Workshop Review: Pedagogy and Flow

Purpose: Review workshop content for pedagogical effectiveness, learning progression, and instructional design.

When to use: After grammar review is complete and content is ready for pedagogical review.

Prerequisites:

•Workshop content is complete
•Grammar review completed
•AUTHORING-PROGRESS.md shows all lessons completed

Overview

This skill performs a pedagogical review that checks:

•Learning progression (scaffolding)
•Building block accumulation
•Learn → Do → Verify pattern
•Bloom's taxonomy alignment
•PRIMM framework application (where relevant)
•Concept introduction and reinforcement
•Duration and pacing

This review focuses on HOW WELL the workshop teaches, not grammar/formatting.

Phase 1: Pre-Review Setup (10 min)

Checklist: Preparation

• Read WORKSHOP-PLAN.md for intended progression
• Read HOW-TO-BUILD-WORKSHOPS.md for methodology
• Read how-we-teach pedagogy lesson
• Map out all lessons and types
• Identify building blocks
• Create review tracking document

Read These Files

code

MUST READ:
- WORKSHOP-PLAN.md (intended design)
- HOW-TO-BUILD-WORKSHOPS.md (methodology)
- asciidoc/courses/how-we-teach/modules/1-introduction/lessons/2-pedagogy/lesson.adoc
- CONTENT_GUIDELINES.md

REFERENCE:
- All lesson.adoc files in workshop
- All module.adoc files

Create Tracking Document

Create PEDAGOGY-REVIEW-PROGRESS.md:

markdown

# Pedagogy Review Progress

**Workshop:** [Name]
**Reviewer:** Pedagogy Review Skill
**Date:** [Date]

## Overall Structure

**Modules:** [N]
**Lessons:** [N] total ([X] required, [Y] optional)
**Duration:** [X] hours core, [Y] hours with optional

## Building Block Progression

- [ ] Module 2: "[Building block 1]" ✓
- [ ] Module 3: "[Building block 2]" ✓
- [ ] Module 4: "[Building block 3]" ✓
- [ ] Module 5: "[Final integration]" ✓

## Review Checklist

### Module 1: [Name]
- [ ] Lesson 1: Pedagogical review
- [ ] Lesson 2: Pedagogical review
- [ ] Lesson 3: Pedagogical review

[Continue for all modules...]

## Issues Found
- Issue: [Description]
- Issue: [Description]

## Review Complete
- Scaffolding verified: Yes/No
- Building blocks stack: Yes/No
- Duration realistic: Yes/No

Phase 2: Workshop-Level Review (30 min)

Checklist: Workshop Structure

• First lesson is workshop overview
• Module 1 is setup/introduction
• Building blocks clearly defined
• Building blocks stack progressively
• Each module has Learn → Do → Verify pattern
• Optional lessons marked and positioned correctly
• Final lesson triggers completion modal
• Total duration matches target (2 hours core)

Workshop Structure Validation

Required structure:

code

Module 1: Setup and Introduction (15-20 min)
├── Lesson 1: Workshop Overview (REQUIRED - explains goal)
├── Lesson 2-3: Environment setup
└── Lesson 4: Tool overview (SOURCE OF TRUTH for mechanics)

Modules 2-N: Building Blocks (20-30 min each)
├── Learn: Concept lesson
├── Do: Challenge lesson
├── Verify: Validation/query lesson
└── Practice: Optional practice (marked :optional: true)

Final Module: Integration and Review (15-20 min)
├── Integration lesson or final query
├── Knowledge check quiz (REQUIRED)
└── Triggers completion modal

Check:

•Does Module 1, Lesson 1 explain what will be built?
•Does each module complete a building block?
•Do building blocks stack (each builds on previous)?
•Are optional lessons marked :optional: true?
•Does final lesson trigger completion (quiz or questions)?

