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subjects are Abstract Data Types (ADT) and Analysis
and Design of Algorithms (ADA), two core subjects
in the three CS degrees imparted in the UMA:
• ADT is a subject that focuses on the character-
ization and formal specification of abstract data
types. The goal is having the students acquiring
an adequate knowledge of the properties and spec-
ification of most usual ADTs (stack, queues, trees,
etc.) as well as being capable of specifying new
ADTs, either de novo or by extending pre-existing
ADTs. Formal specification is done using Maude,
an interpretable language for algebraic specifica-
tion based on equational logic.
• ADA focuses on the study of techniques for algo-
rithmic design (e.g., divide and conquer, greedy
methods, dynamic programming, etc.), providing
the students the means for reasoning about their
applicability and suitability for specific problems,
as well as for actually applying them. The stu-
dent should be also capable of analyzing the so-
constructed algorithms in terms of their computa-
tional complexity in space and time, as well as as-
certaining the intrinsic complexity of solving spe-
cific problems.
As it can be seen, both subjects deal with topics
of a strong mathematical foundation, thus naturally
adapting to a neutral approach based on mathematical
structures and rigorous constructs.
It must be also mentioned that Spanish univer-
sities –and the UMA is no exception– are now in-
volved in the process of adapting to the European
Space for Higher Education following the guidelines
of the Bologna Declaration
1
. While the new structure
of CS degrees has been delineated but not yet applied
(it will be in successive years starting in the 2010-11
academic year), new teaching methodologies adapted
to the philosophy of the European Credit Transfer
System (ECTS) –in which the satisfactory completion
of a subject amounts to successfully acquiring cer-
tain skills and competencies– are already being put
in practice (Cotta, 2010). These teaching strategies
are student-centric and try to boost autonomous (in-
dividual and in group) work by the students. The
competence-based structure of subjects lends itself
very well to a continuous assessment strategy. Thus,
the grade is obtained by the outcome of numerous ac-
tivities during the semester, including the Wikipedia
assignment.
1
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/
3 ORGANIZATION AND
METHODS
The experience has been carried out during academic
courses 2007-08 and 2008-09. It has been approached
as a team-working activity, and hence students were
firstly arranged in groups of two up to four stu-
dents (the size of the group was later taken into ac-
count when assigning topics for edition). The par-
ticular composition of groups was a matter of self-
organization, since the students grouped according to
their own personal affinity and interests.
After groups were organized, a bidding phase
was arranged. I selected a list of topics for which
Wikipedia entries in Spanish were non-existent or
very incomplete. Having focused on the Span-
ish Wikipedia is due to practical considerations: in
general Spanish sophomore students are not fluent
enough in English so as to embark on full-scale edit-
ing of the English Wikipedia; forcing them to do so
would have place an unnecessary burden on them.
Also related to this, the legacy of the experience is
going to be much more useful for future students who
will find the information in their native tongue. Note
also that the topics chosen for edition were intimately
related to the contents of the ADT and ADA. Table 1
outlines the articles that were considered.
The assignment of topics to groups was done on
the basis of each group’s preferences, prioritizing
smaller groups on some topics, and breaking ties us-
ing a FIFO policy. The due date for completing the as-
signment was the end of the corresponding semester,
and students were given some guidelines on how to
approach the task:
• A goal was having the Spanish entry of the cor-
responding article as complete as the English ver-
sion.
• Bibliographical research on textbooks and Inter-
net was encouraged. A warning was also given
with respect to the use of copyrighted material.
• Articles did not need being edited at once, but it
was necessary to check carefully (both presenta-
tion and correctness) the new material before pub-
lishing it.
• Related to the previous issue, spelling, punctua-
tion and writing style had to be carefully revised.
• Crosslinking other articles was essential. In some
cases linked articles would not exist in the Spanish
Wikipedia. Depending on the case, a stub could
be created, or even a reasonable edition of the re-
lated article could be attempted.
No specific indications had to be given regarding
the actual use of the editor front-end of the Wikipedia,
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