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Eng 22, Fall 2018

Introduction to Literature and the Environment

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This course is a sweeping survey of Western literature, culture, and thought from an environmental perspective. In much the same way that feminist critics are interested in literary representations of gender and women, ecological literary and cultural critics (or simply “ecocritics”) explore how our relationship to our planet is imagined. As with changing perceptions of gender, such literary representations are not only generated by particular cultures, they play a significant role in generating those cultures. Thus, if we wish to understand contemporary America’s attitude toward the environment, its literary history is an excellent place to start.

While authors such as Thoreau and Wordsworth may first come to mind in this context, literary responses to environmental concerns are often as old as the issues themselves. Deforestation, air pollution, endangered species, wetland loss, animal rights, and rampant consumerism have all been appearing as controversial issues in Western literature for hundreds – and in some cases thousands – of years. Starting with an excerpt from one of the West’s earliest texts, The Myth of Gilgamesh, this course explores the often-ignored literary and cultural history of the natural world.

Note that this course was substantially revised, expanded, and arguably much improved in 2018-19 in order to provide a general introduction to the environmental humanities. In addition to introducing literature and the environment, we also consider philosophy, history, religion, and culture from an environmental perspective. Thus, this course provides an introduction to ecocriticism, environmental history, eco-philosophy, eco-theology, eco-art history, environmental communication, architecture and the environment, and (through the course’s films) environmental media.

Startling in the Fall of 2019, this course satisfies the following three UCSB General Education (GE) requirements: Area E (Culture and Thought), Area G (Literature), and the European Traditions Requirement. In previous years (i.e. Fall of 2018 and before), Eng 22 only satisfied the Area G requirement.

Eng 22 has an optional honors seminar, Eng 22S, that is designed to enrich the large lecture experience for the motivated student. Eng 22S is a small seminar for a select number of students (usually around 12) enrolled in Eng 22. The seminar can include either supplementary reading or more intensive study of Eng 22 readings.
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The UCSB Current published an article on this course in October of 2018 entitled “Earthly Concerns.”

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“Please rate the overall quality of the instructor’s teaching”

Average rating: 4.5 of 5 (♣♣♣♣♣ Excellent; ♣♣♣♣ Very Good; ♣♣♣ Good; ♣♣ Fair; ♣ Poor)

♣♣♣♣♣ This instructor is by far one of the most genuine and knowledgeable teachers I have had. A true pleasure to have taken this course.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner is one of my favorite professors I’ve had at UCSB. He genuinely cares about his students and the topics he lectures on. Professor Hiltner is a pleasant lecturer and it is very evidient that he is truly interested in the opinions and perspectives of his students. This course definitely heightened my environmental awareness and cultivated my desire to spread it in the most amicable but productive ways possible, like Professor Hiltner has done.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner conveyed a wonderfully structured course which has been enlightening upon the issue of climate change, both local and global. I found his lesson plan to flow much like a stream and would be interested in future courses with Professor Hiltner who exemplifies class, conviction, and a genuine approach to fostering the written word.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner’s teaching style is clear, concise, and captivating. English 22, as a course, offers a new perspective for environmentalists and English lovers alike.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner is incredible! I was very nervous for this class because I am not super interested in English but Professor Hiltner made it exciting, insightful, and easily understandable. I would recommend this class to everyone the teachings in this class. I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Thank you so much Dr. Hiltner.

♣♣♣♣♣ Before taking this class, I just thought I didn’t like big lectures. After taking this class, I realized that I just don’t like bad teachers. Prof. Hiltner is incredibly well-spoken, organized, and passionate. I regret not taking the honors section and will have my eye out for more of his courses in the future. 10/10 would recommend. Worth the extensive reading.

♣♣♣♣♣ I found this course to be very engaging and unlike any class I have ever taken before. It is a refreshing, new way to look at literature while also focusing on our impact on the environment.

♣♣♣♣♣ I never thought I’d like a literature class, but since this one included science, it was fantastic! I am looking forward to taking the similar course in Winter 2020.

♣♣♣♣♣ I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It was the perfect mix of science and literature and opened my mind up to a whole new level of learning. It amazed me to see how connected our mindsets are to literature. Kenneth was an extremely engaging and inspirational professor. He put his heart and soul into the material and it was very clear how passionate he is about this topic. I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for a follow up course.

♣♣♣♣♣ This course was my absolute favorite and as a freshman, I am beyond excited for future classes at UCSB. This course was extremely influential on my life, and even though I already considered myself an environmentalist, this gave me what I came to college for: a deeper understanding through a passionate educator. I am truly saddened by the fact that its come to an end, but I am definitely going to look into Prof. Hiltner’s under-division course over summer (2019). I am considering pursuing a minor (or a second major!) in environmental studies/ further environmental science courses. Thank you!

♣♣♣♣♣ Very enjoyable class, but in terms of lecture and material. Readings assigned were interesting (if lengthy). Really broadened my knowledge of environmental issues and their relationship with cultural literature. 11/10 class. Would recommend.

