understand. This year she tried using 'clickers' in class to answer questions on the powerpoint, which was helpful. This subject is not everyone's favorite but she does a good job explaining the methods. You can tell that she really loves the subject she teaches. All you have to do to get a good grade in this class is do the learning objectives thoroughly (which means reading)and take good notes.

PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 8:20 pm, Mar 15, 2007 Report Evaluation		Okay, so I have no idea why everyone hates Dr. Ryan so much. It's true: she can be boring and yes, her lectures do feel longer than two hours at times. But, she's really not that bad. If you interested in behaviorism or learning at all, the class is an easy A. You get a study guide that pretty much tells you exactly what's going to be on the tests. There is also a short answer portion of her tests, but she makes enough hints the lecture before the test that the questions don't come a surprise. She gives you choices of which to answer, as well. I thought I'd have to work hard to get an A, and I did study a lot, but I didn't think it was any more work than any other 400-level course. I think you guys are being way too hard on Dr. Ryan!



PSY 458 Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 7:21 pm, Aug 11, 2006 Report Evaluation		Dr. Ryan is a behaviorist who loves animals. She did lots of studies on rats, of which she references many times. She knows a lot about what she teaches, but her teaching style is very boring. She uses powerpoint for her whole lecture but doesn't put the slides on blackboard. Powerpoint is good for organization, but if the material is dry, it's not gonna be a good lecture. She likes to stimulate conversation about questions which is good, but they last forEVER. It makes you want to leave because she drags them out so long. The tests are fair, but you have to read and do the study questions. If you just study lecture, you'll get a D or less. You get an essay at the end of class, which isn't too bad - 4-6 pages on 2 topics. She's an alright teacher... I'd say she's better at reasearching.

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: C General Ed 10:55 pm, Jul 4, 2006 Report Evaluation		I wouldn't take Psych 202 to begin with. The class is divided into a 500 person lecture hall and then a 30 person recitation. The only interesting lecturers are Ryujin and Breaux, everyone else is boring and monotonous. And don

PSY 458 5th Year Senior Grade Earned: D Required (Major) 10:10 pm, Mar 27, 2006 Report Evaluation		She drones on in class. Lectures are dry and monotone. I was unclear about her expectations for the paper...so I asked her to verify that my topics were adequate, which she confirmed. I still got a D on the paper because I didn't pick the right topics...Ummmm?! The material is already difficult enough and she doesn't help the situation by making the class interesting, enjoyable, or even understandable. Aweful class...she needs to retire. I literally felt like I wanted to jump out the window during her lectures!

PSY 458 5th Year Senior Grade Earned: N/A Required (Major) 8:13 pm, Nov 7, 2005 Report Evaluation		This teacher is very understanding of students difficulty and willing to help in any way she can. I'll not go over content as the other review for PSY 458 pretty much said it best. She's a very down to earth person - she recognizes if her tests were difficult and lowers the curve accordingly, and tries to make the next test more reasonable. She realises this is a boring class and tries to make it as interesting as possible. Open to student's questions, tries to break it down as best she can, I'd definetly suggest taking her class. She's nice and cares not only about the subject but the students as well.

PSY 202 Sophomore Grade Earned: B General Ed 1:17 pm, Jun 15, 2005 Report Evaluation		i think the recitation for psych 202 is a joke. this recitation was pointless to attend because it just wasted an hour of my life each week. she doesn't even prepare you for the tests. she only goes over random statistics that are never on the tests. ryan is also the professor that grades the papers. the class has 3 homework assignments and she takes attendance so you have to go. if you don't go to class she will take points off. very boring lecturer but she is a fair grader. take slem if you can.

PSY 202 Junior Grade Earned: B General Ed 12:09 am, Mar 25, 2005 Report Evaluation		I think Dr. Ryan was a wonderful professor and never strayed away from a student's question in class -- we probably spent more time discussing in depth specifics of things than broad review, which if you actually do the reading outside of class and don't need a professor to baby you through this easy course, is a nice change. Dr. Ryan is just about as good as you're going to get from the group of professors that teach this class. I do reccomend her.



PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: C General Ed 10:42 pm, Jan 25, 2005 Report Evaluation		Psycho, does not belong in a classroom, maybe a psychoward. She does not help prepare you for the three midterms, and the class has to be the most bland and tasteless hour of my life.

PSY 458 5th Year Senior Grade Earned: A Required (Major) 1:12 pm, Jan 5, 2005 Report Evaluation		Hard class and boring reading but it is just a class psy majors have to take. Personally I found Dr. Ryan to be an extremely good teacher. She was clear, always made time for her students even outside of her office hours, and seemed passionate about the subject. I wasn't too passionate about it, but I did manage to do well in the class and learn a lot. The 3 tests are all equally weighted and were not that bad (combo of 55 or so mult choice and 15 pts in short answer/fill in the blank). There is one paper which is not hard at all. The concepts are difficult to grasp at times but reading the chapters before class really helps you "get it." She does not take attendence, but there were sometimes a few questions on the test that came directly from her lecture so I suggest going to class. One more thing- she gives you practice tests on her web site and on each test there were always at least 2 or 3 questions that came directly from it, so check them out b/f :)

PSY 202 Sophomore Grade Earned: B General Ed 1:19 pm, Dec 15, 2004 Report Evaluation		She was a pretty good teacher. She obviously understood the material very well. She would usually spend the first few minutes of recitation answering any questions from lecture and the rest of the time she'd introduce some new material. The new material wasn't really in the book, and it wasn't really from lecture, so it was pretty important to go to recitation (regardless of the point deduction). Homework and participation made up your recitation grade. Fortunately homework was rarely assigned. It did sometimes seem, however, like she was trying to get you to think in her perspective and not any others. Kind of a narrow-minded teacher sometimes. But she was pretty good and I'd take her again.

