Six steps to mastery, every lesson.

Every ArthurAI^™ lesson follows the same six-step structure. The structure isn't arbitrary — it traces from the cognitive-load research and worked-example research into a generative pattern the AI can produce reliably and the educator can review quickly.

1. 1

   Introduction

   Prompt key: lesson_introduction

   The Introduction sets context and orients the learner. It states what the lesson is about, where it sits in the broader curriculum, and what the learner will be able to do at the end. It is short on purpose — front-loading too much content here violates cognitive-load principles. The Introduction adapts to the learner's LCP: more big-picture for global learners, more step-preview for sequential learners.

2. 2

   Key Concepts

   Prompt key: lesson_key_concepts

   The Key Concepts step names the core ideas the learner needs to engage with the rest of the lesson. Three to five concepts maximum. Each concept gets a one-sentence definition and a one-sentence relevance statement. This step is the ground floor — every later step assumes it.

3. 3

   Detailed Explanation

   Prompt key: lesson_detailed_explanation

   The Detailed Explanation is where the lesson does its real teaching work. Worked examples, derivations, structured exposition, diagrams (sanitized through the Mermaid validator before display), math (validated through the KaTeX renderer). Format weighting reflects the learner's LCP — more visual for visual-leaning learners, more verbal exposition for verbal-leaning learners.

4. 4

   Practice Questions

   Prompt key: lesson_practice_questions

   The Practice Questions step gives the learner active engagement with the concepts. The questions are tied to the lesson scope and labeled by the competency they test. The AI tutor is intentionally disabled during practice questions so it cannot write the answer for the learner. The educator sees the practice-question performance roll up to faculty analytics.

5. 5

   Real-World Applications

   Prompt key: lesson_real_world

   The Real-World Applications step grounds the concepts in concrete contexts the learner can recognize. For a younger learner, this might be a familiar everyday situation; for a higher-ed or vocational learner, an industry or research context. The step matters because applied connection is the strongest signal that the learner has actually understood, not just performed.

6. 6

   Summary

   Prompt key: lesson_summary

   The Summary recaps the key takeaways and review points. It is short, scannable, and structured so the learner can return to it before an assessment. Summaries become the spine of spaced-practice review later in the program.