♣♣♣♣♣ As an international student, I’d say it’s not an easy course for me. I spent so much time on readings, especially after midterm, because I didn’t really understand poems and some renaissance literature. Those were hard for me but I don’t regret taking this course. I would probably take the class again if I got to choose again. The part of climate change was fantastic!! I love documentaries Professor Hiltner recommended and I’ll finish them all after Finals. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

♣♣♣♣♣ This course was incredible. It was eye-opening and brought my attention to issues I hadn’t given much thought to. It changed the way I view the environment and environmental issues and has motivated me to make changes in my life.

♣♣♣♣♣ Great lecturer, one of my favorite classes I’ve taken at UCSB. I would advice you to put on iClicker at the end of your lectures each time so people don’t leave so early, that got very annoying. I also think the readings got a lot less interesting the deeper we went into the course but I think that’s a result of less translation and more old English.

♣♣♣♣♣ This is a wonderful class that blends a love of literature and concern for the Environment for an effective and enjoyable learning experience. Thank you for instructing this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ This class was beyond amazing! Made me look forward to school everyday and combined two subjects that I love: literature and the environment. Professor Hiltner is amazing and I hope to take more classes taught by him AND more classes like this one in the future. Truly inspiring & eye-opening. 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ Thank you for helping me become a climatarian 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ Honestly such an amazing class. Loved every single moment of it and really appreciate this class. I know multiple people who have taken this class and their perspectives and even their diets have changed for the better. Props to you, Mr. Hiltner for teaching such an amazing and eye-opening class. I can finally say I have taken a course at UCSB that has transformed me for the better of the world and myself.

♣♣♣♣♣ I very much enjoyed this course. By far my favorite aspect was the Friday climate change lectures. This course has greatly influenced many of my lifestyle choices. I eat a vegan diet now because of the lectures and films from this course, and I’ve changed many of my habits to be more environmentally friendly. I used the information I learned in this course to educate my friends and family, and it was the class I touted as my favorite class when anyone asked. It was clear that Prof. Hiltner was very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject and that made me excited to attend class. I definitely will not forget what this class has taught me. It should be a required course at UCSB in order to educate all students of the impacts of our habits on the world.

♣♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed how this lecture combined literature with modern environmental issues. It changed the way I think about the environmental movement, since I used to think that only scientists were useful to the movement, but now I see that communicators are important as well.

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken was amazing. You can really tell how much he cares about the subject he’s teaching and his students. Very thorough, changed the way I think about things for sure. 10/10.

♣♣♣♣♣ Inspiring and motivating.

♣♣♣♣♣ This class was super interesting. Prof. Hiltner is engaging and has wonderful lectures in which he very clearly defines the course objectives and explains readings very thoroughly. Loved the reading and the class!!

♣♣♣♣♣ This was one of my favorite classes to take. It was very interesting and I liked reading the building blocks of the climate change. I will be looking forward to taking more classes with Professor Hiltner because the content are things that we can apply to everyday life and future problems in our lifetime. THANKS PROFESSOR HILTNER.

♣♣♣♣♣ I am working on my second degree here at UCSB now. With educators like Hiltner, it makes me want to stay in school as long as I can. However it is because of amazing-life-changing-mind-opening courses such as this that make me want to invoke change within the world.

♣♣♣♣♣ This was a really interesting class, and I really liked Professor Hiltner’s teaching style — it made the class much more interactive, which is how English classes should be.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very informational class. I really appreciated the set up of the materials and the discussions that we engaged in during each class meeting. Grateful for the opportunity to discuss this vital information with my fellow peers in a safe, respectful place.

♣♣♣♣♣ Great class — wish there were maybe a few required readings — because some of what we gathered was not very helpful.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really appreciated everyone in this class, and how the format was us teaching each other and doing research to present to one another. I learned a lot from the presentations and even more during discussion. Thank you Ken!

♣♣♣♣♣ The student-led aspect of this class is amazing. I’ve never been emerged into environmental issues and I’m so happy I took this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed this class because I learned so much about the environment that I did not know of before. I also liked the format of the class with student presentations and choice of final creative project. One thing I would like to see is Professor Hiltner give a…………..

♣♣♣♣♣ Great instructor. Easily one of the most interesting and informative courses I have ever been in. Lucky to be in a classroom full of progressive, educated, bright individuals headed by a Prof. and TA who are great educators and great men. Thanks!

♣♣♣♣♣ The way the class was set up was different than any other class I’ve ever taken at UCSB, very engaging & very interesting!

♣♣♣♣♣ This class was excellent in engaging students in important environmental issues. I definitely left the class with a deeper understanding and connection of so many aspects of world culture to the state of our environment.

♣♣♣♣♣ Great course and super necessary to keep around. People need to be educated about these topics.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really liked this class. This class helped me learn about the things that are going on in our world. This is the best class. Everything was great in this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ An excellent balance of instruction and discussion to make a greatly interactive course.