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: B General Ed 5:04 pm, Apr 22, 2004 Report Evaluation		Dr Ryan is very one-sided. She grades the paper for 202, and if your paper doesn't agree with her view, you will not get a good grade. I do not recommend her if you can help it

PSY 202 Junior Grade Earned: A General Ed 1:36 am, Mar 4, 2004 Report Evaluation		Of all abhorrences of nature, this woman plays pocket pool more often than a monkey on Viagra. The psyco-babble that just wont stop coming from her mouth is filled with lies and contradictions. She's sexist, never listens to any guy, but some girl could say something like, "But i think eating disorders shouldn't be considered problems," and she'll get all excited and begin clapping like a retarded seal. Ryan is a classic reason why women shouldn't vote, and will never be president. PMS and arrogance are a deadly combination. Avoid this woman like you'd avoid a dark-alley raping, because listening to her is almost as pleasant.

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: A General Ed 12:55 am, Feb 2, 2004 Report Evaluation		Dr. Ryan graded the term papers that we handed in for PSY 202 and every single paper got returned to students without any comments. She seemed to radnomly just give out grades. Don't even ask me about last halloween when I saw her at Tortilla Flats dressed as Elvis. She was absolutely plastered, so I guess she gets cool points there.



PSY 458 Junior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 3:29 pm, Dec 21, 2003 Report Evaluation		This is just one of those classes that you gotta take if you're a psych major, and frankly, it's no fun. Ryan has excellent knowledge of her subject, but her lectures are very boring. I had her class at 8am in the morning too, so I struggled to stay awake every day. The material is pretty hard to grasp some of the time, and it is rarely interesting, which makes it even more difficult. There are three tests, non-cumulative, and one short paper that was a breeze to write. Tests are mostly multiple choice. I barely read at all and still got a B in the class.

PSY 458 5th Year Senior Grade Earned: B Required (Major) 4:50 pm, Jun 19, 2002 Report Evaluation		I heard Ryan's class was going to be difficult and boring. And I heard correctly. I know a couple girls that thought the lectures were really helpful, but I found them to be long and slow, and you read the stuff in the book anyway. If you take the initiative to read the book as it is schelduled it will make the lectures easy to understand (and possibly redundant) Exams are multiple choice, and tough-- especially the second one. Study hard. Good luck. (and outside of her boring lecture she is a pleasant individual)

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: B General Ed 12:17 am, Nov 27, 2001 Report Evaluation		Based on looks alone, Dr. Ryan, or Kathy, as I like to call her, deserves at least 5 points out of 4. Although I found it hard to concentrate on the material during class, her stunning good looks kept my eyes glued to the podium all class period long. There has never been a professor who I have been more attracted to and inspired by (except Rooshash). Instead of Psychology, Kathy deserves a PHd in turning me on. Oh baby. Take this class and you won't regret it. ;-)

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: B General Ed 8:59 pm, Mar 28, 2001 Report Evaluation		If you are stuck between taking PSY 202 and PSY 201, take 201. I say this because I took 202 while my friend took Slem for 201. I studied twice as hard as my friend and pulled off a B in 202 while my friend got almost a 97% in Slem's 201 class. Ryan is a good teacher, but what she has to say in recitation is not extremely beneficial unless you are super confused from the big lecture (of 500 people). Take 201, seriously. If not, Ryan is excellent if you choose to take 202.

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: Credit General Ed 1:38 pm, Mar 23, 2001 Report Evaluation		Dr. Ryan is a teacher that may remind you of somewhat of a burn out. She is disorganized, doesn't sound enthusiastic, and some days you are asking youself, "Why did I come to class?" But don't be fooled, her lectures to really clarify what you will need to know for the midterms. The best part about her - I got really sick and she helped me get caught up. She CARES, and that, to me, is worth all it's weight in gold!

PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: B General Ed 3:24 am, Mar 17, 2001 Report Evaluation		MAN.... HER RECITATION PSYCHOLOGY EXAMPLES NEVER MADE SENSE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT SHE REALLY CARES ABOUT HER STUDENTS, I GIVE HER AN A+. I VISITED HER OFFICE HOURS ON CERTAIN OCCASIONS AND SHE HAS ALWAYS PROVED HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN I NEEDED TO RETAKE AN EXAM FOR BEING SICK.



PSY 202 Freshman Grade Earned: A General Ed 2:13 pm, Mar 6, 2001 Report Evaluation		Dr. Ryan has what seems to be a common fault among psych professors: she explains too much. I wish that attendance wasn't required in recitations 'cause she just went over stuff I already knew. She is helpful with any questions one might have, however. The problem with the class is that there's too many teachers to understand what all of them want, but it's really not that hard if you read and study.

PSY 458 Sophomore Grade Earned: A Required (Support) 12:31 am, Apr 15, 2000 Report Evaluation		At first I was put off by Dr.Ryan because she seemed unorganized and unenthusiastic about the class, but as the quarter progressed I realized that she really is a great teacher. She is a very cool lady- very down to earth. And she's hilarious in her own way. She knows her subject extrememly well and is good at explaining things and answering questions until everyone understands. Class consisted of 3 midterms and a 10 page paper.

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