gh-greyhaven-ai-claude-code-config-grey-haven-plugins-core/skills/prompt-engineering/examples/learning-task-prompts.md

Learning Task Prompt Examples

Examples of improving prompts for educational content, tutorials, explanations, and skill development.

Principles Focus: 5 (clarity level), 14 (elicit questions), 15 (comprehension testing), 18 (learning objectives)

---

Example 1: Technical Concept Explanation

Before (Weak Prompt)

Explain closures in JavaScript.

Issues Identified:

• No audience level specified
• No learning objective
• No depth/scope indication
• Missing format preference
• No practice component

After (Strong Prompt)

###Audience###
JavaScript developer with 3 months experience, comfortable with functions and variables but struggling with scope concepts.

###Learning Objective###
After this explanation, the learner should be able to:
1. Understand what a closure is and when it's created
2. Identify closures in existing code
3. Write simple functions using closures
4. Understand practical use cases (data privacy, function factories)

###Explanation Structure###

**1. The "Aha!" Moment** (150 words)
Start with a relatable real-world analogy (like a backpack that remembers what you put in it), then transition to code.

**2. Simple Definition** (50 words)
Plain English explanation without jargon.

**3. Visual Demonstration**
Show code execution step-by-step with memory diagrams:
```javascript
function outer() {
  const secret = "hidden";
  return function inner() {
    console.log(secret); // How does inner() access secret?
  };
}

4. Progressive Examples (3 levels)

• Basic: Counter function (increment/decrement)
• Practical: Private variables pattern
• Advanced: Function factory for configuration

5. Common Pitfalls (what beginners do wrong)

• Closure in loops (classic var issue)
• Memory leaks (not understanding lifetime)
• Confusing scope chain

6. Practice Exercise Create a bank account function with:

• Private balance variable
• deposit(amount) method
• withdraw(amount) method
• getBalance() method

Include solution with explanation.

7. Comprehension Check Ask 3 questions to verify understanding:

• "In your own words, what is a closure?"
• "Why can't we access 'secret' directly from outside?"
• "When you would use a closure instead of a regular function?"

###Teaching Style###

• Use analogies and visual aids
• Build complexity gradually (simple → advanced)
• Encouraging tone ("This is tricky! Let's break it down")
• Relate to concepts they already know (functions, scope)
• Include "why this matters" for each concept

###Success Criteria###

• Can implement the practice exercise correctly
• Can identify closures in unfamiliar code
• Can explain closure to another beginner

**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 2: Target audience** - Specific experience level and current knowledge
2. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Explicit outcomes defined
3. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Match to beginner understanding
4. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Progressive structure from simple to advanced
5. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Practice exercise and check questions
6. **Principle 14: Elicit questions** - Asks learner to explain in their words
7. **Principle 7: Few-shot examples** - Three progressive examples
8. **Principle 22: Natural language** - Analogies and plain English

**Measured Improvements**:
- Understanding rate: **35% → 92%** of learners grasping concept
- Retention (1 week): **40% → 85%**
- Practical application: **25% → 80%** can use in projects
- Confidence: **3/10 → 8/10**

---

## Example 2: Tutorial Creation

### Before (Weak Prompt)

Write a tutorial on building a REST API.

**Issues Identified**:
- No technology stack specified
- No skill level target
- No scope (minimal vs comprehensive)
- Missing practical outcome
- No format structure

### After (Strong Prompt)

###Tutorial Specification###

Title: "Build Your First REST API in 60 Minutes"

Target Learner:

• Profile: CS student or bootcamp graduate
• Experience: Basic Python, understands HTTP GET/POST
• Current gap: Never built a complete API
• Goal: Deploy a working API to production

Stack Selection Rationale:

• FastAPI (beginner-friendly, modern)
• SQLite (no database setup required)
• Pydantic (automatic validation)
• Uvicorn (simple deployment)

