Course Research

Research pedagogical approaches, expert sources, and best practices for curriculum design.

Frontmatter

yaml

context: fork
agent: Explore
allowed-tools: WebSearch, WebFetch, Read, Write

Prerequisites

•Course initialized with .claude/rpiv-config.json
•Basic understanding of course topic/domain

Instructions

You are conducting research to inform curriculum design. Your goal is to find expert sources, pedagogical approaches, and best practices that will guide the course philosophy.

Step 1: Understand the Context

Read .claude/rpiv-config.json and src/config/course.ts (if exists) to understand:

•Course subject area
•Target audience
•Any specified pedagogical framework
•Narration preferences

Step 2: Research Expert Sources

Search for authoritative voices in the subject domain:

•Academic Experts: University professors, researchers
•Practitioners: Industry professionals, entrepreneurs
•Content Creators: YouTube educators, course designers
•Authors: Textbook writers, thought leaders

For each expert, document:

•Name and credentials
•Key contributions/works
•Teaching philosophy (if known)
•Recommended resources

Required: Minimum 3 expert sources

Step 3: Research Pedagogical Approaches

Search for effective teaching methods for this subject:

•Active Learning: Problem-based, project-based, case studies
•Visual Learning: Diagrams, animations, interactive visualizations
•Scaffolded Learning: Prerequisites, progression, mastery
•Assessment Methods: Formative, summative, peer review

Document approaches that seem particularly effective for the subject.

Step 4: Research Common Misconceptions

Search for common student misconceptions in this domain:

•What concepts do students typically struggle with?
•What prior knowledge interferes with learning?
•What are common errors or mistakes?

Required: Minimum 3 misconceptions documented

Step 5: Research Visualization Patterns

Search for effective ways to visualize key concepts:

•Look for existing educational visualizations
•Note interactive vs. static approaches
•Identify data visualization best practices
•Find inspiration from 3Blue1Brown, Khan Academy, etc.

Required: Minimum 1 visualization pattern documented

Step 6: Compile Research Document

Create curriculum-design-research.md with this structure:

markdown

# Curriculum Design Research: {Course Name}

Generated: {date}

## Executive Summary

{2-3 paragraph summary of key findings}

## Expert Sources

### {Expert 1 Name}
- **Credentials**: {background}
- **Key Works**: {books, courses, videos}
- **Philosophy**: {teaching approach}
- **Relevance**: {why useful for this course}

### {Expert 2 Name}
...

## Pedagogical Approaches

### Recommended Approach: {Name}

{Description of approach and why it fits}

**Evidence**:
- {Source 1}: {finding}
- {Source 2}: {finding}

### Alternative Approaches Considered

{Brief notes on other approaches and why not primary}

## Common Misconceptions

### Misconception 1: {Title}

- **What students believe**: {description}
- **Why it's wrong**: {explanation}
- **How to address**: {teaching strategy}

### Misconception 2: {Title}
...

## Visualization Patterns

### Pattern 1: {Name}

- **Concept**: {what it visualizes}
- **Approach**: {how it works}
- **Example**: {link or reference}
- **Adaptation**: {how to use in this course}

## Source Bibliography

1. {Source with URL}
2. {Source with URL}
...

## Recommendations for Course Plan

Based on this research:

1. {Recommendation 1}
2. {Recommendation 2}
3. {Recommendation 3}

## Questions for Instructor Review

- {Question needing human input}
- {Question needing human input}

Output Specification

This skill produces:

•Primary Output: curriculum-design-research.md
•Format: Markdown with structured sections
•
Minimum Requirements:
- •3+ expert sources
- •3+ misconceptions
- •1+ visualization pattern
- •Complete bibliography

Research Guidelines

Good Sources

•University course syllabi (MIT OCW, Stanford, etc.)
•Peer-reviewed education research
•Expert YouTube channels (3Blue1Brown, Khan Academy)
•Published textbooks (find author credentials)
•Industry standards bodies

Avoid

•Wikipedia (use it to find primary sources)
•Anonymous blog posts
•Outdated materials (>5 years for fast-moving fields)
•Sources without citations

Citation Format

code

[Author Last Name, Year] "Title" - Platform/Publisher
URL: https://...
Accessed: {date}

Examples

Example: Entrepreneurship Course Research

markdown

# Curriculum Design Research: Applications in Entrepreneurship

Generated: 2026-01-15

## Executive Summary

Research indicates that entrepreneurship education benefits most from
experiential, project-based approaches. The Disciplined Entrepreneurship
framework by Bill Aulet provides a structured 24-step methodology that
balances systematic thinking with creative exploration...

## Expert Sources

### Bill Aulet
- **Credentials**: Managing Director, MIT Martin Trust Center
- **Key Works**: "Disciplined Entrepreneurship" (book + workbook)
- **Philosophy**: Entrepreneurship is a craft that can be learned
- **Relevance**: Primary framework for course structure

### Steve Blank
- **Credentials**: Stanford Professor, Serial Entrepreneur
- **Key Works**: "The Startup Owner's Manual", Lean LaunchPad
- **Philosophy**: Customer Development methodology
- **Relevance**: Complements DE with customer interview techniques

...

## Common Misconceptions

### Misconception 1: Entrepreneurs Are Born, Not Made

- **What students believe**: Success requires innate traits
- **Why it's wrong**: Research shows skills can be developed
- **How to address**: Emphasize process over personality

...

## Visualization Patterns

### Pattern 1: Market Sizing Funnel

- **Concept**: TAM → SAM → SOM progression
- **Approach**: Interactive funnel that animates from top to bottom
- **Example**: Bill Aulet's DE Step 4 visualization
- **Adaptation**: Use D3 to create animated, clickable funnel