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken is extremely knowledgeable in content of the course and presents it in a very understandable way. Overall, great course!

♣♣♣♣♣ I love the climate change lectures!! This class made me reconsider my biology major, I might try to incorporate environmental studies somehow.

♣♣♣♣♣ I looked forward to lectures! Very calming yet engaging. I usually get distracted easily, but I felt immersed into this course and the lectures.

♣♣♣♣♣ I absolutely loved this class. Hiltner is clearly very passionate about the subject and it is very evident in his lectures. This course is incredibly inspiring.

♣♣♣♣♣ Thank you for a wonderful class and eye-opening experience! Concisely laid out an expansive history of environmental ideologies through world literature in an understandable way. I might suggest replacing the early modern texts with more modern translations, as comprehending this material was difficult even with the footnotes provided.

♣♣♣♣♣ Climate change days were the most interesting. Focus on those.

♣♣♣♣♣ I was a huge fan of this class and its content. I believed it covered some very important issues that are often overlooked by people or deemed unimportant. Prof. Hiltner is fantastic at communicating his message, and he is so passionate about what he teaches which makes the class much more enjoyable. Thank you Mr. Hiltner!

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken is very insightful and this class did a good job of changing my perspectives. I wish we watched the Gauchospace films in class on Fridays.

♣♣♣♣♣ This course was great. I feel that it opened my eyes to many issues beyond the class. Although some of the readings are dry, I would recommend taking this course.

♣♣♣♣♣ I’m really glad I took this class because I don’t really read out of my free will and this definitely inspired me to do that again. Thank you.

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken is very passionate about the topics and has shown thorough understanding of the subject. If you want to learn come to this class. My only problem is that he sometimes has too much information to take in.

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken did a great job on effectively communicating and criticizing old Western literature with an environmental perspective. 10/10 would recommend.

♣♣♣♣♣ Really clear explanations! Passionate about his content!

♣♣♣♣♣ At the beginning I found the course very boring. However, towards the end it became more interesting! Loved how the Prezi was posted online. The study info. For the midterm and final was very broad which was difficult.

♣♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed this course very much and learned a lot, which I will take with me. The texts in the course reader were extremely interesting, though I could not understand some of them haha. The books were very interesting as well and broadened my perspective on life/ the environment. The films you recommended were great as well and were eye-awakening. Overall, this was a great course and I hope I can take another one of your classes in the future 😊.

♣♣♣♣♣ Most interesting English class I’ve taken.

♣♣♣♣♣ The class was very interesting. Course material was not dull and the readings were each unique enough that they were not repetitive. Professor genuinely wanted to educate us which I appreciated.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very thorough and in depth lecture; he really connected the readings together and broke them down effectively in lecture. 11/10.

♣♣♣♣♣ Lectures were well-structured, interesting and thought provoking. Overall this class was enjoyable, and Professor Hiltner is so well-spoken and thoughtful. I would definitely recommend the class to anyone, regardless of major.

♣♣♣♣♣ Excellent teacher and too good for this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ The course’s lectures were very informative, interesting, and challenged us to critique our lifestyles. The only small complaint would be if the bullet points on the slides were a little more summarized.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed this class as Ken made it very interesting and enjoyable.

♣♣♣♣♣ I loved this class! I have a deep passion for the environment and loved looking at it in a whole new way. This class not only got me to read the classics, but also opened my eyes up to the issues we face in modern times. So much so that I went vegan. Great class to take in transition into college.

♣♣♣♣♣ Prof. is definitely really clear about what he is teaching and all his materials. His PPT outline is also helpful when reviewing for exams. The reading load is somehow heavy, especially to non-native speakers like me. But it’s okay…

♣♣♣♣♣ The professor explained the material cleanly – oftentimes incorporating text/examples to help people remember the material. 10/10 would recommend take again.

♣♣♣♣♣ 30% attendance is ridiculous especially since none are dropped.

♣♣♣♣♣ Awesome professor and course. Always so enthusiastic! 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ While the course was extremely interesting, the materials were often difficult to understand. The instructor’s teaching method was fantastic though.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed coming to this class. I learned so much about the role past literature has made on our society’s view on the environment. Even if you might not believe literature and environment is an interesting topic, I think everybody should be aware of the issues because they’re impacting everybody.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed learning about the environment in a non-scientific way. I also enjoyed how all the content was taught and then the opposite was shown.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner has great personality and always brought enthusiasm to lectures.

♣♣♣♣♣ Although I wasn’t a fan of the readings, they did give me a new-found outlook on life.

♣♣♣♣♣ This course was very well organized. I enjoyed every single lecture as it provided very controversial topics that are often to debate. I also want to thank Marshall Evans for being very supportive and a great TA throughout this course. Please take him in consideration for this position again and give the man a raise.

