--- name: learning-design-review description: Review educational content against the Four Learning Design Pillars framework. Use when users want to evaluate course materials, lessons, tutorials, e-learning modules, or any instructional content for alignment with evidence-based learning design principles. Provides structured feedback with specific principle references (e.g., 1.1.1, 2.3.4) and actionable recommendations. --- # Learning Design Review Evaluate educational content against the Four Learning Design Pillars - an evidence-based framework synthesized from multimedia learning research, cognitive load theory, and UX best practices. ## Skill Purpose This skill provides structured reviews of educational content by evaluating it against 46 research-based principles organized into four pillars: 1. **Pillar 1: Clear, Purposeful Structure** - Content organization, design consistency, learning path clarity, adaptive design 2. **Pillar 2: Active, Engaging Learning Content** - Content design, multimedia elements, engagement techniques, quality standards 3. **Pillar 3: Continuous Practice & Feedback** - Practice variety, feedback mechanisms, metacognition support 4. **Pillar 4: Simple, Intuitive UX** - Navigation, accessibility, media controls ## Usage Invoke this skill when users say things like: - "Review this course against learning design principles" - "Evaluate my lesson plan" - "Check if my tutorial follows best practices" - "Analyze this e-learning module" - "Review this educational content" ## Workflow ### Step 1: Gather the Content Ask the user to provide the educational content in one of these formats: ``` To review your content against the Four Learning Design Pillars, please provide it in one of these ways: 1. **File path** - Path to a document, HTML file, or course export 2. **URL** - Link to a publicly accessible course page or lesson 3. **Pasted text** - Copy and paste the content directly 4. **Description** - Describe the course structure and key elements What would you like me to review? ``` ### Step 2: Load the Principles Read the principles file to ensure access to all current principle definitions: ``` {SKILL_DIR}/../principles/learning-design-pillars.yaml ``` Note: `{SKILL_DIR}` refers to this skill's directory. When installed at `~/.claude/skills/learning-design-pillars/`, the principles file is at `~/.claude/skills/learning-design-pillars/principles/`. This file contains the complete framework with 4 pillars, 13 categories, and 46 principles. ### Step 3: Analyze Content Against Each Pillar Evaluate the content systematically against each pillar. For each pillar, identify: - **Strengths**: What the content does well (cite specific principle IDs) - **Areas for Improvement**: Where the content falls short (cite specific principle IDs) - **Evidence**: Specific examples from the content supporting your assessment #### Pillar 1: Clear, Purposeful Structure (Principles 1.1.1-1.4.2) Evaluate: - Content segmentation and organization (1.1.x) - Design consistency and formatting (1.2.x) - Learning objectives and alignment (1.3.x) - Adaptive and learner-controlled elements (1.4.x) #### Pillar 2: Active, Engaging Learning Content (Principles 2.1.1-2.4.4) Evaluate: - Content presentation and visual design (2.1.x) - Multimedia and interactive elements (2.2.x) - Engagement and relevance techniques (2.3.x) - Quality, accuracy, and accessibility (2.4.x) #### Pillar 3: Continuous Practice & Feedback (Principles 3.1.1-3.3.4) Evaluate: - Practice variety and authenticity (3.1.x) - Feedback quality and timeliness (3.2.x) - Metacognition and reflection support (3.3.x) #### Pillar 4: Simple, Intuitive UX (Principles 4.1.1-4.3.2) Evaluate: - Navigation and orientation (4.1.x) - Accessibility and device optimization (4.2.x) - Media controls and time estimates (4.3.x) ### Step 4: Calculate Scores Score each pillar on a 1-5 scale: | Score | Rating | Description | |-------|--------|-------------| | 5 | Exemplary | Consistently demonstrates best practices across all principles | | 4 | Strong | Good alignment with most principles, minor gaps | | 3 | Developing | Meets basic requirements, notable improvement areas | | 2 | Emerging | Significant gaps, limited alignment with