Methodology
Backward Design, Bloom, Feynman, mastery gates, and spiral review.
This course is a learning system, not a pile of readings, labs, and exams.
Backward Design → Bloom’s Taxonomy → Learn / Practice / Test / Reflect → Mastery → Spiral Review
The Feynman Technique is a required section in every lesson: not an optional study tip.
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Course Overview | What the class teaches and why it matters |
| Syllabus | Expectations, schedule, grading, policies, required tools |
| Course Outcomes | What the student should be able to do by the end |
| Prerequisite Assessment | Determine what the student already knows |
| Modules (Units) | Major subject areas in logical progression |
| Lessons (Classes) | Small focused learning units within each module |
| Reading / Reference | Background knowledge and deeper explanations |
| Worked Examples | Show how concepts are actually applied |
| Practice Exercises | Low-risk repetition before grading |
| Homework / Projects | Apply concepts independently |
| Quizzes | Frequent knowledge / retrieval checks |
| Module Gates | Verify mastery of the module |
| Midterm / Milestone | Integrate several modules |
| Final Capstone | Demonstrate complete course mastery |
| Review / Remediation | Re-teach weak areas |
| Final Reflection | Explain what was learned and how concepts connect |
Every part maps back to course learning outcomes.
We do not start with “What lessons should we make?”
We start with: What should the student be capable of doing when this course is finished?
Final outcome: Student can design, build, operate, troubleshoot, and verify a private homelab that includes Dockerized services, ARR media automation (authorized content only), Home Assistant automations, a local voice pipeline, and guarded workflow automation: with evidence in a verification matrix.
Working backward produces the modules:
| Module | Topics | Capability unlocked |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Infrastructure | virtualization, compose, networking, ops, IPv4 | Virtualize, compose, network, operate, and address hosts |
| 2: ARR media | prowlarr flow, TRaSH profiles, config automation | Request → search → download → import with quality policy |
| 3: Home Assistant | foundations, automations, secure remote | Entities, automations, and secure remote access |
| 4: Local voice | architecture, Whisper/Piper, private speaker | Stage-by-stage local STT/TTS to private speaker |
| 5: Workflow automation | n8n guarded automation | n8n digests and approval-gated agent actions |
| Capstone | Final | End-to-end verification matrix |
Every module (and every class) follows:
Orient → Recall → Learn → Demonstrate → Guided Practice → Independent Practice → Feynman → Apply → Assess → Feedback → Reflect
The curriculum is module-first under pack/modules/. Each topic is split into separate activities:
| Activity | File | Chain role |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | reading.md |
Learn (instruction, vocab, worked example) |
| Lesson | lesson.md |
Orient / prior check / guided practice / Feynman / reflect |
| Lab | lab.md |
Practice (guided lab + break/fix + lab gate) |
| Homework | homework.md |
Apply independently with evidence |
| Quiz | quiz.md |
Test / retrieval (≥80% target) |
Each module also has project.md, module-quiz.md, exam.md, and remediation.md.
Pattern inside practice: I do → We do → You do.
Every lesson includes Teach it back:
| Step | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Explain | Describe today’s concept in your own words |
| Simplify | Explain it to a 12-year-old (define any jargon) |
| Example | Give your own real-world analogy |
| Weak spot | What part could you not explain clearly? |
| Retry | Restudy that section and rewrite the explanation |
Self-report “I understood” is not accepted as evidence of understanding.
Answers save in this browser (localStorage). Completing all five fields is part of the mastery unlock.
| Assessment | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Prior-knowledge check | Activate / diagnose |
| Feynman teach-back | Understanding |
| Guided + independent practice | Application |
| Retrieval check | Retention |
| Guided lab + break/fix | Skill under stress |
| Practical gate | Mastery unlock |
| Module / stage gate | Integrated skill |
| Capstone | Real-world application |
| Final reflection | Metacognition + connections |
Do not advance because you clicked Next.
Default unlock rule per class:
If not met: Feedback → targeted review → new practice → reassessment.
Earlier modules stay alive in later ones.
Examples:
Learn → See → Practice → Explain → Apply → Test → Correct → Revisit → Master