♣♣♣♣♣ As a STEM major, this class was the perfect blend of English and science. It’s understandable enough for anyone and extremely informative. Additionally, the tests are fair. Love you Ken!

♣♣♣♣♣ Great guy! Keep it up 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ I really appreciate how you published your presentations. Literature has always been a difficult topic for me but since this course was related to my major, I liked it a bit more! You’re very sweet and your daughter is the cutest! I absolutely loved when we related Christianity to the environment since I am a Buddhist. Good job and Merry Christmas! (I also really liked that we could get extra credit from documentaries, wish they were free though).

♣♣♣♣♣ Wish he would do more in depth during his lectures on certain topics, as well as incorporated films to make the lectures not feel so mundane, but overall, I enjoyed his lecture as well as at the fact that he provided all his lecture slides online. The only critique I have is that at times his lectures can seem very boring due to his monotone voice.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner was engaging and passionate. He truly practices what he preaches, which inspires me to do the same. His course was organized and allowed me to think and view the world in a unique perspective.

♣♣♣♣♣ Not a huge literature person but I loved this course! It was extremely interesting to see environmental issues through a literary perspective. Perfect English course for STEM majors.

♣♣♣♣♣ Some of the readings (mostly medieval) felt irrelevant to the course.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner was extremely knowledgeable about this course and the material, meaning he was able to provide thorough lectures

♣♣♣♣♣ BEST PROFESSOR EVER! SO GOOD AT TEACHING, MAKING INFO ACCESSIBLE, ATTITUDE. 20/10, 5 star reviews.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very clear and provides interesting perspectives on historic literature.

♣♣♣♣♣ This was a fantastic course. It was engaging every lecture. Prof. Ken is a fantastic and clear presenter. The class is SO large though. The material was a little biased and dramatic but cool. AND PLEASE ADD A SECTION! This would have such cool conversations.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very laid back class. Attend lecture, do the readings, and it will be easy to pass.

♣♣♣♣♣ While the material was so incredibly interesting, I wish it was presented in a more interesting way. Slides were often too dense. Overall, one of the best classes I’ve ever taken here. Very relevant and awesome.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed all the readings and the way Ken incorporated pertinent environmental issues into the English material. Looking forward to taking more classes with him in the future!

♣♣♣♣♣ This course made me realize the important (but still ignored) value of our environment. Environmental issues are connected and can be mitigated with technological development, but what it is also vital is a shift in behavior. Good class.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner did a fantastic job presenting the material of the course. More importantly, the core concept is illustrated to (at least) me very well. I have, and intend to, recommend this class to my peers. I find the content important and better yet, relevant and engaging.

♣♣♣♣♣ This was a really eye-opening class. The texts are hard but fun reads. The lectures have never been boring for me, and it is a very unique perspective on literature. I would definitely take more classes with this professor.

♣♣♣♣♣ Wish you were able to teach more about climate change, blows my mind away. Very inspiring.

♣♣♣♣♣ Class was really interesting and informative. Opened my eyes to the problems that concern the environment.

♣♣♣♣♣ Great class, but personally it would be helpful if you began with an overview of the styles/genres (e.g. Pastoral, Romantic) in order for the lectures and readings to be more easily learned.

♣♣♣♣♣ The content is great but I HATE the large class size.

♣♣♣♣♣ Extremely effective presenter. However, paragraph-length slides often distract from what the professor is saying. I wish there was a more clear “big idea” with each topic aka presentations can be a little disorganized. Nonetheless, I hope to take another class by Hiltner as his passion is very clear and ideas are unique.

♣♣♣♣♣ Love love loved this class. Hiltner made fascinating points and the reading materials were wonderful. I came to UCSB in hopes of finding classes like this one. Thank you!

♣♣♣♣♣ Give more leeway for attendance, I resent this class because of how many % I lost for beign sick. Also, address skepticism a little more, some of the analysis reaches a little too hard.

♣♣♣♣♣ The lectures did an amazing job at explaining the content and Hiltner is a great communicator.

♣♣♣♣♣ As a humanities major, I’ve always asked why bother, why are the humanities important? I’m glad to now have a whole course of examples that proves there is value to these disciplines. Thank you!

♣♣♣♣♣ An amazing teacher that I will definitely try to learn from again. Made the content interesting even when the works were not. I’d recommend anyone I know, especially anyone with an interest in the environment to take this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ The lecture slides are amazing and such a great study tool. The climate change PowerPoint is nice for modern context and interesting. I love the concepts the class covers, very interesting and different.

♣♣♣♣♣ The Professor is a respectable, knowledgeable man who shared his knowledge with all of us.

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken’s course is really interesting; he points out so many things that correlate to the environment inside different texts.

♣♣♣♣♣ Amazing, eye-opening class. Derives a GREAT quantity of info that spans a long period of time in a way that isn’t too stressful or overwhelming. Highly recommend.

