Lecturer
Philippine colonial art and architecture (art appreciation, built heritage, historic urban districts, public space)
Career
- Lecturer, Ateneo de Manila University · Department of Fine Arts · current
Recent courses
- ARTAP 10
Comments
Breakdown
Workload3.0
n=35
Top comments
Rapid Lynx
Passionate favorite despite the bad reviews
mixed
- CourseARTAP 10
- Retake?Yes
Hi! I'm writing this in 2022 so I'm not sure if my review is the same as the others that had his class, but yes maybe makakatulong sa inyo. I'm writing this after my Intersession of SY 2022-2023 (incoming 2nd year BS ITE). I took him for ArtAp 10. On the teacher: He gets a lot of bad reviews, which I really do understand (believe me), but he's probably one of my favorite profs ever. Me having a genuine interest in the things that he teaches probably helped, but he's so v knowledgable and passionate about what he's talking about, which makes it actually hard not to listen to him. He's actually quite nice. That being said, you won't be able to bola much, especially on reports since he'll tell you agad if you're wrong. He's gentle with it, but he's direct with correcting you. On the class material: He discusses architecture a lot. And i mean a lot. Very cool stuff honestly. Among this he talks about different styles in different eras, urban planning, different national artists, parts of certain houses, construction, among others. The discussions also incorporate the historical, social and political contexts of the artwork among others, so it will definitely keep you awake. It's very comprehensive, and most of the time you go through a 70 ish ppt presentation for every one of your classes. Very interesting stuff, but it can be quite overwhelming. Personally, I was taking 9 units + internship + extracurriculars when I had him as a prof, and it became quite difficult to digest at times. With this I suggest going to his classes talaga instead of going through his materials asynchronously, since its quite long and can get boring if he's not the one telling u about it. Additionally, if you can, don't take him during intersession since the pacing + the load of the class will give u so much stress (pero if 3 units lang naman ede kaya naman I think) The way he talks about art and whatnot is honestly what carried the class for me. It is quite powerpoint and reading heavy at times. I suggest having classmates you can divvy the work with kasi its really gonna help. On recitations: He likes calling his students a lot, and making them join the discussion. My tip is to add a bit of ateneas bs to what you've heard in class so that your answers will sound better and more substantial than what they probably are (cause mine was like that lol) On the requirements: We had paired essays, individual artworks at the end of the sem, 4 quizzes, etc. It's quite effort intensive talaga, and some of them are quite difficult to do? Like, you really do have to think about the stuff that you're going to work on. Btw, look at the syllabus. Like his ppts, it's very long as well and it literally has a qna section which you might need. Keep a copy of your syllabus kasi it will definitely help. Mode of teaching: We were hybrid, so I had to go to f2f about 3x a week? While the other days were async days online on canvas. Additionally Idk how relevant this is pero we had our f2f class in the ABS-CBN room in Arete. V nice classroom na may air-con with big tables. Arete in general is a nice place to stay. Overall Pros • Lots of learning • Very interesting sht especially if you're into architecture and art. • The prof himself is quite chill often. Overall Cons • Effort Intensive • He doesn't always give the highest grades. (He also graded late for my works sadly) Final thoughts: The class is definitely very far from boring, and its one that leaves an impression with you even after you're finished. Pero if you want an easy A, don't go for this class. I put so much effort and got a B (which is mga 83-86 for this class), which was rather disappointing since I was hoping for a B+ or A sana with how I did my thingies, pero I'd say na worth it pa rin naman. On the flip side, if you put in the effort, you will learn a lot. If you want to learn, take this class. I really did like it. I hope this helped you! If you have any more questions, my dms are open! good luck with ur stuffmore
Jolly Seal
Heavy ArtAp, only if you love architecture
- WorkloadHeavy
