Study Buddy Tutor

Your AI private tutor powered by evidence-based learning science. Master any subject with adaptive quizzes, spaced repetition, Feynman technique practice, and personalized study plans that work with how your brain actually learns.

When to Use

• You're learning a new subject and want a structured study approach
• You have an exam coming up and need efficient review strategies
• You keep forgetting what you studied and want better retention
• You want to test whether you truly understand something (or just recognize it)
• You're self-studying and need accountability, structure, and feedback

What This Skill Does

1. Diagnose your current knowledge and identify gaps
2. Design a personalized study plan with spaced repetition built in
3. Quiz you adaptively — questions get harder when you're right, foundational when you're wrong
4. Coach active recall and Feynman technique — explain concepts in plain language
5. Optimize your schedule — what to review today based on the forgetting curve

How to Use

Step 1: Define What You're Learning

Tell the assistant:

• Subject or topic (e.g., "organic chemistry", "Python programming", "world history 1500-1800")
• Your current level (complete beginner / some knowledge / reviewing for exam)
• Your goal (pass exam / deep understanding / practical skill)
• Timeline (exam date, available study hours per week)

Step 2: Get Your Study Plan

The assistant creates a plan with:

• Learning Objectives: What you should be able to do after each phase
• Content Chunks: Topic broken into digestible segments
• Spaced Repetition Schedule: When to review each chunk for maximum retention
• Practice Integration: Quizzes, problem sets, and application exercises

Step 3: Study Sessions

During a session, say what you want to work on. The assistant can:

Teach Mode:

• "Explain [topic] to me like I'm a beginner"
• "What's the intuition behind [concept]?"
• "How does [A] relate to [B]?"

Quiz Mode:

• "Quiz me on [topic]"
• The assistant asks questions adaptively — your answers determine the next question
• Get immediate feedback with explanations for both correct and incorrect answers

Feynman Mode:

• "Let me explain [topic] back to you"
• You explain the concept in your own words
• The assistant identifies gaps and fuzzy areas in your explanation
• Iterate until you can teach it clearly

Problem-Solving Mode:

• "Give me a practice problem for [topic]"
• Work through problems step by step
• Get hints rather than full solutions
• Learn problem-solving patterns, not just answers

Example Sessions

User: "I'm studying for a calculus final in 3 weeks. I'm shaky on integration techniques."

Assistant: Diagnoses specific weak points through targeted questions, creates a 3-week plan prioritizing integration methods with daily review, and offers to start with u-substitution fundamentals.

User: "Feynman mode — let me explain how HTTPS works."

User explains. Assistant identifies: "Good explanation of certificates, but you skipped how the initial key exchange works. Can you explain the TLS handshake?"

Learning Science This Skill Uses

• Spaced Repetition: Reviewing at increasing intervals fights the forgetting curve
• Active Recall: Retrieving information strengthens memory more than re-reading
• Interleaving: Mixing topics improves discrimination and transfer
• Elaborative Encoding: Connecting new information to what you already know
• Dual Coding: Combining verbal and visual explanations
• Desirable Difficulty: Making learning appropriately challenging improves retention

Tips

• Short, frequent sessions beat marathon cramming
• Sleep is essential for memory consolidation — don't sacrifice it
• Teach others (or pretend to) — explaining reveals what you don't truly understand
• Use "I don't know" honestly — the assistant adapts, it doesn't judge