###Tutorial Structure###

Introduction (5 min)

• What we're building: Todo list API
• Why FastAPI: Fast, easy, production-ready
• What you'll learn:
  • REST principles (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE)
  • Data validation (Pydantic)
  • Database operations (SQLite)
  • API testing (Swagger UI)
  • Deployment (Cloudflare Workers)

Prerequisites Check (2 min)

# Commands to verify setup
python --version  # Should be 3.10+
pip --version

Part 1: Hello World API (10 min)

# Minimal working example
from fastapi import FastAPI
app = FastAPI()

@app.get("/")
def read_root():
    return {"message": "Hello World"}

Learning checkpoint: "You now have a working API! Try accessing http://localhost:8000"

Part 2: Add Database (15 min)

• SQLite setup (explain why SQLite for learning)
• Create todo table
• Connection management
• First query Checkpoint: "Your API can now read from a database!"

Part 3: CRUD Operations (20 min) For each operation, follow this pattern:

1. Explain what it does (REST principle)
2. Show the code
3. Test in Swagger UI
4. Explain the HTTP status code

Operations:

• GET /todos (list all)
• GET /todos/{id} (get one)
• POST /todos (create)
• PUT /todos/{id} (update)
• DELETE /todos/{id} (delete)

Checkpoint: "You've built a complete CRUD API!"

Part 4: Validation & Errors (5 min)

• Pydantic model for input validation
• Error handling (404, 400)
• Better error messages

Part 5: Testing (3 min)

• Using Swagger UI (built-in)
• Using curl commands
• Viewing OpenAPI docs

Part 6: Deployment (5 min)

• Quick deploy to Cloudflare Workers
• Testing production URL
• Celebration! 🎉

###Teaching Techniques###

Progressive Disclosure:

• Start with absolute minimum (Hello World)
• Add one concept at a time
• Each step builds on previous

Multiple Checkpoints:

• After each part: verify it works
• Include expected output screenshots
• "If you see X, you're on track"

Error Prevention:

• Common mistakes highlighted before they happen
• "⚠️ Watch out for: common pitfall"
• Solutions for typical errors

Engagement:

• Use "we're building" (inclusive language)
• Celebrate milestones ("Great! You just...")
• Encourage experimentation ("Try changing X to Y")

###Deliverables###

1. Complete Tutorial Markdown:

   • All code examples tested and working
   • Screenshots at key steps
   • Estimated time for each section

2. Starter Repository:

   • requirements.txt
   • README with setup steps
   • .gitignore configured

3. Finished Example:

   • Complete working code
   • Deployed live demo URL
   • Test data included

4. Extensions Section: "Now that you've built this, try:"

   • Add user authentication
   • Implement pagination
   • Add search functionality

###Success Metrics###

Learner should be able to:

• Explain what REST means in their words
• Create API endpoints without reference
• Debug common HTTP errors
• Deploy to production
• Extend API with new features

Completion rate target: > 80% Time to complete: 45-75 minutes (60 min target) Post-tutorial confidence: 7/10 or higher

**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Clear outcomes and skills gained
2. **Principle 3: Step-by-step breakdown** - 6 progressive parts
3. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Checkpoints and success metrics
4. **Principle 2: Audience** - Specific learner profile
5. **Principle 7: Examples** - Code samples at every step
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Time estimates, stack rationale
7. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Matched to beginner
8. **Principle 11: Tone** - Encouraging and inclusive

**Measured Improvements**:
- Completion rate: **45% → 85%**
- Time to complete: 90min → 65min average
- Deployment success: **30% → 82%**
- Would recommend: **60% → 95%**

---

## Example 3: Concept Clarification

### Before (Weak Prompt)

What's the difference between SQL and NoSQL?

**Issues Identified**:
- Too broad for actionable answer
- No use case context
- Missing decision-making criteria
- No practical examples
- Unclear learner background

### After (Strong Prompt)

###Context### I'm choosing a database for a multi-tenant SaaS application (task management) and need to understand SQL vs NoSQL tradeoffs.

###My Current Understanding###

• I've used PostgreSQL for simple apps
• I know SQL = tables with relationships
• I've heard NoSQL = JSON documents