Hi! I had him for ArtAp for second sem AY 2022-2023, and was a beadle for his class. DO take his class if you: - love architecture - pabibo reciter (it worked out well for me) - not grade-conscious - are okay with a heavier workload - can attend sessions regularly - are okay with a challenging class (MA CHALLENGE KAYO AS IN) DON’T take his class if you: - want a light workload - are grade conscious - don’t recite often - cut class often Personally, I hated it when I was in it because I HAD TO DO SO MUCH WORK. Post- ArtAp, I appreciate how much I learned about art and architecture + personal achievement na kinaya ko 💅🏻. Notes: - Sir Erik is friendly and welcoming, but can be a little intimidating when it comes to recitation. Since I recite often, he would call me whenever no one else wanted to answer. Sometimes he would also have certain answers in mind, so get ready for that since he likes to fish them out. - His lectures can be kinda boring, but he likes to add some jokes to lighten the class up (mej old/tatay jokes tho so sometimes they don’t land). Serious but you can tell na he’s passionate about what he teaches. - He posted all of the PPTS and readings in Canvas and groups them per module. He sometimes posts them late though, so make sure someone updates him. - Quizzes were done after every module. Usually worth 30 points, and open notes for all of them. All of them had multiple choice questions, but some quizzes had short essay and identification parts. You’d have 20 or so minutes to answer I think? And they were Canvas quizzes that automatically submit by your deadline, so if you weren’t done, iyak nalang. - Follows the syllabus to a T. Very reliable in the sense that you know exactly what needs to be done. However, we had discussion boards he apparently talked about at the beginning of the semester. But they were for later modules, and no one checked Canvas. They ended up being graded, and had strict deadlines. I had to request that he reopen all of them because none of us answered them. ALWAYS CHECK SYLLABUS. - All of your projects are HEAVY. It was actually insane for me. Can’t remember everything but our final project needed a lot of effort. We had to redesign a controversial monument through 2D/3D visual representation, and write a 1000 word essay about it. He was also very particular about the choices you made, and you had to explain them (I had to explain why my redesign had blue-red figures instead of black-white; tbh mas trip ko lang siya 😭) - Offered extra credit to those who wanted to pull up their grade. Submission meant +1 on your final grade. - He really appreciates feedback when it comes to his class and his teaching. He called me after class to talk about how we were doing, how was the pacing, and comments or concerns etc. He knows his workload is heavy, but is very willing to work with you. We requested for extensions for a lot of reqs, and he said yes to all of them. I think he’s kinda B+ able if you put in more effort than usual. A-able if you go above and beyond. I was able to get an A, but only because I did more than I usually would for a class. If you’re really grade conscious or aiming for DL, maybe find another prof for better chances😅.more
Calm Panda
Inconsiderate prof, save yourself and loadrev out
negative
- Retake?No
- LeniencyNo
- WorkloadHeavy
CC: This review was mainly written in the context of online classes. That being said, I have never met a more inconsiderate and egotistical prof in my life. Save yourself! Look for other profs, loadrev out of that class the moment loadrev period starts. HE MAKES SYNCHRONOUS 20 MINUTE-45 POINT EXAMS during quarantine. When we raise the point of bad internet, or in my friend's case, no electricity, he simply said that no amount of time can allot for bad internet connections. He won't care about our technical difficulties, my friend had to use up all of her data for the midterms just to answer that exam (luckily sumakto data niya). Aside from thay, expect synchronous classes almost on a daily basis. The only days we didnt have any class were SONA and if theres a project upcoming. Other than that, he expects you to be inside the synchronous class once he schedule it (on an OC note, he schedules the class 15 minutes earlier than the designated class time, so thats pretty annoying). There was this one time, Ateneo released the memo stating that synchronous classes aren't really required to accomodate those with difficulties with online classes, and this prof was like, "uhhh I don't think so, I expect them to be here". Threatening CUTS and what not (granted, I do not think he was keeping tabs on us, but still that CUT mention was enough to make my friend panic). He has few reqs, iirc 4 main reqs (15% each so that makes 60%) + midterms and finals (15% each so that makes 30%) and the rest are on participation grade (10%) which also have some papers for sone reason. Main reqs 3&4, alongwith the finals are condensely scheduled when the semester (or in our case, intersession) is ending. Also btw, he wont let you start working on reqs 3 & 4 early btw, he'll want to use up all the time he can get in order for the final project to express the final lesson (lol it does not). In any case, expect shifting your focus from your other subjects to work on his 2 projects and study on his highly memorization-dependent exams. Oh God the exams. Other than being 20 min synchronous events, the way he structure them is really unjust to our current situation. 