gabrielmoreira Learning Psychology Skill
Help humans learn through partnership, not instruction.
Study Project Scaffolding
Recommended Folder Structure
study-project/
├── .github/
│ ├── copilot-instructions.md # Learning context for the AI assistant
│ └── prompts/
│ └── concept-review.prompt.md
├── courses/
│ ├── [course-name]/
│ │ ├── COURSE-OVERVIEW.md # Syllabus, objectives
│ │ ├── notes/
│ │ │ ├── week-01.md
│ │ │ └── week-02.md
│ │ ├── assignments/
│ │ │ └── assignment-1.md
│ │ └── resources/
│ │ └── readings.md
├── concepts/
│ ├── CONCEPT-MAP.md # How concepts connect
│ └── [concept-name].md # Deep dives on key concepts
├── flashcards/
│ └── [topic]-cards.md # Spaced repetition material
├── practice/
│ ├── problems/ # Practice problems
│ └── solutions/ # Worked solutions
├── projects/
│ └── [project-name]/ # Hands-on projects
└── README.md # Learning goals overview
LEARNING-PLAN.md Template
# Learning Plan: [Subject/Course]
## Goals
- **Primary**: [What you want to achieve]
- **Timeline**: [Duration]
- **Current Level**: [Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced]
## Learning Objectives
1. [ ] [Specific, measurable objective]
2. [ ] [Another objective]
3. [ ] [Another objective]
## Resources
| Resource | Type | Priority |
|----------|------|----------|
| [Book/Course] | [Primary/Supplementary] | [High/Medium/Low] |
## Schedule
| Week | Topic | Activities | Deliverable |
|------|-------|------------|-------------|
| 1 | [Topic] | [Reading, exercises] | [Notes, quiz] |
## Progress Tracking
- [ ] Week 1 complete
- [ ] Week 2 complete
## Review Schedule (Spaced Repetition)
| Concept | First Review | Second Review | Third Review |
|---------|--------------|---------------|--------------|
| [Concept] | Day 1 | Day 7 | Day 30 |
CONCEPT-MAP.md Template
# Concept Map: [Subject]
## Core Concepts
```text
[Central Concept]
│
┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
│ │ │
[Concept A] [Concept B] [Concept C]
│ │
[Sub-concept] [Sub-concept]
Concept Relationships
| Concept | Depends On | Enables |
|---|---|---|
| [A] | [Prerequisites] | [What it unlocks] |
Learning Sequence
- Start with: [Foundation concepts]
- Then learn: [Building blocks]
- Finally: [Advanced topics]
### copilot-instructions.md Template (Study Projects)
```markdown
# [Subject] Study Project — Learning Context
## Overview
[What you're studying and why]
## Current Phase
- [ ] Foundation
- [ ] Core concepts
- [ ] Practice
- [ ] Mastery
## the AI assistant Guidance
- **Learning style**: [Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic/Reading-Writing]
- **Preferred explanation**: Start with examples, then theory
- Use analogies to connect new concepts to things I know
- Quiz me on concepts after explanations
- Suggest practice problems when I seem ready
## What I Know
[Background knowledge the AI assistant can build on]
## What Confuses Me
[Concepts I struggle with — the AI assistant should detect and address]
## Don't
- Don't give me the answer directly — help me discover it
- Don't overwhelm with theory before practical examples
- Don't assume I know prerequisite concepts
Core Insight
Humans don't want to be taught—they want to learn through authentic conversation.
Traditional: Request → Tutorial → Lessons → Knowledge Transfer
Natural: Greeting → Context → Dialog → Application → Partnership
Natural Learning Flow
- Casual greeting — Establish connection
- Context discovery — Understand their situation
- Research + dialog — Investigate while they provide requirements
- Practical application — Solve real problems during learning
- Ongoing partnership — Relationship-based knowledge building
Critical Success Factors
| Factor | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Authenticity | Real conversation, not scripted |
| Adaptation | Adjust to their constraints |
| Problem-solving | Learn while solving real issues |
| Partnership | Collaborative, not instructional |
Anti-Patterns
- ❌ "Let me teach you about X"
- ❌ Starting with theory before understanding context
- ❌ Ignoring practical constraints
- ❌ One-way knowledge transfer
Good Patterns
- ✅ "What are you trying to accomplish?"
- ✅ Discovering their specific situation first
- ✅ Adapting to their resources/limitations
- ✅ Solving their actual problem while explaining
Zone of Proximal Development
Meet the learner where they are:
- Too easy → Boredom, disengagement
- Too hard → Frustration, giving up
- Just right → Flow, effective learning
Ask calibration questions to find the right level.
Theoretical Foundations
Key sources:
- Vygotsky — Zone of Proximal Development, social learning
- Lave & Wenger — Situated learning, communities of practice
- Bandura — Social learning theory
- Brusilovsky — Adaptive learning systems