Brainforge Knowledge

foundation-curriculum-build-2026

6 min read

Foundation Curriculum Build — Q2 2026

Status: Planned
Created: 2026-03-27
Updated: 2026-03-27
Owner: Brylle Girang
Milestone: M2.1 — Foundation Curriculum live (April 6, 2026)
Related: Brainforge AI L&D Program Q2 2026

Overview

Design and write the full Foundation curriculum for the Brainforge AI L&D Program Q2 2026 — 5 core modules + 2 accelerator modules — as Forge-ready written docs, using pedagogy skills from claude-education-skills to structure each module correctly. Deadline: April 6 (M2.1).

What we’re building

10 files under knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/ (new path):

  • knowledge/people/learning-development/README.md — L&D program-level index
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/README.md — Scope, sequence, delivery calendar, and navigation
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-1-cursor-github-setup.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-2-delivery-standards.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-2-cursor-101.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-3-the-forge.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-4-applied-task.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/module-8-certification.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/certification-rubric.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/accelerator/module-a1-building-skills.md
  • knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/accelerator/module-a2-advanced-agents.md

Module structure (per module)

Every core module follows the same template, derived from three education skills:

  • explicit-instruction/explicit-instruction-sequence-builder.md → I Do / We Do / You Do
  • curriculum-assessment/backwards-design-unit-planner.md → Learning outcomes first, content second
  • explicit-instruction/lesson-opening-designer.md → Opening hook + prior knowledge activation
# Module N: [Title]
## Why this module
## Learning outcomes (what mastery looks like)
## Time estimate
## Pre-work (async video / reading)
## I Do — Concepts (async Zoom Clip)
## We Do — Live walkthrough (session guide)
## You Do — Practice activity
## Check your understanding (retrieval questions)
## Resources + next steps

Module breakdown

Module 1 — Cursor + GitHub Setup (module-1-cursor-github-setup.md)

  • Content: Install Cursor + GitHub Desktop, clone brainforge-platform, open in Cursor, verification prompt against repo context
  • Activity: Three self-checks before proceeding
  • Sequencing: Entry gate so Delivery Standards examples (Module 2) reference a real workspace

Module 2 — Delivery Standards × AI (module-2-delivery-standards.md)

  • Content: 6 Brainforge standards (Presence, Ownership, Delivery Excellence, Communication, Collaboration, Continuous Improvement) each paired with a specific AI workflow that serves it
  • Activity: Self-assessment against each standard + identify one AI habit to adopt this week
  • Skills used: curriculum-assessment/competency-unpacker.md to break each standard into observable behaviors; wellbeing-motivation-agency/self-efficacy-builder-sequence.md to frame AI adoption as confidence-building

Module 3 — Cursor Deep Dive (module-3-cursor-deep-dive.md) (follows Modules 1–2)

  • 8 sub-sections (3.1–3.8): Prompt habits → Skills library → Cursor agent modes → Linear MCP → MCP vs CLI → Model selection → Cursor Automations (scheduled and event-driven cloud agents: triggers, tools, environment, billing/permissions) → AI troubleshooting
  • Each sub-section = I Do / We Do / You Do; Module 6 extends the same execution model for manually started Cloud Agents

Module 5 — The Forge (module-5-the-forge.md) (current path; plan originally used older module numbering)

  • Content: Monorepo delivery layer (knowledge/, standards/, .cursor/skills/, Linear via MCP) — vault taxonomy; knowledge/ vs standards/; no web app (apps/platform/) tour
  • Activity: Navigation tasks (client transcript; skill SKILL.md)
  • Skills used: memory-learning-science/dual-coding-designer.md for screenshot/GIF placement next to procedural steps; optional office-hours live demo if needed (not a required track session)

Module 4 — Applied Task (module-4-applied-task.md)

  • Tiered task briefs (core track same for all; role-tiered depth):
    • All roles (core): Using Cursor + The Forge, complete a defined real-work task (e.g. run a Linear audit using a Cursor skill and save context to the vault)
    • Technical accelerator: Optional advanced extension (e.g. modify an existing skill, build a new one)
  • Skills used: curriculum-assessment/project-brief-designer.md for task brief structure; curriculum-assessment/criterion-referenced-rubric-generator.md for pass criteria

Module 8 — Certification (module-8-certification.md)

  • Protocol: Submit applied task → Brylle reviews against rubric → Pass → Feynman check (teach one peer in a 15-min session)
  • Feynman check guide: what to cover, how peer gives feedback
  • Skills used: questioning-discussion/socratic-questioning-sequence-generator.md for the peer review Q&A; self-regulated-learning/goal-setting-protocol-designer.md for post-certification commitment

Certification rubric (certification-rubric.md)

Criterion-referenced, not norm-referenced. Four criteria:

  • Tool use (correct, deliberate Cursor/Forge use)
  • Prompt quality (clear intent, context-set prompts)
  • Output quality (task completed accurately)
  • Explanation (can explain what they did and why — Feynman gate)