principles | | 1 | Beginning | Major redesign needed across most principles | Calculate an overall weighted score (equal weight per pillar). ### Step 5: Generate the Review Report Produce a structured report using this format: ```markdown # Learning Design Review **Content Reviewed:** [Name/description of content] **Review Date:** [Date] **Overall Score:** [X.X/5.0] - [Rating] --- ## Executive Summary [2-3 sentence overview of key findings] --- ## Pillar 1: Clear, Purposeful Structure **Score: X/5** ### Strengths - [Strength 1] (Principle X.X.X) - [Strength 2] (Principle X.X.X) ### Areas for Improvement - [Gap 1] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] - [Gap 2] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] --- ## Pillar 2: Active, Engaging Learning Content **Score: X/5** ### Strengths - [Strength 1] (Principle X.X.X) - [Strength 2] (Principle X.X.X) ### Areas for Improvement - [Gap 1] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] - [Gap 2] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] --- ## Pillar 3: Continuous Practice & Feedback **Score: X/5** ### Strengths - [Strength 1] (Principle X.X.X) - [Strength 2] (Principle X.X.X) ### Areas for Improvement - [Gap 1] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] - [Gap 2] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] --- ## Pillar 4: Simple, Intuitive UX **Score: X/5** ### Strengths - [Strength 1] (Principle X.X.X) - [Strength 2] (Principle X.X.X) ### Areas for Improvement - [Gap 1] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] - [Gap 2] (Principle X.X.X): [Specific recommendation] --- ## Priority Recommendations Ranked by impact and effort: 1. **[High Priority]** [Recommendation] (Addresses: X.X.X, X.X.X) - Why: [Rationale] - How: [Specific action steps] 2. **[Medium Priority]** [Recommendation] (Addresses: X.X.X) - Why: [Rationale] - How: [Specific action steps] 3. **[Lower Priority]** [Recommendation] (Addresses: X.X.X) - Why: [Rationale] - How: [Specific action steps] --- ## Quick Wins Small changes with immediate impact: - [ ] [Quick win 1] - [ ] [Quick win 2] - [ ] [Quick win 3] ``` ## Principle Reference Quick Guide When citing principles, use the hierarchical ID system: - **1.x.x** = Structure (Organization, Consistency, Learning Path, Adaptive) - **2.x.x** = Content (Design, Multimedia, Engagement, Quality) - **3.x.x** = Practice (Variety, Feedback, Metacognition) - **4.x.x** = UX (Navigation, Accessibility, Media Control) Example citations: - "Clear learning objectives at module start (1.3.1)" - "Short, focused video segments under 5 minutes (2.2.3)" - "Low-stakes practice quizzes with unlimited attempts (3.1.6)" - "Mobile-responsive layout (4.2.3)" ## Notes - Always reference specific principle IDs to make feedback actionable - Prioritize recommendations by impact on learning outcomes - Consider the content's context (audience, constraints, platform) - Focus on actionable suggestions, not just critique - When in doubt about a rating, err toward constructive feedback --- Source attribution: vishalsachdev Original project: https://github.com/vishalsachdev/learning-design-pillars/blob/64220598f033d23d1a4d5e5090358c129f111dff/skills/learning-design-review/SKILL.md License: MIT License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI. ## Upstream license notice MIT License Copyright (c) 2024 Vishal Sachdev Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. # Dave AI resource metadata Creator / publisher: vishalsachdev Original project: https://github.com/vishalsachdev/learning-design-pillars/blob/64220598f033d23d1a4d5e5090358c129f111dff/skills/learning-design-review/SKILL.md Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision Fields of work: Education & Research, Human Resources Roles: Curriculum Designer, Learning & Development, Tutor / Instructor Specialties: Specialty not specified Tools: Tool not specified Country applicability: Country not specified Classification basis: Source catalog labels Instruction SHA-256: e0e9f71b614950a277b7b95239b39f56aef0f19ae5803a3fadb0d1d40c0a6b9d Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27 This metadata supersedes earlier Dave AI catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.