♣♣♣♣♣ I loved the supplementary material (the documentaries). I also really loved how the reading built upon each other. I was frustrated with the difficulty of the readings sometimes but in the end found that there was a logic for the order we were reading them in and I was able to understand so much.

♣♣♣♣♣ Taking this course was a rewarding experience. Definitely expanded my knowledge and understanding of Environmental issues and thoughts about the environment throughout time. Definitely recommend taking this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ Class was great, only thing was I wished it was made clear what we should read by next lecture so people don’t fall behind, maybe at the end of each lecture you can remind people to read for next time.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed the readings for this quarter, especially Silent Spring. I wish we could have read more readings like Silent Spring and Walden.

♣♣♣♣♣ Enjoyed the documentaries/discussion (and the extra credit opportunity)! It was helpful to have PowerPoints available to us. Clearly passionate 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ Really inspiring – thinking of an environmental studies minor now!

♣♣♣♣♣ Very good lectures. Able to understand the content well.

♣♣♣♣♣ I like how the professor is very passionate about what he’s teaching and how he knows it very well!

♣♣♣♣♣ This was by far my favorite course of the quarter. I enjoyed listening to Prof. Hiltner discuss his thoughts on the material every week.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very passionate about course, very informative. Enjoyed the way he provided many films that tie in concepts/ideas from course. Awesome professor.

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor provided excellent learning environment. Made course material interesting and easy to understand. Very available. Great class!

♣♣♣♣♣ Convenient that PowerPoints available online. Lectures are informative. Professor made me feel more passionate about climate change and reducing my environmental footprint. Readings were boring sometimes.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very interesting class! I feel very knowledgeable on the subject after taking this course. I also loved how the subject of climate change was tied in.

♣♣♣♣♣ Excellent teaching technique. Well organized schedule. Deep thought on text.

♣♣♣♣♣ Loved the course, very interesting material. I’m interested in the course about issues like fashion industry and would love to take it! Thank you!!

♣♣♣♣♣ The class was very eye-opening of how serious environmental issues are and how long these issues have been around.

♣♣♣♣♣ I despise reading; however, this course made me really enjoy reading.

♣♣♣♣♣ I didn’t expect much from this class, but I found myself really enjoying the content and the Professor.

♣♣♣♣♣ The Professor did a really awesome job in teaching the materials. He explained the materials in an easily understandable way. The course materials are quite interesting. Love the course!

♣♣♣♣♣ It would be better to provide solutions to those problems in class.

♣♣♣♣♣ The course is great for me because I really enjoy learning about the environment and how we can work to make it better. The lectures are really interesting.

♣♣♣♣♣ Hiltner taught very clearly and effectively. He made the course content, which at times was complex information, into simple, easy to understand material.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very interesting, enjoyed the lectures that discussed climate change and current-time events because they directly relate to the students.

♣♣♣♣♣ I loved this class but I think it would have been better in a smaller setting.

♣♣♣♣♣ Thanks so much Ken for making this such an enjoyable class. I learned a lot and had a fun time doing so because of your awesome lectures. Happy Holidays!

♣♣♣♣♣ Hiltner is passionate about the subject and tells it how it is.

♣♣♣♣♣ Really good descriptions on readings and loved climate change lectures.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed the climate change aspect and I wish we focused on more modern texts regarding climate change.

♣♣♣♣♣ Great presentations. Fun class but requires you to learn the material.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very many Gore references make some material feel dated, as he is no longer big in the public eye.

♣♣♣♣♣ Intriguing arguments and information, clear explanations.

♣♣♣♣♣ Amazing lecturer. Always had the class engage. Personally made my knowledge and appreciation for our environment much greater. Thanks Ken!

♣♣♣♣♣ Very well taught just have to do the readings.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very good use of videos and Prezi.

♣♣♣♣♣ Really enjoyed lectures. Passion for the material and teaching clearly came through.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really enjoyed the course especially the climate change parts, I wish there was MORE. Not just before MT!!!

♣♣♣♣♣ Ken’s course is really interesting; he points out so many things that correlate to the environment inside different texts.

♣♣♣♣♣ I would recommend this course to others. The professor seems passionate about what he’s teaching.

♣♣♣♣♣ I love this class so much!! Looking forward to more courses.

♣♣♣♣♣ Interesting material and connections to real life.

♣♣♣♣♣ The class was fun. I really enjoyed readings. I like the aspect of learning about environment through literature.

♣♣♣♣♣ Absolutely wonderful class! One of my favorites.

♣♣♣♣♣ Amazing teacher, very enjoyable class, not boring.

♣♣♣♣♣ Good course! Climate change was the most interesting part.

♣♣♣♣♣ I loved this class and found it both inspiring and informative!

♣♣♣♣♣ Really good course. Easy to understand. Interesting but hard books. The professor is great!!!

♣♣♣♣♣ I think more visual and physical examples will entrigue people more. Also Yosemite rocks! I’ll remember this class whenever I backpack. End class next time with Rockstar…LOL.