Each criterion: Not yet / Approaching / Meets standard / Exceeds

Skills used: curriculum-assessment/criterion-referenced-rubric-generator.md

Accelerator track (2 modules)

For senior/technical members who complete the core track and want depth:

  • accelerator/module-a1-building-skills.md — How to write and contribute a Cursor skill (SKILL.md format, YAML schema, allowed-tools, trigger description)
  • accelerator/module-a2-advanced-agents.md — Advanced agent patterns: Codex, Cloud Agents, multi-step Linear automation

Skills used: curriculum-assessment/learning-progression-builder.md to define the progression from core → accelerator

Tiered structure

flowchart TD
    M1[Module 1: Cursor + GitHub Setup] --> M2[Module 2: Delivery Standards × AI]
    M2 --> M3[Module 3: Cursor Deep Dive]
    M3 --> M4[Module 4: GitHub for Brainforge]
    M4 --> M5[Module 5: The Forge]
    M5 --> M6[Module 6: Cloud Agents]
    M6 --> M7[Module 7: Applied Task]
    M7 --> M8[Module 8: Certification]
    M8 --> A1[Accelerator A1: Building Skills]
    M8 --> A2[Accelerator A2: Advanced Agents]
    style A1 stroke-dasharray: 5 5
    style A2 stroke-dasharray: 5 5

Reinforcement (post-certification)

A spaced practice schedule embedded in the Foundation README using memory-learning-science/spaced-practice-scheduler.md:

  • Week 1 after cert: Use Cursor on a real task (tracked in Linear)
  • Week 2: Office hours or peer question
  • Week 4: One of three retention anchors (Slack AI-wins post, monthly retro, or Feynman re-check with a new peer)

Education skills used (from claude-education-skills)

SkillPurpose
curriculum-assessment/backwards-design-unit-planner.mdModule outcome design
curriculum-assessment/competency-unpacker.mdStandards → observable behaviors (M1)
curriculum-assessment/learning-progression-builder.mdCore vs. Accelerator tiers
curriculum-assessment/criterion-referenced-rubric-generator.mdCertification rubric
curriculum-assessment/project-brief-designer.mdApplied task brief (M4)
explicit-instruction/explicit-instruction-sequence-builder.mdI Do/We Do/You Do per module
explicit-instruction/lesson-opening-designer.mdModule openers
memory-learning-science/worked-example-fading-designer.mdCursor 101 worked examples (M2)
memory-learning-science/spaced-practice-scheduler.mdPost-cert reinforcement schedule
memory-learning-science/retrieval-practice-generator.mdCheck your understanding questions
memory-learning-science/dual-coding-designer.mdModule 5 (The Forge): complementary screenshots/GIFs for repo navigation
professional-learning/professional-development-session-designer.mdOptional live session design (e.g. office hours); Module 5 is async-first
questioning-discussion/socratic-questioning-sequence-generator.mdFeynman check peer Q&A (M5)
wellbeing-motivation-agency/self-efficacy-builder-sequence.mdAI confidence framing (M1)
self-regulated-learning/goal-setting-protocol-designer.mdPost-cert goal commitment (M5)
ai-learning-science/formative-assessment-loop-designer.mdModule-level feedback design

Execution order

  1. Foundation README + scope/sequence (establishes the anchor)
  2. Module 1 (standards) — sets the why
  3. Module 2 (setup) + Module 3 (Cursor deep dive)
  4. Module 4 (GitHub / PRs)
  5. Module 5 (The Forge — repo map: knowledge/, standards/, skills)
  6. Module 6 (Cloud Agents)
  7. Certification rubric + Module 7 (applied task) + Module 8 (certification protocol)
  8. Accelerator modules (A1 + A2)
  9. L&D program README

(This plan file predates the final eight-module numbering; the live track matches README.md.)

Todos

  • Create knowledge/people/learning-development/programs/foundation/README.md — scope, sequence, delivery calendar, tiered structure, and navigation links
  • Write module-1-cursor-github-setup.md (setup gate; verification checks)
  • Write module-2-delivery-standards.md using backwards-design + competency-unpacker + self-efficacy-builder-sequence
  • Write module-3-cursor-deep-dive.md (expanded Cursor track; replaces legacy module-2-cursor-101.md plan)
  • Write module-5-the-forge.md (repo-first Forge) using dual-coding-designer for visuals; optional PD session designer for office hours only
  • Write module-4-applied-task.md with tiered task briefs using project-brief-designer
  • Write certification-rubric.md using criterion-referenced-rubric-generator (4 criteria, 4 levels)
  • Write module-8-certification.md with Feynman check protocol using socratic-questioning-sequence-generator + goal-setting-protocol-designer
  • Write accelerator/module-a1-building-skills.md and module-a2-advanced-agents.md using learning-progression-builder
  • Create knowledge/people/learning-development/README.md — program-level index linking to Foundation and future tracks

Graph View