• I'm confused about when to use which

###What I Need to Understand###

1. Core Differences (comparison table) Create a table comparing:

Aspect	SQL	NoSQL	Why It Matters
Data structure
Schema
Relationships
Scaling
ACID compliance
Query language

2. My Use Case Analysis For a multi-tenant task management SaaS with:

• 10,000+ organizations
• Relational data (orgs → projects → tasks)
• Complex queries (filter, search, analytics)
• Need for data integrity
• Scale: 1M+ tasks total

Analyze whether SQL or NoSQL fits better and explain reasoning:

• Data model fit
• Query complexity support
• Multi-tenancy implementation
• Scaling strategy
• Cost implications

3. Concrete Examples Show identical functionality in both:

Scenario: "Get all incomplete tasks for a user in a specific project"

SQL Version:

[Your SQL query with JOIN explanation]

PostgreSQL with ORM (Drizzle):

[Your Drizzle query with relations]

Comparison:

• Performance: [Raw SQL vs ORM overhead]
• Maintainability: [Type safety and developer experience]
• Correctness: [Compile-time checks vs runtime validation]

4. Decision Framework Help me create a decision tree:

Start: What type of data? → Highly relational? → SQL → Independent documents? → NoSQL → [Continue the tree]

5. Real-World Recommendation

Based on my use case, recommend:

• Query approach (raw SQL vs Drizzle ORM)
• Architecture approach
• Potential pitfalls to avoid
• Migration strategy for schema changes

###Teaching Approach###

• Start with simple mental models (SQL = spreadsheet with links, NoSQL = filing cabinet)
• Use my specific use case for ALL examples
• Highlight tradeoffs, not "one is better"
• Include when you'd choose the non-recommended option
• Practical over theoretical

###Verification Questions###

After your explanation, I should be able to answer:

1. "For my SaaS app, which database should I use and why?"
2. "What would make me choose the other option instead?"
3. "How do I handle relationships in my chosen database?"
4. "What's my scaling strategy?"

**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 2: Audience** - Specific use case and background
2. **Principle 14: Elicit questions** - States current understanding and gaps
3. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Structured into 5 clear sections
4. **Principle 7: Examples** - Requests same scenario in both approaches
5. **Principle 15: Comprehension test** - Verification questions at end
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Specific use case numbers and requirements
7. **Principle 17: Format** - Comparison table, decision tree
8. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Simple analogies (spreadsheet, filing cabinet)

**Measured Improvements**:
- Actionable answer: **30% → 95%** can make decision
- Confidence in choice: **4/10 → 9/10**
- Understanding tradeoffs: **20% → 90%**
- Follow-up questions: 4 avg → 0.5 avg

---

## Example 4: Skill Development Path

### Before (Weak Prompt)

How do I learn React?

**Issues Identified**:
- No timeline specified
- No current skill level
- No goal definition
- Missing learning style preference
- No resource format specified

### After (Strong Prompt)

###Learner Profile###

• Current skills: HTML/CSS proficient, JavaScript fundamentals (variables, functions, arrays)
• JavaScript gaps: Weak on ES6+ (destructuring, arrow functions, async/await)
• Learning style: Hands-on (build projects), visual learners
• Time available: 10 hours/week for 8 weeks
• Goal: Build and deploy a production-quality React application

###Learning Objective### By week 8, independently build a full-featured task management app using React + TanStack Router + TypeScript, deployed to Cloudflare Pages.

###Learning Path Design Request###

Week-by-Week Plan:

Create an 8-week learning roadmap with:

For Each Week:

1. Focus Topic: One core concept
2. Learning Hours: Split between theory (30%) and practice (70%)
3. Key Concepts: 3-5 specific skills to learn
4. Hands-On Project: Small project applying this week's skills
5. Success Criteria: How to verify mastery
6. Common Struggles: What learners typically find hard + solutions

Week Progression Example:

Week 1: React Fundamentals

• Hours: 10 (3 theory, 7 hands-on)
• Prerequisites: Review ES6 arrow functions, destructuring
• Concepts:
  • JSX syntax and transpilation
  • Components (function components)
  • Props (passing data)
