GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) Certification (Exam) Update Presented by:

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1 GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) Certification (Exam) Update Presented by: Rodney D. Jackson Dir. of Emerging Technologies - Edgecombe Community College GIS Certification Institute Exam Working Group Co-PI National Geospatial Technology Center

2 GISCI Member Organizations URISA (2004) AAG (2004) NSGIC (2004) UCGIS (2005) GITA (2010) University Consortium for Geographic Information Science There are over 5000 certified GISPs.

3 What is GISCI? A tax-exempt not-for-profit organization 501(c)(6) professional association, business league Provides a GIS certification program for professionals Established GISCI Board of Directors in 2003 and began offering certification in 2004 GISCI is nearing 10 years of service!

4 Why Certify? (as you) GISP certification has a certain value to you. Why is it important to you? How do you benefit as a professional? Does it increase your recognition? Does it support and recognize your contributions? Will it add value to your career? Will it help you in employment? 4

5 Why Certify? (as GIS industry) Added value to the profession A core of ethics, experience, education & contributions Recognition of achievement in GIS industry & market Support employment and business needs Encourage educational development for professionals Engender long-term professional development 5

6 GISP Certification Voluntary For GIS Professionals (any specialist) Self-documented, point-based system Peer review examination Recognition of achievement Self regulation 7

7 The Foundation of the GISP

8 Terminology Certification A voluntary evaluation and acknowledgment of skills in a profession Licensure a legal regulation, requiring competency in a practice Accreditation Process of evaluating training materials or standards of program in accordance with pre-established criteria GISP Certification that provides recognition of a GIS Professional Certification and licensure are two different methods

Certification Requirements Education Basis of knowledge Experience Points 30 60 4 years experience Contribution

10 Certification Requirements Education Basis of knowledge Experience Points years experience Contribution to the Profession 8 Ongoing professional development Additional Points (Flexible) 52 Total Point Requirement = 150

11 Simple Example Profile Education (30 points) Bachelor s Degree in any field (20) and 3 GIS related college courses or 40 CEUs or 100 days event attendance Experience (60 points) 4 years FTE experience Tier I 100 Tier II 60 Tier III 40 Bonus 10 Contribution to the Profession (8) Participate in leadership, memberships, pubs, events + 52 Additional points 8 yrs of membership, 4 yrs on committee, 2yrs on a board

12 Coming Online Soon New GISCI website: applications & renewals

13 GIS as a Profession Attributes of a Profession Mission Common language Specialized training Culture and lore Specialized body of knowledge Formal organization Code of ethics Licensing/Certification DOLETA Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM); Geospatail Management Competency Model (GMCM); GIS&T Body of Knowledge (UCGIS / AAG) GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) adapted from DL Pugh Attributes of a Profession

14 Standards of the Profession Geographic Information Science & Technology (GIS&T) Body of Knowledge (BoK) DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) Geospatial Management Competency Model (GMCM) Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) Other standards of GIS specialization

GIS as a Profession Department of Labor Professional Standards Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has worked with industry and education leaders to develop a comprehensive competency model

15 GIS as a Profession Department of Labor Professional Standards Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has worked with industry and education leaders to develop a comprehensive competency model for Geospatial Technology. The model is designed to evolve along with changing skill requirements. The industry model frameworks are based on the competency model building blocks which are modified to meet the industry needs. GTCM endorsed by GISCI, GMCM approved August 20,

16 GIS&T: Body of Knowledge Body of Knowledge for GIS&T Created by the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science Distributed by the Association of American Geographers Body of Knowledge describes what topics relate most to GIS Knowledge Area: Two letter code and description Unit: Number and title with a brief description Topic: Unit number and individual number and descriptive title GIS Certification Describes the core competencies required for professional practice Educational courses relate to the knowledge areas Each of the knowledge areas provides a general description of the topics covered and lists the relevant GIS&T Body of Knowledge topical units

17 GIS&T: Body of Knowledge Knowledge Areas Analytical Methods (AM) Conceptual Foundations (CF) Cartography and Visualization (CV) Design Aspects (DA) Data Modeling (DM) Data Manipulation (DM) Geocomputation (GC) Geospatial Data (GD) GIS & T and Society (GS) GIS&T: Body of Knowledge Organizational and Institutional Aspects (OI)