45 questions, and you can't go back to them. He will give out A LOT of powerpoints which most of the time only contains pictures. So you reaaaally have to attend online classes. The way he acts also reinforce like his subjects the only subject you'll be taking the semester. He is the type of prof who'll meet with you on a Monday, say you and your groupmate should make a presentation about something and present it immediately the next day. Its not like you have anything else to do, right? He won't focus on other art forms, he'll only focus on architecture. He'll give you a ton of powerpoints and get a massive amount of time through synchronous classes only for him to try and prove that Filipino culture is Filipino-Hispanic. THATS HIS WHOLE SELLING POINT! I really do not recommend this prof. You'll have a hard time and you'll ultimately have a lesser appreciation towards the arts after experiencing him as a prof.more
All comments
Daring Seal
negative
Lol couldn't have said it any better. I never showed up to his sync classes 2 years ago, because it was an inconvenient time for me back then, as I used to live in the states, and we were arguing back and forth through canvas message about why I should be attending despite the fact it was night time for memore
Anonymous
Effort didn't pay off if you're not into architecture
negative
personally, as someone who has no interest in architecture and is not artistically gifted, the effort i put to bridge that gap didn't really pay off. that is partly a me problem—i think it's a case to case basis though, i guess if you're smart, passionate and innovative about art and architecture, and decent with a pencil, you can get an A.more
Keen Heron
Avoid AKPEDONU at all costs
negative
- Retake?No
avoid AKPEDONU at all costs, terror prof and takes the joy out of ArtAp
Dapper Alpaca
Would drop his class if I had a time machine
positive
- Retake?No
- WorkloadHeavy
i guess it's possible but i didn't see it in my class. i know someone who had high quizzes and extra credit points from optional activities but still didn't end up with an A. obviously, the requirements/outputs really play a big factor but it's tricky to satisfy all his criteria perfectly so it's a hit or miss for most of the class. it's given on a tight deadline sometimes, too. say, it was given today then the deadline would be the day after tomorrow. the good news is most requirements are by partner—choose one that's responsible so it's a burden halved. you can consult naman but like i said, he sometimes takes a long time to reply. to be frank, i don't recommend his class and i would load rev out of it if i was given a time machine. i can vouch the reviews about his class from older posts/comments still stand.more
Calm Koala
can vouch for this review as well! super accurate Also I think it’s worth mentioning that he doesn’t really give feedback on your work. I understand it’s because he has a lot of papers to check but he never even have back out scores for requirement 2 and 3 (which made up 30% of our grade iirc) so it was really hard to determine class standingsmore
Gentle Osprey
Got an A from him... avoid akpedonu, not worth it
- Retake?No
as someone who got an A from him... avoid akpedonu. it's not worth it. 😂
Calm Zebra
I never showed up and still passed with a C+
mixed
You'll be fine. I never showed up to a single sync session and still passed with a C+. Although, he kept on bothering me about my attendance and argued that living in the US wasn't a good excuse to miss class.... even though class was literally like midnight for me.more
Lucky Lynx
Pick good groupmates and consult a lot
positive
- WorkloadHeavy
Pick good groupmates!!! There r a lot of group works and sir has rlly high standards so u must have the best team! Also consult a lot! Sir is actually very clear w what he wants as long as u consult w him Cc: Ayen my best art app partner HAHSHSHmore
Kind Seal
he's my goat
positive
he's my goat
Daring Koala
High standards, timed quizzes; easy A is unlikely
mixed
- Retake?No
- 4.0 attainableNo
- WorkloadHeavy
his focus is on architecture so if that's not your thing, you're better off load revving because there's a ton of it in his lectures. honestly, if you want an easy A or is sensitive, you should load rev to another class. he has extremely high standards and would not hesitate to tell you or your classmates if your output looks like crap. his quizzes has like 30 items and you need to take it in 20 minutes. sounds okay? no, it's not. his requirements are easy but he has high standards so kiss that A goodbye if you cram. heck, even if you spend a long time on it, there's a 80% chance you're still not getting that A. he's not very accommodating when it comes to shifting to online or asynchronous setups or deadline extensions. he sometimes takes a long time to reply to your emails or provide feedback on previous outputs. however, if you're looking for intellectual conversations regarding art and politics, you'd find his class interesting.more
1 replyHide replies
- Jolly Seal
is an A impossible to get? or do some people meet his standards for an A?
