New models for higher educational curricula

Based upon experience in teaching Computer Science course in university traditional curricula, we have explored at our University the creation of new educational curricula that combines apprenticeship (i.e. an educational curriculum combining working and studying) with university studies. The project relies on the intelligent use of innovative training methodologies and technologies. We have developed, adapted and tested environments to support the learning experience of the first group of students/apprenticeship. A number of hypotheses have formed the guiding principles behind a series of experimentation that have been carried out during the first year of the apprenticeship project. In this paper, we summarize our hypotheses, the context in which these hypotheses were derived, describe our experiences and some of our future plans).