An educational methodology based on the work of students

In the year 2006 the “Instituto Universitario Autónomo del Sur” decided to introduce a modification in the curricula of its Computer Science careers. Such modification was based on the guidelines of the Bologna process, particularly on the adoption of a credit system similar to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). The authors of this article saw this institutional decision as an opportunity to enhance an educational reform. The reform would modernize undergraduate programs, by establishing that students would have a main role in the educational process. This goal may only be achieved by a transformation of traditional teaching practices. Therefore, teachers, students and the institution have to undergo a process of deliberation and creation. In this article, the authors describe the process applied to the teaching staff, and the application of an innovative methodology developed for the first course of Programming. Extracts of interviews to students are also included.