Earnest Heron
A-able, would take again; quizzes from the slides
mixed
- Retake?Yes
- 4.0 attainableYes
Summary: A-able, would take again Contrary to the bad reviews, I found Sir's class really enjoyable and informative. Sir really knows his stuff, and is also willing to answer questions you may have. DISCUSSIONS: His discussions are engaging, and he asks a lot of questions. It will help to pay attention because the important things he says do come out in the quizzes. QUIZZES: Sir's quizzes are quite confusing if you don't review. Try to take time and read throught the slides. I personally didn't read the readings anymore, just his slides. Sir gives the class an option to take the quizzes either online (reduced time) or pen and paper (longer time). Yes, you can consult your slides during quizzes if you opt for online. Sir allows that, but just be mindful not too take too long because the time is really limited. REQUIREMENTS: Sir gives out a number of ungraded tasks, but they help in preparation for the graded ones. There are always rubrics, read them to get a high score. EXTRA CREDITS: Sir gave us three extra credits activities. Two of them were contests (voting) on artworks you will make. One is just an essay, just pass and I think that's one point. Extra credits are optional but they help in pulling up your grade. One extra credit point is +1 on your final grade, so winning all three means you just need 89 for an A. GRADING: Sir grades fairly. Read the rubrics for the requirements. For some of the essays, sir even already puts on the rubrics what he expects to see. A little extra effort for the requirements goes a long way.more
Anonymous
enjoyed it, notes in papers, fair grades
positive
- Retake?Yes
- 4.0 attainableYes
- LeniencyYes
- WorkloadLight
I took his class online pa but I genuinely enjoyed it! Learned so much information I still use today :> His workload wasn't that heavy (?) I think a short paper every other module and a few group activities Imo he grades fairly, he really appreciates it if you input information from his discussions into your paper so don't forget to take notes ! Just listen to his lectures, take notes, and incorporate what he teaches into your outputs and you're set! I remember he also likes recitations and he used to cold call, so just make sure you're listening! He doesn't really mind if you give a wrong answer as long as it shows you were tuned into the discussion Defo A-able and maybe an easy B? 😊more
Anonymous
Insightful class, lots of reqs, not an easy A
positive
- Retake?Yes
- WorkloadHeavy
Hello! I took sir last sem and I would say I learned a lot! He’s very knowledgeable abt what hes talking about and classes are always insightful The class is focused tho on architecture and sculpture so most lectures will come from that but discussions are very rich so even if youre not into those art fields you will learn something. He frequently calls people in class though but tbh his questions are pretty chill naman In terms of requirements….theres honestly a lot. Theres quizzes, reports, and mini activities on top of major activities but what makes up for it is sir is very considerate with moving deadlines. We just have to talk to him about it and he will consult the class abt it Grading wise, he has high and specific standards. I wouldnt say he’s an easy A, but the tip is you just keep consulting with him because he is clear naman with what he wants. He does give constructive comments and feedback and I appreciated that in his class Overall decent prof; B-B+ ablemore
Anonymous
Informative art app, rigid rubrics
positive
