ABSTRACT
Within the framework of curricula and courses, the author finds it helpful to classify iterations within hill climbing into two categories: planned refinements and crisis-motivated reactions. When the skill of writing out logical arguments is dropped from a discrete structures course, students cannot produce even simple proofs in subsequent automata or other theory courses. Placed within the context of hill-climbing, a direction for change may entail numerous dimensions, but immediate demands narrow the focus to a single factor. Translating back to courses and curricula, it is important to consider the full range of goals and objectives for a course when making a change–even in reaction to a crisis. At times, student feedback suggests that all courses are overloaded, and the overall curriculum seems bulging with a large number of courses and requirements. The discussion and examples suggest that modest refinement of courses and curricula may work very well, when thought through in advance to reflect observations and feedback.