♣♣♣♣♣ The professor made lectures very interesting and the overall material eye-opening.

♣♣♣♣♣ I really appreciate how the lecture slides are available online.

♣♣♣♣♣ The two books recommended: Walden and Silent Spring are really good and helpful!

♣♣♣♣♣ LOVED the lectures. Wish there were sections.

♣♣♣♣♣ Lectures are very interesting, but too much to read.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very thoughtful. The professor cares A LOT about the subject.

♣♣♣♣♣ Would highly recommend the course to anyone! The material is very interesting and so important to learn about!

♣♣♣♣♣ Great professor, and well structured lecture/class.

♣♣♣♣♣ Interesting material. Tests are incredibly specific but I would take the class again with Ken.

♣♣♣♣♣ The class was amazing! It has made me question everything I believed in.

♣♣♣♣♣ Liked class! Felt like I learned a lot! Passionate teacher 😊Would recommend this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ 😊 I <3 Gilgamesh!

♣♣♣♣♣ Fairly interesting and informative course. Not too much stress. Would recommend.

♣♣♣♣♣ TA’s had different ways of grading – one comparably more difficult than the other.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very interesting topics, offers other perspectives to environmental problems.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very enjoyable class, well taught, introduces a crucial perspective to have.

♣♣♣♣♣ Really interesting material! Thank you!

♣♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner is a fantastic teacher. Loved the class!

♣♣♣♣♣ Very interesting course taught by a passionate and knowledgeable lecturer. Great class.

♣♣♣♣♣ The course is incredibly eye opening.

♣♣♣♣♣ This class made me more environmentally aware.

♣♣♣♣♣ I liked the readings and what you added to them during lecture.

♣♣♣♣♣ I loved this class, it was great!!

♣♣♣♣♣ Dope voice, best lectures.

♣♣♣♣♣ Kept students engaged. Would recommend this class.

♣♣♣♣♣ The instruction is really helpful.

♣♣♣♣♣ Hard to listen but you did well! <3You

♣♣♣♣♣ Overall a great course! 😊

♣♣♣♣♣ He seems like a nice man.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very interesting material.

♣♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed reading the literature.

♣♣♣♣♣ Loved the class!

♣♣♣♣♣ Super eye opening and engaging.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very enthusiastic!

♣♣♣♣♣ Good.

♣♣♣♣♣ Thumbs up.

♣♣♣♣♣ Very enthusiastic!

♣♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed his lectures.

♣♣♣♣♣ Interesting material.

♣♣♣♣♣ Good.

♣♣♣♣♣ Excellent!!!

♣♣♣♣♣ GREAT!!!

♣♣♣♣♣ He teaches good.

♣♣♣♣♣ Banks too expensive.

♣♣♣♣♣ He would make a good mall Santa.

♣♣♣♣♣ Sick…yew.

♣♣♣♣♣ I <3 Kenneth!

♣♣♣♣ Ken Hiltner is very educated and organized in his lectures. He is passionate and has an awesome Prezi.

♣♣♣♣ The instructor tried to provide us with relevant and interesting information. He gave us interesting movies and materials to keep us engaged and he tried to explain confusing readings in a way we could understand.

♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner does an excellent job in structuring the lectures to the readings we had the night before, but he can explain the outcomes of the stories. The first half of the quarter we learned about climate change and that was great. He really taught us how and what increased the CO2 levels in the atmosphere. In some lectures he went fast on the prezi, so I had to finish the lectures on my own to ensure that I had understood the specific lectures.

♣♣♣♣ I thoroughly enjoyed the course and appreciate the knowledge given to me about the environmental issues. The class made me very interested in this and I am considering an environmental studies minor.

♣♣♣♣ The instructor himself (Prof. Hiltner) was very good even though his voice can be a bit monotone. I knew about most climate change issues, but never considered looking through a literary light, which was a bittersweet since some text were boring, but very informative.

♣♣♣♣ A very good teacher, although it was very hard to hear or understand him. He needs to be more clear and reading is too hard to understand. Climate change was fun!!

♣♣♣♣ The teaching was good, and I personally really enjoyed the course. Some of the readings were kind of slow but they were always well explained in lecture. I really liked that Prof. Hiltner really seemed to enjoy what he was teaching as well as just teaching in general.

♣♣♣♣ Very inspiring class that brings up a lot of important issues that are often overlooked. However, sometimes the amount of text on the slides is overwhelming.

♣♣♣♣ Lectures were a bit dry but the material was interesting and important. Could have been presented more interestingly and talked about environment MORE in relation to the literary works.

♣♣♣♣ The instructor tried to provide us with relevant and interesting information. He gave us interesting movies and materials to keep us engaged and he tried to explain confusing readings in a way we could understand.

♣♣♣♣ Your passion for this class is so obvious! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us.

♣♣♣♣ I like how the professor was so passionate about what he teaches. He really wants us to think about the course and how these readings/issues affect our lives. It is beneficial that the slides are online—it could be more helpful for the students if he slowed down during each slide.