Phase 3: Building Block Review (20 min)

Checklist: Building Block Progression

• Each module states its building block
• Building blocks are concrete and measurable
• Building blocks stack progressively
• No orphaned concepts (all lead somewhere)
• Final module combines all blocks

Building Block Pattern

Verify each module completes a clear transformation:

markdown

Module 2: "Products exist in graph" ✓
└─> Module 3: Uses products, adds "Customer→Order path" ✓
    └─> Module 4: Uses both, adds "Customer→Order→Product path" ✓
        └─> Module 5: Combines all for "Recommendation query" ✓

Check:

• Each challenge lesson states what building block it completes
• Each validation lesson references the building block
• Module overviews state what will be added
• Building blocks are cumulative (not independent)

Example good building block markers:

asciidoc

This completes **Building Block 1**: "Products exist in the graph" ✓

asciidoc

This completes **Building Block 2**: "Customer→Order path complete" ✓

Issues to flag:

•Building block not stated
•Building blocks don't stack
•Module doesn't add to previous work
•Final module doesn't integrate all blocks

Phase 4: Learn → Do → Verify Pattern Review (Per Module)

Checklist: Pattern Compliance

• Concept lesson (Learn) comes before challenge
• Challenge lesson (Do) applies the concept
• Validation lesson (Verify) proves the value
• Gap between Learn and Do is minutes, not modules
• Optional practice (if present) comes after Verify

Ideal Pattern

code

Module N: [Building Block]
├── Lesson 1: [Concept] (Learn) - 3-5 min
│   └─> Teaches 1-2 concepts
├── Lesson 2: [Challenge] (Do) - 7-12 min
│   └─> Applies concepts from Lesson 1
├── Lesson 3: [Validation] (Verify) - 3-5 min
│   └─> Queries what was built in Lesson 2
│   └─> Shows SQL comparison
└── Lesson 4: [Optional Practice] - 5-15 min (optional)
    └─> Additional practice on same structure

Check:

•Does concept lesson prepare for the challenge?
•Does challenge apply what was just taught?
•Does validation query what was just built?
•Is the gap small (same module)?

Issues to flag:

•Concept taught but not applied
•Challenge without preceding concept
•Validation without preceding challenge
•Large gap between Learn and Do (multiple modules)

Phase 5: Lesson-Level Pedagogical Review (Per Lesson)

Checklist: Lesson Pedagogy

• Appropriate length for type (concept: 3-5 min, challenge: 7-12 min)
• Blooms taxonomy level appropriate (concept: remember/understand, challenge: apply)
• Scaffolding from previous lesson
• Introduces no more than 1-2 new concepts (for theory lessons)
• Examples use workshop dataset (not generic)
• Connection to workshop goal is clear
• Prepares for what comes next

Theory/Concept Lesson Review

For each concept lesson, verify:

Opening scaffolding:

• References what was learned previously (if not first lesson)
• States what will be learned in this lesson
• Two-part pattern (context + learning objective)

Content:

• 1-2 concepts max (not 5-6)
• Plain language definitions
• Examples from workshop dataset
• Connection to workshop goal stated
• Bloom's taxonomy: remember/understand (not apply/analyze)

Summary:

• Bullet points with bold concepts
• Forward reference to next lesson

Issues to flag:

•Too many concepts (cognitive overload)
•Generic examples (movies, books) instead of workshop data
•No connection to workshop goal
•Missing scaffolding from previous lesson
•Wrong Bloom's level (asking them to "build" in theory lesson)

Challenge Lesson Review

For each challenge lesson, verify:

Structure:

• Clear challenge statement upfront
• States building block completion
• References tool mechanics (Module 1 Lesson 3)
• Step-by-step instructions
• Verification files present (verify.cypher, solution.cypher)

Pedagogy:

• Applies concept from previous lesson
• Hands-on (learners DO something)
• Automated verification gives feedback
• Snapshot option for skip-ahead
• Bloom's taxonomy: apply

Connection:

• Challenge references preceding concept lesson
• Building block marker present
• Next lesson will validate what was built

Issues to flag:

•Challenge without preceding concept
•No verification files
•Repeats tool mechanics (should reference Module 1 Lesson 3)
•Doesn't complete a building block
•No connection to previous/next lessons