Going to put an updated review here from 2023, just in case anyone will be taking him in the next sem where art app is offered: - His classes are very informative and interesting albeit boring at times due to how much information on architecture he gives in his powerpoint presentations. Frankly, I have developed a greater appreciation and interest in art because of his class - Do not expect to be graded so highly as sir himself has a set of standards, and follows rubrics “rigidly”. Follow the correct formats for paper-based submissions to reduce chances of deductions. Also, do not cram your major requirements which are usually by pair or by group. - Quizzes are posted online on Canvas but are taken onsite during classes. Multiple choice sila. Despite the quizzes allowing open-notes, the quiz length is 15 minutes often with a max of 30 questions :))) The class average for these quizzes are around 21-23 out of 30 points. - He can be chill, lenient and kind in terms of late submissions or when you don’t consistently attend his classes, however do keep in mind that his class is not an easy-A. Submit all your requirements on time. - He offers extra credit work as a way to bump up your overall grade in class so please take that if you do not feel confident in your class standing. - Sir values class participations and discussions as a way to keep the class entertaining. - Utang na loob, please do not cut too much sa klase nya kung wala kayong valid na dahilan talaga. Some students onsite take advantage of Sir’s chillness and he pays very close attention to cuts. If you aren’t already doing extremely well sa klase nya make sure you attend at a regular pace. Anyway, whoever takes Sir Akpedonu for Art App will surely have a better approach in terms of analyzing and appreciating art itself in a variety of forms. If you are grade conscious, he would be quite the challenge, but I say the teachings are worth more than the grades you will be getting.more
Clever Tiger
100% do not take, load rev immediately
negative
- Retake?No
100% do not take. If you have to take him, load rev IMMEDIATELY. You can dm if you need specifics but there’s no one word that I can think of at the moment to describe what he put my classmates and I through. That’s all. more
Icy Moth
Passionate softie but architecture-only
He has a lot of bad reviews (and not without reason) but hes really nice ans true softie at heart if u get to know him 🥺 hes very passionate about what he teaches but he only teaches his expertise aka achitecture! So if ur not into that, u might not like his class so much!! He might be a LITTLE biased towards students who are knowledgeable already in arts/achitecture. He has games ren in class and whichever group has the highest points by the endof the sem gets the most bonus points sa final grade. every grp gets bonus points naman! But the lowest is just plus 1 point so protip get as much points as possible! Pabilisan ren nang sagot yan. Exams are multiple choice but can be tricky sometimes. Always take notes during class, sometimes pictures lang ppt niya so listen well! Lots of essay writing. Projects naman hes ok in terms of grading and considerate naman i think if ur not really good at arts. There are also bonus activities in his syllabus like an excursion trip but im not sure how that will work now since covid. He doesnt grade very high but he curves AF. Got a lot of C+ for grp reports and LT (altho i did get higher grades sa LT niya eventually but bot sure if that made a big impact. I think its really his curve HAHA). ended up with B+!! So make of that wat u will, goodluck!more
Dapper Alpaca
Kind as a person, biggest headache of my Ateneo life
negative
- Retake?No
skl my class was the FIRST (!!!!) one he ever taught in ateneo. this was back in SY 2018-2019 and ever since then I’ve gotten messages from his students every sem asking for advice on how to survive him lmao as a PERSON he’s kind naman but his class gave me the biggest headache of my ateneo life lol nothing will ever top the frustration and impatience i felt in every period and everything he made us work onmore
Daring Koala
C+ with the most effort I've ever put in
negative
C+ with the most effort i’ve ever put into an art subject
Anonymous
loadrev if you can 🙂
negative
loadrev if you can 🙂
Happy Gecko
Always do extra credit, C+ became B+
positive
Always do the extra credit stuff. I managed to make my C+ into a B+ because of it
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