♣♣♣♣ It’s stressful having the midterm and final only be 50 questions each and be worth so much of our grade, but loved the content.

♣♣♣♣ Sometimes boring but interesting 98% of the time; Very interesting if you have a genuine care and interest about our world and its natural environment. Hardcore religious may be offended – still would 10/10 recommend.

♣♣♣♣ Ken is a very good professor and has extremely informative lecture material. His passion for the subject is admirable and made this class very easy to listen to. I hope to take a class with him again in the future.

♣♣♣♣ Lectures have interesting content but it can be difficult to pay attention due to the format of the slides (paragraphs) and the professor’s monotone voice.

♣♣♣♣ I would prefer more books and less poems. Also more relating of our readings to the lectures would be better because some lectures were completely unrelated to readings.

♣♣♣♣ Loved the content of the class but found it difficult to keep up! Thanks for opening my eyes to climate change and the environment! 😊

♣♣♣♣ Hiltner’s lectures are always very informative but his tone of voice is often monotone. Furthermore, I wish there was some sort of homework to help review the content covered in lecture. Other than these two complaints, the class was fantastic.

♣♣♣♣ Interesting and thought-provoking course material; engaging and occasionally funny instructor (though does read off of slides a lot).

♣♣♣♣ Professor Hiltner is good at teaching and providing information about subjects we cover, but many of the readings from the course reader did not make a lot of sense as it is difficult to read older literature.

♣♣♣♣ Prezis are straightforward and written well. Sometimes language used is unnecessarily advanced though.

♣♣♣♣ Liked the course but was not a fan of the older poems because of difficulty to understand.

♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed this course. Prof. Hiltner made the material interesting, but there was a lot of reading which was hard to keep up with and understand at times.

♣♣♣♣ I would like to have sections to reinforce what has been discussed in lecture.

♣♣♣♣ Requiring iClicker points from attendance just forces everyone to go to lecture but not actually be engaged. More people go to lecture for attendance points rather than learning. Make tests harder.

♣♣♣♣ I honestly did not like this class at beginning at the quarter, but one we started talking about environmental issues, I started to enjoy it. I learned a lot of new things. I am also aware of so much more now.

♣♣♣♣ I do like the use of the modern world that he uses in lecture. Also, it’s great the course can be found on Prezi because rather than worrying to write I can listen and understand him.

♣♣♣♣ I liked the material, but certain slide topics felt repetitive (if we were talking about just one reading). The same thing felt to be repeated a lot in different wording.

♣♣♣♣ There should be sections.

♣♣♣♣ The professor was very prepared and professional. It was visible that he is passionate about this subject which made learning more enjoyable.

♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed this class. As the course came to an end I had wished I took it more seriously and kept up with the readings because they had a lot to offer. You can tell Ken cares a lot about the material and does his best to keep it interesting.

♣♣♣♣ Hello Ken! This course has been interesting and has made me more aware of the environmental issues we have been facing. Thank you for raising awareness! You’re a very funny professor. Thank you!!!

♣♣♣♣ He went through complicated concepts in a simple easy way.

♣♣♣♣ It’s a really fun and informative class. Just a bit too much reading.

♣♣♣♣ Lectures and slides are very to the point and in depth. Everything you need is in the lectures.

♣♣♣♣ Enjoyed the wide range of material we read, though the lack of Emerson feels like a glaring omission.

♣♣♣♣ This class was really good but overall maybe a little too broad.

♣♣♣♣ Less random midterm questions. Please have a better purpose behind some of the truly random ones.

♣♣♣♣ More climate change. Less reading from forever ago.

♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed the class but the “none of the above” options on all the exam questions made the tests hard.

♣♣♣♣ This class was pretty boring. Reading was really boring. Sometimes interesting though. Also, I hated the notes. So MANY words per slide. Really hard to listen to. Good GE course.

♣♣♣♣ I enjoyed this course. Prof. Hiltner made the material interesting, but there was a lot of reading which was hard to keep up with and understand at times.

♣♣♣♣ I thought the lectures were good and I appreciated how he put them online. Sometimes Ken just went a little bit fast.

♣♣♣♣ The slides are kind of messy and not easy to read.

♣♣♣♣ Even better if teachings are less biased.

♣♣♣♣ Love you Ken!

♣♣♣♣ Very good and interesting topics! Cool to see environmental issues from this perspective.

♣♣♣♣ The materials are interesting and the supplementary films were very eye-opening.

♣♣♣♣ Maybe more on historical movements with each text.

♣♣♣♣ Enjoyable and not difficult.

♣♣♣♣ Indoctrination. Ideology.

♣♣♣♣ Very interesting lectures but does read from slides too much.

♣♣♣♣ Interesting lectures. Fun iClicker questions. Much readings. Boring voice.

♣♣♣♣ I’m not a fan of reading poems.

♣♣♣♣ Lit.

