Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Feynman learning agent skill (feynman-learning)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
feynman-learning is an agent skill that turns a concept, lesson, slide deck or source material into a Feynman-style learning session. It is written for the OpenMAIC classroom environment and is useful for students checking their understanding, teachers designing teach-back lessons, and self-learners who want an explain-then-revise routine. After following this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for a session and what it needs to run.
Feynman Learning CycleTHU-MAIC/OpenMAIC · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the feynman-learning ZIP from the skill page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Confirm the OpenMAIC environment. Make sure the OpenMAIC classroom environment and its stage tools are available, since the skill calls them.
- 5Ask for a teach-back session. Name the concept and, if you have one, attach the lesson or slides, then ask for a teach-back or Feynman-style classroom.
- 6Explain first, then revise. Give your own explanation before any standard answer, then work through the gap questions and rebuild your explanation.
What the feynman-learning skill makes the agent do
The skill builds a multi-step learning cycle around the learner's own explanation rather than the textbook. The learner explains the idea in their own words before seeing any standard answer. The agent then helps find the one or two weakest points in that explanation, and the learner rebuilds it through guided questions.
After that, the learner removes jargon from their explanation, tests an analogy to see where it breaks, and applies the idea to a new situation. The session ends with a learning record and a goal for the next round.
Install the skill from the ZIP or the Claude apps
Option one: download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder to make it available only in that project.
Option two: in the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Ask in plain language for teach-back, learning by explaining, or a Feynman-style classroom. The skill's description lists these triggers, so requests that mention them are the most reliable way to start a session.
Name the concept, and if you have one, paste or attach the lesson, slide deck or source material you want turned into a session.
- "Make a teach-back lesson on photosynthesis from this worksheet."
- "I want to learn by explaining supply and demand. Build a Feynman-style classroom for me."
- "Turn these slides on cell division into a learning-by-explaining session."
What the session looks like
The skill plans the session in roughly seven to nine pages. The first page sets the concept boundary and target audience, then asks you to explain the idea without looking anything up. Later pages ask targeted questions about the gaps the agent found, ask you to explain again with structural hints, remove terms you actually used, test an analogy, and try a new situation.
The skill does not show a list of answers in advance. Standard content is used to check facts, not to replace your first explanation.
- Concept boundary and audience are set first
- Your first explanation comes before any standard definition
- Gaps are limited to one or two at a time
- The final learning record uses your own words and lists what you still cannot explain
Requirements and what the skill depends on
The skill calls OpenMAIC's stage tools (create_stage, set_roster, generate_scene, generate_actions, generate_tts), so it needs the OpenMAIC classroom environment. It also references companion skills /stage-design, /learning-to-learn, /style-clone and /pptx-import. Those companion files are not included in the provided files, so they must be available separately for the full workflow.
Narrated speech actions need text-to-speech audio generation.
- OpenMAIC classroom environment with its stage tools
- Companion skills /stage-design, /learning-to-learn, /style-clone and /pptx-import (not included in the provided files)
- Text-to-speech audio for narrated speech actions
Safety notes on scripts and network access
The skill package contains only SKILL.md. It does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to the item's listing.
Because it relies on OpenMAIC stage tools, the generated classroom is created through those tools rather than by the skill itself. Review what the session produces before sharing it with students.
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Included file: SKILL.md only
Tips and limits to know before you start
The skill states that generated pages cannot diagnose live input dynamically. Each page is static or pre-generated, so it cannot score every sentence you type as you type it. For sentence-by-sentence diagnosis and saving successive versions of your explanation, run the cycle in a working chat and use the classroom pages as the activity skeleton.
Do not use the skill for a general explainer about what the Feynman technique is, or for a quick overview. It produces a multi-page interactive session that takes time to work through.
- Use it for learning a specific concept through explanation
- Expect a multi-page session, not a quick answer
- Use the working chat for live, line-by-line feedback
What people use it for
- A student checks whether they understand a topic by explaining it to a beginner persona.
- A teacher designs a learning-by-explaining lesson from an existing slide deck.
- A self-learner runs an explain-then-revise routine on a difficult concept.
- A teacher builds a teach-back activity with an analogy-testing step.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the feynman-learning skill?
Download the ZIP from the skill page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does feynman-learning require the OpenMAIC environment?
Yes. The skill calls OpenMAIC stage tools such as create_stage, set_roster and generate_scene, so it is written for the OpenMAIC classroom environment.
Is the feynman-learning skill free?
The item is listed under the MIT licence. This guide does not cover pricing for OpenMAIC or other tools the skill depends on.
Does the skill run scripts or use the network?
According to the item's listing, it runs no scripts and uses no network. The package contains only SKILL.md.
Can the skill score my typed answers in real time?
No. The skill itself states that generated pages cannot diagnose live input dynamically. For line-by-line feedback, run the cycle in a working chat and use the classroom pages as the structure.
How is this different from explaining the Feynman technique itself?
The skill is for learning a specific concept through your own explanation. It is not meant for a general explainer about what the Feynman technique is, so ask for that separately.
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Our verdict
Use feynman-learning if you want a structured explain-then-revise session on a specific concept, especially in an OpenMAIC classroom. Pick something else if you only need a quick explanation, a general overview of the Feynman technique, or real-time scoring of every sentence you type.
Download the skill