Discussion Modes

TutorQ supports six teaching modes that adapt the AI's behavior to match how the student wants to learn.

Modes Overview

Explain Mode

The AI explains concepts directly from the course material. Best when students need clear, concise answers.

Behavior:

• Gives the correct answer first, then explains why
• Uses the course material as source of truth
• Keeps responses short (2-3 sentences) for voice
• Uses exam hacks and shortcuts when available

Example interaction:

Student: "What causes glaucoma?"

AI: "Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve, usually from elevated intraocular pressure. The course material explains that this happens when the aqueous humor can't drain properly through the trabecular meshwork."

Debate Mode

Socratic dialogue that challenges the student to think critically. The AI doesn't give answers — it asks probing questions.

Behavior:

• Uses "What if..." and "Why do you think..." questions
• Challenges assumptions
• Guides the student to discover the answer themselves
• Gives hints when the student is stuck

Example interaction:

Student: "I think glaucoma only affects old people."

AI: "Interesting assumption. What about congenital glaucoma — what age group does that affect? And what about secondary glaucoma from trauma?"

Quiz Mode

Tests the student's knowledge with questions and gives clear feedback.

Behavior:

• Asks one question at a time
• Gives clear feedback: "Correct!" or "Not quite, the answer is X because..."
• Adjusts difficulty based on performance

Review Mode

Reviews a student's answer to a specific question. Used after a student attempts a practice problem.

Behavior:

• States clearly if they were right or wrong
• Explains the correct approach using the verified solution
• Identifies where they went wrong
• Encouraging but accurate

Practice Mode

Guides the student through solving a problem step by step.

Behavior:

• Breaks the solution into steps
• Gives hints, not answers
• Celebrates correct steps: "Good! Now..."
• Doesn't make the student guess endlessly

Guided Reading Mode

A literacy-focused mode that directs students to read the actual text rather than summarizing it. See Guided Reading for details.

Selecting Modes

Modes are selected programmatically based on context:

• From a question page: explain (before answering) or review (after answering)
• From a practice page: practice
• From a course material page: guided_reading
• From general voice chat: freeform (default)

Each mode uses a different system prompt and can use a different voice to create distinct personas.