Duerk, Donna  

he sure does like his women, wet!!

If you want a teacher who can clearly explain projects and assignments and doesn't go through this psychological evaluation, i prefer not to take this course with her. Her teaching style is as simple as it can be, however, she doesn't teach. I can teach myself in that class and get an A. Based on her class, it doesn't compare to other professors who are working with more professional outlook rather than making an abstract model of "mouse house".

Donna should not be on tenure.

Donna Duerk seems like a so-so professor at first, but don't be fooled. The projects that she gives are very limiting and ridiculous (mammal mansions, sticks and stones sculpture, hats made of chipboard, etc). The studio environment was always dead and depressing. Try to avoid her at all costs.

I totally agreed with the comment below me... Donna really isn\'t as bad as the other comments made her out to be. She has a passion for many random things in life (space, robotics, her grandchildren, cooking, sustainability, ect.) but design is definitely one of them. We did projects that got us thinking pretty abstract (a sticks and stones sculpture, a zen garden, a mammal mansion and an \"inhabited wall\") Shes pretty helpful and I actually had a fun and interesting time taking her design studio this fall. I definitely would take her again over the professor that I currently have... Her biggest fault, as someone else has said is that your personal relationship with her will affect your grade. But I mean, its not that hard to get on her good side... All you have to do is put effort into your projects... and into their documentation in your sketchbook for your \"interviews\"... I can\'t say she\'s the best but I can say that shes definitely not a waste of your time.

Yah yah yah. People keep telling me that Donna is possibly the greatest waist of time for a second year architecture student. In truth, if you think you are wasting your time, it is strictly your fault. Although Donna\'s teaching style proves quirky (to say the least...), she does teach valuable design techniques that no other teacher covers. In other words, there are worse design studio teachers here at Cal Poly. Have faith.

avoid at all cost. if you like to design the way you do instead of following 1 page paper front and back instruction on what to do. i don't like her personality at all. she's good person, but not a very good engaging design teacher to take.

The reason people can't get the right impression about this teacher is because she's hard to explain. She's easy (as in not challenging) while giving a lot of busy working on not quite relevant projects (as mentioned by others before). For instance, giving readings is a teacher's prerogative, but to assign reflection papers, wasting precious time on material that you are going to have to regurgitate again in lengthy class discussion, is not appropriate for a design class, especially when we have so many hours in studio. She spends time on very basic design principles learned first year, but is more wordy than demonstrative. She does not teach by example and is ambiguous during criticism, but if you want clarification she will wrap her argument in a bigger cloud of words. She'd be okay for freshmen, but I could not recommend her for more than that. You will not have an easy quarter; you will have a drain of your time. And the least professional aspect, it is true as someone else has said, is that your personal relationship with her will affect your grade. Again, a decent person but not a good professor.

She is a bad bad bad bda teacher.

I thought I was doing well, but I guess I wasn\'t. She gave me a grade that didn\'t reflect my designs or my presentations of the projects, while others in the class who were so much worse (at least graphically)and they got better grades. I really think she had something against me, so try to be her favorite, she\'ll give you a good grade then. Overall she is a very nice person, but if you aren\'t chummy with her, she wont give you the grade you deserve.

Professor Duerk starts the class with psychology testing on the first day. Many student claim that she is not a great teacher, but that isn't true. She is very easy to get along with. She is indeed humorous. Her teaching may be different than other design instructor, but that doesn't necessary mean she isn't good at all. Many design students assume that a professor that provides a load of work will help them learn a lot, but it just doesn't work that way all the time. During Donna's class, I learn the importance of "QUALITY of work is far greater than QUANTITY." I personally would recommend this class. It provides you an ability to think thoroughly on your concepts and ideas rather than just rushing a project and trying to meet the deadline. Also, her grading is hard, but very understanding. You'll realize that in design, it is not only about effort, but CREATIVITY plays an important role in receiving an A in the course. Keeping a sketchbook is recommended because Donna will be meeting you 2 times the quarter and review the sketchbook with you. She also assign readings that are very helpful. Most likely you will read the materials because she expects you to turn in a reflection paper. The reflection paper is based on what you learn and how you would apply it in architecture and what is important to you personally and why. Take this class if you want to learn the value of "QUALITY."

Donna Duerk is a crazy lady.

since I took her disign class.... I lost all my passion. whatever she talks about in class was BS...BS...and BS. whole quater was BS for me. do not take with her... save your money, and time. don't take with her. she was a worst teacher I ever meet, she is no good!

Stupid fat bitch. Everything said about her here is true. Unless it was something good. She has a mustache, and she licks her lips. All the time. Stupid bitch, i hate her. She sucks, and i leanr nothing! don't take!

I don't see why everybody hates Donna so much. She's actually really nice, once you give her a chance. At first she's a little off putting, but you just need to get to know her. She loves space, which is totally rad, and she's a pretty good cook too! She even invited me over to her house for dinner a few times, once with the whole class, and it was always fun. And her projects were not too hard, but gave us good instruction on abstract thinking. Take Donna if you can! And if she invites you to dinner at her house, without any other classmates, totally do it!

She told me that she could not teach or help anyone in her class, she said that she did not have any time. I am expending around $ 12,000 a year in this school and she does not have time to teach? !!!! I really hope that nobody take that class ever, YOU DON"T LEARN ANYTHING!!!! my mistake__________ you do learn something; NOT TO TAKE HER AGAIN EVER!!!! PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER CLASS IT'S POINTLESS