20 Developing A CurriculuM (DACUM) A DACUM is widely used as an occupational analysis tool Typically involves a two-day workshop Panel of 5-12 expert workers (with the help of a trained facilitator) Systematically constructs a DACUM Research Chart Profiles their job or occupation Includes a comprehensive list of their duties The foundation for the DACUM process Expert workers can define their occupation most accurately Best way to define an occupation is to describe the tasks workers perform All tasks demand the use of certain knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) DACUM analysis yielded information that can be used to ascertain relative positions in GIS, as well as tasks and duties performed

21 BoK & DACUM Comparison

22 GTCM & DACUM Comparison

Competency Model A competency model is a descriptive tool that identifies the competencies needed to operate in a specific role in job, occupation, organization, or

23 Competency Model A competency model is a descriptive tool that identifies the competencies needed to operate in a specific role in job, occupation, organization, or industry The GTCM defines the core competencies and skill sets that every person working in the geospatial profession should possess

24 Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) On June 18, 2010 the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) released an updated GTCM Geospatial professionals completed the GTCM begun by DOLETA in 2008 The GTCM consists of five initial tiers of industry competencies Portrays geospatial as an interdisciplinary field It asserts that industry-specific geospatial expertise is built upon a foundation of more generally applicable competencies An earlier GTCM, prepared by the University of Southern Mississippi with support from DOLETA and NASA, laid the foundation for recent efforts The GTCM culminates more than a decade of work to formally characterize the nature of geospatial expertise

25 GTCM \ Body of Knowledge (BoK) Relationship between the GTCM and the Geospatial BoK (2006) The Geospatial BoK is an comprehensive listing of formal educational objectives related to geospatial information science GTCM is more generalized and focuses on those competencies and tasks that a geospatial professional may encounter over the span of a career DOL notes the demand and skill sets for geospatial professionals Establishes geospatial technology relative to other professions Creates job classification based upon a defined skill set Defines core competencies A preexisting shortcoming within the profession Develop the workforce necessary to meet the demands in this industry

26 GTCM** Occupation specific Competencies GIS Technician* GIS Scientist & Technologist* Remote Sensing Technician* Remote Sensing Scientist & Technologist* Mapping Technician Cartographers & Photogrammetrist * New occupations

27 GTCM Tier 4: Industry-Wide Technical Competencies specific to an occupation identified by Department of Labor partners

28 Core Competency Working Group Tasked with documenting core competencies for the GIS Professional Intent was to help guide the certification process These competencies can be synthesized into statements of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) KSA are used to help ensure that all certified professionals demonstrate minimum standards of capability KSA can be used to identify attributes required to certify professionals and to asses future certification requirements Working Group went beyond the technical requirements to fully define the scope of competencies required for professional practice

29 Evaluating the Profession Timeline Core Competency Working Group GISP Certification Update Proposal - January 2011 Among the proposed updates is the addition of a required exam Board of Directors Received comments - February 2011 Began consideration of the proposal - March 2011 Reached decision about proposed changes - April 2011 Recognized the role that the portfolio-based process has played in professional certification Resolution identified the need for updates to the certification process to align the certification with the U.S. Department of Labor's GTCM

30 Evaluating the Profession May 2011 the GISCI Board of Directors endorsed the GTCM Timeline Certification using a portfolio & competency examination has the potential to further advance the profession Examination to be implemented if it can be made accessible and fair to GIS practitioners regardless of specialization or background Examination Working Group (EWG) October 2011 Resolved to embark on a methodical, multi-stage process to carefully explore, develop, and implement an examination Project Manager + Consultant + SMEs - August 2012 Exam Development Plan January 2013 Planned implementation of Exam by 2015 Foundation for the exam will come from Tier 4 of the GTCM

31 GIS Certification Exam - Credits Phil Davis, ESRI, David DiBiase, Michael DeMers, Ann Johnson, Karen Kemp, Ann Taylor Luck, Brandon Plewe, Elizabeth Wentz, John Johnson, Dan Ferstenberg, Tim Leach (GISCI Working Group: Josh Price, Geney Terry, Keri Brennan, Bob Oblinsky, Dan Ferstenberg, Sheila Wilson, Thomas Mueller, J. Allison Butler), GISCI Exam Working Group, National Geospatial Technology Center, US DOL

32 For more information: Phone Fax

33 Questions?

Methods and Tools to Create Model Course Outlines and Certificate for Introductory Level GIS&T Programs

Methods and Tools to Create Model Course Outlines and Certificate for Introductory Level GIS&T Programs Ann Johnson Associate Director gisajohnson@delmar.edu Funded by National Science Foundation Advanced