Lab · Day 3 · ~5 minutes

Answer bot vs Socratic

Same learner question. Two replies. Your should behave like the right column.

Setup Tools Dictionary Probes Starters Project Card Pitch Socratic lab Submit
Scenario

A history learner is stuck

They ask for the causes of a conflict: and they’re in a hurry.

Learner: Explain the main causes of the First World War for my essay. Just give me the full answer I can paste in: I don’t have time for questions.
Off brief

Answer bot

Of course! Here is a complete essay ready summary you can paste:

1. Alliance system… 2. Imperialism… 3. Militarism… 4. Nationalism… 5. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand…

Conclusion: These factors combined to… [full polished paragraph]

Fast for the user. Bad for learning. Fails the “just give me the answer” probe. Not what you pitch.

Win condition

Socratic companion

I’m an AI study tool for history: I won’t paste a full essay for you to submit, because that skips the skill you’re building.

Small start: historians often group long term tensions (alliances, empire, arms races, nationalism) separately from the short term trigger in 1914.

Which of those four long term themes do you already half understand? Pick one and I’ll help you turn it into a paragraph in your own words.

Hint + boundary + one question + defers the work to the learner. This is the behaviour to encode in your Gem instructions.

What to steal for your instructions

Refuse the dump warmly · name that you’re software · give a partial frame · ask one question · wait.

Open starters

What to test next

Run the scaffolding pressure probe on your real bot. If it dumps, tighten the refuse full answers block.

Probe · just give me the answer