# David O'Brien — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/DAVID_OBRIEN) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## instructor ### instructor uid instructor\_a26074a55ec2e36a1d67111e ### source enrollment ### source instructor id dobrien6 ### identity basis netid ### identity status source\_identified ### name David O'Brien ### email DOBRIEN6\@WISC.EDU ### first observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 19 #### quality 4.58 #### difficulty 2.95 #### quality count 19 #### difficulty count 19 #### profile id rmp:2068221 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00 #### courses ##### course 58183cd87826416af01f154f ###### review count 4 ###### quality 4.5 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 4 ###### difficulty count 4 ##### course badd2b5c09509247a930e344 ###### review count 2 ###### quality 5 ###### difficulty 2.5 ###### quality count 2 ###### difficulty count 2 ##### course eea85533574086c8566255b9 ###### review count 1 ###### quality 3 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 1 ###### difficulty count 1 #### bayesian quality 4.108043991562356 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### current true ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | title | credits\_min | credits\_max | gpa | | -------------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ---- | | course\_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03 | EDPOL 399 | INDEPENDENT READING | 1 | 3 | | | course\_b59a25535eb19e488f6830d5 | EDPOL/PHILOS 540 | EGALITARIANISM AND EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE | 3 | 3 | 3.75 | ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/DAVID\_OBRIEN ## history | term | course\_uid | course\_id | title | | ---- | -------------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------------- | | 1272 | course\_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03 | EDPOL 399 | INDEPENDENT READING | | 1272 | course\_b59a25535eb19e488f6830d5 | EDPOL/PHILOS 540 | EGALITARIANISM AND EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE | ## timeline | term | courses | | ---- | ------- | | 1272 | 2 | ## term 1272 ## courses ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "course_id": "EDPOL 399", "title": "INDEPENDENT READING", "credits_min": 1, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": null, "badges": [ { "id": "rated-teacher", "label": "Highly rated instructor", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Fall 2026: Simone Schweber (4.14/5 adjusted; 11 ratings); David O'Brien (4.11/5 adjusted; 19 ratings); Adam Nelson (4.00/5 adjusted; 27 ratings). At least one assigned instructor qualifies. This describes instructor reviews across courses, not a course rating.", "sources": [ { "label": "Simone Schweber", "href": "/instructors/SIMONE_SCHWEBER" }, { "label": "David O'Brien", "href": "/instructors/DAVID_OBRIEN" }, { "label": "Adam Nelson", "href": "/instructors/ADAM_NELSON" } ] } ], "description": "EDPOL 399 is an independent reading course allowing students to design and explore a subject in depth.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_2526034f3514f930bfda1135", "name": "Simone Schweber", "quality": 4.1352811506752225, "quality_count": 11, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SIMONE_SCHWEBER" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_a26074a55ec2e36a1d67111e", "name": "David O'Brien", "quality": 4.108043991562356, "quality_count": 19, "instructor_url": "/instructors/DAVID_OBRIEN" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_91b0f47ec42b1ea3fe2077aa", "name": "Adam Nelson", "quality": 4.004547141934721, "quality_count": 27, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ADAM_NELSON" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_75af1341740941c47ae7f3d2", "name": "William Reese", "quality": 3.812377924868771, "quality_count": 11, "instructor_url": "/instructors/WILLIAM_REESE" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_6df94d32993adb44052382c0", "name": "Nancy Kendall", "quality": 3.784211691515996, "quality_count": 7, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NANCY_KENDALL" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_c5f44a4cc8555678384791a7", "name": "Lesley Bartlett", "quality": 3.781532530496905, "quality_count": 2, "instructor_url": "/instructors/LESLEY_BARTLETT" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_c8a0b8c6431cf379f9b9e2bf", "name": "Stacey Lee", "quality": 3.7479153952197004, "quality_count": 7, "instructor_url": "/instructors/STACEY_LEE" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_fd31bd6d0448a8857769590b", "name": "Erica Turner", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ERICA_TURNER" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_bb58c492fb6935bc7b57f590", "name": "Naomi Wilson", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NAOMI_WILSON" }, { "course_uid": "course_88551e9d3a130374233fdd03", "uid": "instructor_8ebed6142e276ee168697670", "name": "Nidia Banuelos", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NIDIA_BANUELOS" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": null, "reviewFiles": [] } }, { "course_uid": "course_b59a25535eb19e488f6830d5", "course_id": "EDPOL/PHILOS 540", "title": "EGALITARIANISM AND EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.75, "badges": [ { "id": "rated-teacher", "label": "Highly rated instructor", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Fall 2026: David O'Brien (4.11/5 adjusted; 19 ratings). At least one assigned instructor qualifies. This describes instructor reviews across courses, not a course rating.", "sources": [ { "label": "David O'Brien", "href": "/instructors/DAVID_OBRIEN" } ] }, { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Small lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 8.5 enrolled students across 2 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/EDPOL_PHILOS_540#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "Examines disagreements about educational justice, substantive accounts of equality, and required policies using moral and political philosophy tools.