Comments Report for Spring 2012, MATH 5050 Stoch Proc
Simultn II Section 1
Instructor: Georgiou, Nicos (Primary)
Instructor
Georgiou
Georgiou
Georgiou
Georgiou
Georgiou
Student
Text Responses
Disposition
Question: List two things about the course content, materials or design that were effective for
your learning, or make constructive suggestions for improvement.
Class notes made a big difference, especially with typos in the textbook. Class notes generally useful.
Very difficult homework, but by the end of doing it I truly felt I had a thorough understanding of the
material.
1 pro is patient 2 pro is willing to help me
The instructor’s notes were often more helpful than the book.
The book was not very good at all. I opened it maybe a dozen times, mostly to look up homework
problems. This was more than compensated, however, by the notes posted online. In the end, Nicos’
notes were much more thorough, clear, easy to understand, and overall better learning material than the
ones the book had. I learned Stochastic Processes from the class and the notes, and I did well on the
exam an the HW mostly because of studying from the notes. I honestly hope the book for this class is
reconsidered (also, since I didn’t use the book, I am not considering it a course material in my responses
to the questions above). Overall the class is very interesting an was rather fun. Though we did emphasize
simulation, it seems it was a very viable option this semester, which was nice and I think an improvement
on last semester. I also enjoyed the HW/Quiz set up better.
I liked everything about this class. I didn’t use the book that much because Nicos’ notes and in-class
lectures were so excellent that I didn’t much need the book. He has everything organized and I knew
what to expect with homework and tests.
Question: List two things about this instructor that were effective for your learning, or make
constructive suggestions for improvement.
Very challenging homework, but enough time given that it was possible to complete. Nicos has a great
sense of humor that made class fun.
1 lecture note is good 2 homework is hard but useful
I appreciated the pace of the lectures: while they pushed my limits, the speed was reasonable, and the
instructor was always happy to accommodate questions and clarification. Office hours were very helpful,
and the instructor was good at understanding how the student was digesting the material. Excellent
instructor-- one of my very favorite in the math department!
Nicos was very accessible and available for students. He definitely made an effort to help everyone out
even outside office hours, and if he happened to be at his office he would always take the time to explain
things to you and help you out. I learned a great deal from going to office hours and going through the
HW. This was the first class where that was actually very effective (I mean Stochastic Processes, it was
very effective last semester too). Generally he wants you to do well and actually learn something, which
is a big reason why I like the class. Nicos seemed very knowledgeable about the material. He explains
things clearly and it’s easy to follow what he does in class, even when not everything is readily
understandable. He is also always trying to make sure everyone is understanding what he is saying, and
is happy to go over anything that has been written or said, or to explain any given detail that might be
confusing or that you didn’t get, be it in class or during office hours. He is also the first teacher I’ve had
to be naturally up-front about which parts of the material are hard, which ones we should not worry
about too much, and which ones we really do need to learn. He is also the first teacher to consistently
emphasize when things and steps in proofs are not obvious, explaining why they are not obvious or
which important theorem/concept/etc. we are using and why it works.
Nicos is truly an excellent instructor. He does everything I’d wish for in a teacher, including good board
work, organized lessons, a mix of theory and examples, some in-class work, challenging homework
questions and an approachable, witty presence in class.
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