Drupal Curriculum and Certification - The Open Source Route DRAFT

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Levels/Awards

Each of the following can be assessed as Novice- (has participated in an introductory training and can pass a quiz), Skilled- (has shown can perform most competencies) , Experienced- (has demonstrated can perform most competencies in a variety of contexts), Expert- (possesses extensive portfolio demonstrating nearly all competencies across a number of sites). Other possible qualifications: instructor (can train users and content administrators) and assessor (can examine portfolios). User and Content Administrator could possibly only have two levels: Novice / Experienced.

Drupal User	can log in and post content as instructed
Drupal User/Content Administrator	can create users, monitor content, moderate users, moderate taxonomy, fix formatting issues
Drupal Backend Administrator	can create CCK types, simple Views, panels, set up taxonomy and other administrative tasks, can search documentation and access resources on d.o
Drupal Backend Integrator	can install Drupal following best practice, can configure a functioning site using contributed modules, can assess reliability and security issues of contributed modules and themes, can create a theme based on graphic templatesThe developers I've shown this too same theming as a separate skill, you might want to remove it -Julia Kulla-Mader 9/2/09 2:44 PM , understands Drupal community
Drupal Theme Developer	can install themes, subthemes, make full use of Drupal theme engine, write enough PHP code to support theme logic, has sufficient knowledge of CSS and HTML principles
Drupal Code Developer	can develop modules using Drupal API (can write basic code in all and advanced code in at least one of the following: PHP, JavaScript, SQL)

These levels are cummulative and non-linear similar to ACTFL (http://www.actfl.org/files/public/Guidelinesspeak.pdf). This means that the level of skills and knowledge from one level to the other increases exponential rather than linearly. It also means that two people at the same level may have slightly different expertise. It is assumed that a person at an upper level will be able to do everything at a lower level (to an experienced level)

Competencies

Competency areas:

User-level Skills
Core Installation and Configuration
Contributed Modules Installation and Configuration
Development/Code/API
Theming
Community
Performance
Security
Content managment (Views / CCK)

Sample competencies:

Competencies are defined loosely based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive skills with regard to affective and psychomotor domains): knowledge (identify, list, describe) comprehension (compare, distinguish, interpret, summarise, predict), application (change, apply, modify, operate, prepare, produce), analysis (contrast, diagram, relate), synthesis (categorise, combine, compile), evaluation (appraise, express preference, support argument, etc.)

Each individual module could also create their own competencies.

Area	Competency (what a person can do or knows)	Criterion (how well they can do it)	Level (what level this competency is expected at)	Assessment (how can the person demonstrate)	Learning/Teaching Activities and Materials (SCORM)
A	Retrieve forgotten password		Skilled User	Quiz, Screen cast	Training, D.o Docs
A	Edit account information		Skilled User	Quiz, Screen cast	Training, D.o Docs
B	Download latest version of Drupal		Novice
B	Identify location of configuration files in the file structure			Quiz, Print out of a site config
C	Find appropriate module
C	Assess reliability of a module		Expert	Module review, Site module list	Community participation
D	Implement hook_ help, etc.
D	Find information on hooks on api.d.o
E	Identify themes for reuse
E	Identify modules to support theme development
E	Create a .tpl.php file
F	Identify key individuals in Drupal community
F	Post issues (queries, patches) in the right place
G	Configure Drupal installation for maximum performance
G	Identify key MySQL configuration settings for optimum perfomance
G	Describe external services available for performance optimisation
H	Configure input formats for maximum security
H	Set permissions appropriately
I	Set up a new content type
I	Compare the use of taxonomy with content types to classify content
I	Use v. reuse CCK fields appropriately
I	Set up a basic view
I	Set up a tabbed view

Assessment

Portfolio-based comprised of self-assessment, internal (for large institutions) and external verification.

Self-assessment tools could be created to help individuals identify needs for further development.

Developer aspiring to a particular level can compile a portfolio of achievement that can be certified by a recognised assessor.

Portfolio can contain:

screenshots
screencasts (e.g. using Jing or Skitch)
certificate of attendance at courses
copy of presentation at an event
configuration files (site, modules, settings.php etc.)
code
samples of community activity

Another way of assessing the portfolios would be through some sort of a web-of-trust system that security certificates use. I.e. have parts of the portfolio reviewed by another user

Management of the curriculum

The curriculum can work on annual releases just like code but certifications would be valid for three years. They could conceivably be tied to Drupal releases but that would probably create too many issues of timing - but in specific issues, there could be point releases tied to a Drupal release.
Each competency area could have a maintainer responsible for its release.
Community members can submit issues and "patches" that can then be voted into the release.

Additional certifications

Drupal companies could be classified based on how many certified developers they have at each level

Established Drupal shops could be providers of portfolio certifications as well