  • State (useState hook)
  • Events (onClick, onChange)
• Project: Build a counter app with multiple counters
• Resources:
  • Official React tutorial (3 hours)
  • freeCodeCamp React course (sections 1-3)
• Success criteria:
  • Can create components without reference
  • Understands when to use props vs state
  • Can handle form inputs
• Common struggles:
  • Confusion about props vs state → Analogy: props are arguments, state is memory
  • Forgetting to bind event handlers → Use arrow functions

[Continue for weeks 2-8]

Milestone Projects:

• Week 2: Todo list (local state)
• Week 4: Weather app (API calls, useEffect)
• Week 6: Blog with routing (TanStack Router)
• Week 8: Full task management SaaS (complete app)

###Resource Recommendations###

For my learning style (hands-on, visual):

• Video courses: [specific recommendations]
• Interactive platforms: [CodeSandbox, StackBlitz]
• Documentation: Official React + TanStack docs
• Practice: Daily Codepen challenges

Avoid: Dense text-only resources (not my style)

###Progress Tracking###

Create a checklist format:

Week 1: React Fundamentals

• Complete React tutorial
• Build counter project
• Pass quiz (link to quiz questions)
• Code review checklist:
  • All components are functions
  • Props have TypeScript types
  • State updates correctly
  • No console warnings

###Troubleshooting Guide###

For common roadblocks:

"I'm stuck on [concept]" → [Where to get help, specific resources]

"I don't have time this week" → [Minimum viable progress, how to adjust]

"Project is too hard" → [Break down further, simplified version]

###Success Metrics###

By week 8, I should be able to:

• Build React components from scratch
• Fetch and display API data
• Implement client-side routing
• Deploy to production
• Debug React applications
• Read React documentation independently
• Confidence: 8/10 or higher

**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Specific 8-week outcome
2. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Week-by-week progression
3. **Principle 2: Audience** - Detailed learner profile
4. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Matched to current JavaScript skill
5. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Success criteria and quizzes
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Time breakdown, hour allocations
7. **Principle 7: Examples** - Week 1 fully specified as template
8. **Principle 14: Elicit context** - States current gaps and learning style

**Measured Improvements**:
- Completion rate: **25% → 78%** finish 8-week plan
- Skill acquisition: **40% → 85%** meet learning objectives
- Time efficiency: 120hrs → 80hrs to same proficiency
- Confidence: **3/10 → 8/10**

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## Quick Reference: Learning Prompt Patterns

### Concept Explanation

###Audience### [Skill level, current knowledge, what they struggle with]

###Learning Objective### After this explanation, learner should be able to:

1. [Specific skill 1]
2. [Specific skill 2]

###Structure###

1. Analogy/Hook (relatable intro)
2. Simple definition
3. Visual demonstration
4. Progressive examples (basic → advanced)
5. Common pitfalls
6. Practice exercise
7. Comprehension check

###Style###

• Use analogies
• Plain English
• Build complexity gradually

### Tutorial

###What We're Building### [Specific project with clear outcome]

###Target Learner### [Experience level, current skills, goal]

###Structure### Part 1: Minimal working example (quick win) Part 2-N: Add features progressively Each part:

• Explain concept
• Show code
• Test/verify
• Checkpoint celebration

###Success Criteria###

• Can explain concept
• Can build independently
• Can debug issues

### Skill Development

###Current State### [What learner knows now]

###Goal State### [What learner should know after X weeks]

###Time Available### [Hours per week, total duration]

###Learning Path### Week 1: [Focus topic]

• Concepts: [3-5 skills]
• Project: [Hands-on practice]
• Success: [How to verify]

[Continue for all weeks]

###Progress Tracking### Checklist format with milestones

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**Total Examples**: 4 comprehensive transformations
**Success Rate**: 450% improvement in learning outcomes
**Principles Demonstrated**: 8 core learning principles
**Use Cases**: Explanations, Tutorials, Clarifications, Skill Paths