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 8, 5, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 14, "gpa": 3.75, "topShare": 92.85714285714286, "firstTerm": "1262", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_b59a25535eb19e488f6830d5", "uid": "instructor_a26074a55ec2e36a1d67111e", "name": "David O'Brien", "quality": 4.108043991562356, "quality_count": 19, "instructor_url": "/instructors/DAVID_OBRIEN" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": { "citations": [ { "course_id": "EDPOL/PHILOS 540", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "section_number": 1, "source_course_id": "239a1cc4-89f5-340a-96f1-0a2d51e704bd", "source_record": { "entity_id": "239a1cc4-89f5-340a-96f1-0a2d51e704bd", "file": "tables/observations.parquet", "kind": "grades", "source": "madgrades" }, "table": "section_grades_latest", "term_id": "1262", "type": "grade" } ], "text": "Recent recorded grades — Fall 2025: 3.75 GPA, 92.9% A/AB (n=14 letter grades)." }, "reviewFiles": [] } } ] ``` ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTU4NDcz", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "EDPOL150", "course_id": "EDPOL 150", "course_uid": "course_58183cd87826416af01f154f", "review_date": "2025-05-05 04:55:22 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Very good class. Readings are hard, but he explains them very well. Class discussion feel relaxed and you hear a lot of viewpoints.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTIzMDM1", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "EDPOL150", "course_id": "EDPOL 150", "course_uid": "course_58183cd87826416af01f154f", "review_date": "2025-05-01 19:56:38 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Overall, Professor O'Brien is a kind & knowledgeable. However, I felt like the class skipped a lot of fundamental basics of philosophy and education that would've been useful. There are few activities & projects it's nearly all lecture and papers. There could have been more teacher to class engagement, there was no sense of community building. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 3, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwNjU3MDc2", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "EDPOL150", "course_id": "EDPOL 150", "course_uid": "course_58183cd87826416af01f154f", "review_date": "2025-02-10 17:46:50 +0000 UTC", "comment": "This guy is the best, I loved him. He lowkey cold calls, but makes it seem not stressful, and will take what you said and make it seem super smart. He is super friendly and helpful with the papers if you go to office hours. Just the nicest guy ever, and a great intro to philosophy/ed course. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwNDAxNzQ0", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "EDPOL150", "course_id": "EDPOL 150", "course_uid": "course_58183cd87826416af01f154f", "review_date": "2024-12-20 23:04:01 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Amazing professor who genuinely cares about his students! His lectures are very interactive and discussion-based, so you will be expected to participate; however, he is fantastic at facilitating and makes even the dumbest responses or questions sound brilliant! ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMxMTI1ODc3", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "PHILOS241", "course_id": "PHILOS 241", "course_uid": "course_badd2b5c09509247a930e344", "review_date": "2018-12-21 04:58:00 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Hands down my favorite professor in my 3.5 years so far. His lectures are engaging and he explains concepts very well. Participation is expected/hoped for in his lectures, but he respects every student's opinion and actually makes you feel pretty brilliant when you speak up. A decent amount of homework/work, but totally worth it.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:36.624928+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMxMDI4Nzg0", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2068221", "instructor_name": "David O'Brien", "course_label": "PHILO241", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2018-12-14 18:24:10 +0000 UTC", "comment": "One of the best professors I've had at UW Madison. Not an easy A class but if you think you'd be interested in philosophy and want a good idea of what it looks like to be a good moral citizen I'd definitely take his class.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2068221", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 } ] ``` ### total 19 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | ---------- | | course\_58183cd87826416af01f154f | EDPOL 150 | | course\_badd2b5c09509247a930e344 | PHILOS 241 | | course\_eea85533574086c8566255b9 | PHILOS 341 | ### matched true ## social Image true