♣♣♣ Loved the lectures, found them very interesting. My only thing is I wish there was more busy work/essays for more credit because some people aren’t good at test taking.

♣♣♣ This lecture was actually pretty fascinating when I paid attention. Because all of his slides are just white with a ton of words on them, and he is very monotone, it was boring and hard to stay engaged.

♣♣♣ TA is working poorly for this course. Takes a long time to reply to an email and we were having a hard time to get our attendance points even though we are here at lecture. Extra credit criteria keeps changing overtime.

♣♣♣ The course content itself is very interesting, just the way it’s taught is a little boring. The slides are just read off of the PowerPoint, it seems like there’s no point to come to class.

♣♣♣ Some of the material you can tell the Professor just wanted to speed through on the lectrure slides and read them word-for-word which gets annoying very quickly. Also, saying “yea” after every slide is also something you should work on not doing.

♣♣♣ It was an interesting course and I liked that we didn’t have sections.

♣♣♣ Really did love this course! Discusses pertinent issues and interesting to trace where our attitudes came from.

♣♣♣ Very easy class, test are straight from the readings and lectures.

♣♣♣ Useful class, but most of the information presented in lecture seems trivial. Nothing seems noteworthy.

♣♣♣ The slides and lectures are a little heavy on repetition and slides with big blocks of text.

♣♣♣ Maybe consider having section for this class, just so students have a better/easier time understanding the readings.

♣♣♣ The class is very interesting, but the lecture could be much better. The monotone voice used often put me (and others around me) to sleep.

♣♣♣ Maybe don’t read exactly what is on the slides. Incorporate more visuals or videos to keep our attention.

♣♣♣ Way to subjective. Biased.

♣♣♣ Less longer readings at the end.

♣♣♣ Slow down.

♣♣♣ He lowkey kinda boring.

♣♣♣ Very dense and informative, but slightly dull.

♣♣♣ Instructor could make the class more interesting.

♣♣♣ Good explanations.

♣♣ The course is one I find that people should definitely take. However, although the content is very well put together (though at times you won’t understand it all) the exams are completely unreasonable. Based on the first exam, one was expected to remember faint sentences, random sentences, in some of the reading. All the studying I did was almost meaningless as what I saw as significant was not present in the exam. One is basically a sitting duck (as in most English tests) as the answers rely on the Professor/TA’s opinion. There is an overwhelming a mount of content and you must know it like the back of your hand even though one has little time to do so.

♣♣ Lectures are extremely boring. Poweroints should not just be a 200 word paragraph on a screen. My teachers would fail me if I did that for a presentation. Looking at a slide and saying “hmm yeah” is not teaching. Making test questions that have two right answers and having to choose the “best” is completely ridiculous when they are as specific and detailed as you want them.

♣♣ Interesting material. Slightly boring lectures.

♣♣ I thought the content was good and the professor seemed knowledgeable, but lectures were often really boring and just read off the PowerPoint. Wish it was more engaging.

♣♣ Be more enthusiastic, use a better lecture voice. It sounds as though you are whispering or mumbling at times. There is great pieces of reading but there is A LOT. The questions on the exam do not help us learn. I recall a question asking what happened in the beginning of a certain reading. How do people remember that?!

♣ Monotone voice, rarely any information not directly from PowerPoint.

No rating I really enjoyed the insights that the professor provided during lecture. I had never thought to really link the environment and literature before, and this class showed me that link in depth in an inspiring and interesting way.

No rating Great combination/synthesis of science and literature in a historical perspective. Only English class I have taken at UCSB and I learned a lot.

No rating The course was okay. It wasn’t very gripping, but that’s just a question of my interests, not the teaching. However, I tried to go to your office a couple times and couldn’t find you. Having one-on-one time might have made me more interested in the course material.

No rating. Class was well organized and easy to follow. Mandatory attendance is a bit much, maybe 75% of lectures? Overall, you are very knowledgeable and an awesome human being.

No rating Lectures were overall good, however the explanation of material during lecture was repetitive.

No rating It would be great if this class had a section, I feel like this class would be better understood if there were sections that would clarify the views Hiltner expressed.

No rating. I loved this class so much, quite easy and applicable to life. He is a great lecturer, but my only suggestion to him would be to assign more so that the grades are not solely on the tests.

No rating Not the most exciting course but overall a good intro/GE class. It might benefit by having a section to enforce reading and paying attention in class.

No rating You are such a great professor, thank you for an awesome and interesting quarter. I hope to attend future courses led by you!

No rating The professor was clearly very passionate, I thought it was an interesting perspective on the environment, and liked that he recommended films.

No rating I am extremely impressed with Prof. Hiltner’s knowledge and ability to teach us about climate change.

No rating Thank you for this class. Definitely learned a lot! The discusses were very interesting to listen to.

No rating I really enjoyed having this class and it has encouraged me to enroll in more environmental studies courses moving forward.

No rating Good 😊

No rating Good.