Validation Lesson Review

For each validation lesson, verify:

Structure:

• Queries what was just built
• 2-4 business questions
• SQL comparisons for each query
• Metrics table (lines, JOINs, complexity)

Pedagogy:

• Proves value with concrete comparisons
• Business questions (not abstract queries)
• Progressive complexity
• Connection to workshop goal

SQL Comparisons:

• Shows SQL side-by-side with Cypher
• Fair comparison (not intentionally bad SQL)
• Concrete metrics (4 lines vs 8 lines, 0 JOINs vs 3 JOINs)
• Explains WHY graph is better for THIS pattern

Issues to flag:

•Queries data not yet built
•No SQL comparisons
•Vague advantages ("faster" without specifics)
•Abstract queries (not business questions)
•Missing connection to workshop goal

Optional Practice Lesson Review

For each optional practice lesson, verify:

Metadata:

• Marked with :optional: true

Opening:

• Explicitly addresses both paths (skip or practice)
• States who should do it (beginners) and who can skip (advanced)
• Connects to upcoming concept

Content:

• 3-5 progressive exercises
• Each has collapsible solution
• Solutions include explanations
• "Try experimenting" suggestions

Issues to flag:

•Not marked :optional: true
•Doesn't address both learning paths
•Too few exercises (< 3)
•Solutions without explanations
•No connection to upcoming concept

Quiz Lesson Review

For each quiz lesson, verify:

Metadata:

• :type: quiz
• :sequential: true (if questions build on each other)

Questions:

• 8-12 questions total
• Cover concepts from all modules
• Use [.question] marker (NOT .freetext)
• Each has 4 answer options
• Each has hint and solution

Pedagogy:

• Tests understanding (not trivia)
• Wrong answers are plausible
• Hints guide without revealing
• Solutions explain why answer is correct
• Solutions reference module where taught

Final Lesson:

• If this is final lesson: triggers completion modal
• Summary has congratulations
• Next learning steps provided

Issues to flag:

•Too few questions (< 8)
•Questions test trivia (not understanding)
•Wrong marker (.freetext instead of .question)
•Missing hints or solutions
•Final lesson doesn't trigger completion

Phase 6: Scaffolding and Progression Review

Checklist: Scaffolding

• Each lesson builds on previous
• No sudden difficulty spikes
• Prerequisites clearly stated (workshop level)
• Concepts introduced before application
• Vocabulary defined before use

Scaffolding Validation

For each lesson, check:

•
Does it reference what came before?
- •Concept lessons: "You learned [X] in the previous lesson"
- •Challenges: "Using [concepts from previous lesson]"
- •Validations: "You just built [X], now query it"
•
Does it prepare for what comes next?
- •Summary: "In the next lesson, you will..."
- •Forward references are accurate
•
Is the difficulty progression smooth?
- •Simple concepts → Complex concepts
- •Single-hop → Multi-hop queries
- •Basic patterns → Advanced patterns

Issues to flag:

•Lesson doesn't reference previous work
•Forward reference is inaccurate
•Sudden difficulty spike
•Vocabulary used before definition
•Concept applied before taught

Phase 7: Duration and Pacing Review

Checklist: Duration

• Each lesson duration is realistic
• Module durations add up correctly
• Total core path ≈ 2 hours (target: 1.5-2.5 hours)
• Optional lessons add 30-60 minutes
• Pacing is balanced across modules

Duration Guidelines

By lesson type:

•Concept lesson: 3-5 minutes
•Challenge lesson: 7-12 minutes
•Validation lesson: 3-5 minutes
•Optional practice: 5-15 minutes
•Quiz: 5-10 minutes

By module:

•Module 1 (Setup): 15-20 minutes
•Building block modules: 20-30 minutes each
•Final module: 15-20 minutes

Total workshop:

•Core path: 2 hours (target: 100-140 minutes)
•With optional: 2.5-3 hours

Issues to flag:

•Individual lesson too long (> 15 min for any lesson)
•Module too long (> 40 min)
•Total duration off target (< 90 min or > 180 min for core)
•Pacing unbalanced (one module 45 min, another 10 min)

Phase 8: Connection to Workshop Goal Review

Checklist: Goal Connection

• Workshop goal stated in overview
• Each module connects to goal
• Each lesson explains how it enables goal
• Building blocks stack toward goal
• Final lesson achieves the goal

Goal Connection Validation

Check each lesson for:

•
Does it state WHY this matters for the goal?
- •Concept lessons: "This concept is needed for [goal]"
- •Challenges: "This building block enables [goal]"
- •Validations: "This pattern is used in [final goal]"
•
Can you trace from lesson to final goal?
- •Lesson → Building Block → Workshop Goal

Example good connections:

asciidoc

You can now traverse Customer → Order → Product paths.

To build a recommendation query, you'll extend this pattern: find customers who bought similar products, then recommend products they haven't purchased yet.

This multi-hop traversal pattern is the foundation for collaborative filtering.

Issues to flag:

•Lesson doesn't explain why it matters
•Unclear how lesson enables goal
•Orphaned concepts (not used in goal)
•Goal never actually achieved

Phase 9: PRIMM Framework Review (For Challenges)

Checklist: PRIMM Application

• Predict: Challenge states what will be built
• Run: Hands-on task with verification
• Investigate: Validation queries what was built
• Modify: Optional practice varies the pattern
• Make: Learners build their own (in challenges)

PRIMM Progression

Ideal flow:

•Predict (Concept lesson): "You will build X"
•Run (Challenge lesson): Build X with guidance
•Investigate (Validation lesson): Query X, understand how it works
•Modify (Optional practice): Variations on X
•Make (Later challenges): Build similar things independently

Check:

•Does workshop move from "Not mine" → "Mine" → "All mine"?
•Do later challenges require less guidance?
•Are learners gaining agency over time?

Issues to flag:

•Always hand-holding (no agency gained)
•No opportunity to modify/experiment
•Jump from guided to independent too quickly

Phase 10: Final Pedagogical Report

Create Review Summary

Update PEDAGOGY-REVIEW-PROGRESS.md with results:

markdown

# Pedagogy Review Complete

**Workshop:** [Name]
**Date Completed:** [Date]

## Summary Assessment

### Overall Structure: ✅ Pass / ❌ Fail
- First lesson is overview: [Yes/No]
- Building blocks stack: [Yes/No]
- Learn → Do → Verify pattern: [Yes/No]
- Final lesson triggers completion: [Yes/No]

### Scaffolding: ✅ Pass / ❌ Fail
- Lessons build on previous: [Yes/No]
- Smooth difficulty progression: [Yes/No]
- Concepts before application: [Yes/No]

### Duration: ✅ Pass / ❌ Fail
- Core path ≈ 2 hours: [Actual: X hours]
- Individual lessons appropriate: [Yes/No]
- Pacing balanced: [Yes/No]

### Goal Connection: ✅ Pass / ❌ Fail
- Goal clearly stated: [Yes/No]
- All lessons connect to goal: [Yes/No]
- Goal achieved in final lesson: [Yes/No]

## Issues Found

### Critical Issues (Must Fix)
1. [Issue description]
2. [Issue description]

### Moderate Issues (Should Fix)
1. [Issue description]
2. [Issue description]

### Minor Issues (Nice to Fix)
1. [Issue description]
2. [Issue description]

## Recommendations

1. [Recommendation]
2. [Recommendation]
3. [Recommendation]

## Ready for Next Review Phase

✅ Pedagogy review complete

**Next step:** Use `workshop-review-technical` skill for technical accuracy review.

References

•HOW-TO-BUILD-WORKSHOPS.md - Workshop methodology
•how-we-teach pedagogy - PRIMM, Bloom's, principles
•CONTENT_GUIDELINES.md - Workshop patterns
•.cursor/review-lesson-content.mdc - Lesson review checklist