# AI Teacher Team: Generating Full Interactive Courses from a Single Prompt > A comprehensive guide to generating interactive courses with OpenMAIC: multi-agent classrooms, digital simulations, PPTX/HTML exports, and Codex automation. Creating a comprehensive educational course traditionally demands a coordinated team of specialists: an instructional designer to map out the curriculum, a copywriter to author lesson scripts, a visual designer to format slides, an engineer to code interactive exercises, and an instructor to deliver lectures. The **OpenMAIC (Open Multi-Agent Interactive Classroom)** platform consolidates this entire production pipeline into an integrated multi-agent architecture. By supplying a baseline prompt or uploading existing documentation (PDFs, presentations, audio lectures, or video recordings), a coordinated team of AI agents designs the pedagogical storyline, synthesizes narrated multimedia lectures, configures comprehension quizzes, and deploys browser-native interactive simulations. --- ## 1. What is OpenMAIC: Concept and Core Capabilities OpenMAIC is an open-source platform engineered for generating and hosting interactive learning experiences through the coordinated synergy of autonomous AI agents. ### 1.1. Differences from Traditional Slide Generators Unlike conventional tools that merely output static slide decks or monolithic markdown summaries, OpenMAIC spins up an interactive virtual classroom: - **Multi-Agent Environment:** The classroom experience is facilitated by multiple distinct AI personas (lead instructor, teaching assistant, virtual classmates). - **Synchronized Voice Narration:** Integrated text-to-speech (TTS) engines deliver realistic spoken lectures, dynamically highlighting formulas and diagrams with a synchronized pointer. - **Bi-Directional Dialogue:** Learners can pause lectures at any point to ask questions via voice or text and actively participate in group discussions. - **In-Browser Code Execution & Simulations:** Hands-on labs run directly inside the browser viewport with zero local dependencies or software installation required. ### 1.2. Available Architecture Modes for Course Creation The platform accommodates distinct workflow requirements through two operational approaches: 1. **Classic Mode (Rapid Generation):** Generates a complete structured course in 1–3 minutes from a single prompt or batch of uploaded reference files. 2. **Agent Workbench (Pro Mode):** An iterative conversational design workspace powered by an AI curriculum designer, allowing granular modifications to individual scenes, quizzes, or visual assets via natural language commands. --- ## 2. Two-Stage Course Generation Architecture from a Single Prompt OpenMAIC enforces a two-stage operational pipeline to maintain rigorous pedagogical standards and thematic continuity. ### 2.1. Stage 1: Structuring the Syllabus and Pedagogical Plan The system analyzes the user prompt or reference files, decomposing the subject domain into sequential modules adhering to the principle of scaffolded learning. Sample input prompt: ```text Create an introductory personal finance course for beginners. Requirements: 5 lessons progressing from foundational concepts to personal budgeting. Include comprehension quizzes and practical assignments for each module. ``` During this initial stage, the platform produces an actionable syllabus roadmap: 1. Foundations of Personal Finance and Wealth Mindsets. 2. Income, Expense Auditing, and Identifying Cash Leaks. 3. Constructing a Bulletproof Monthly Budget. 4. Emergency Funds and Asset Protection Strategies. 5. Capstone Interactive Workshop: Stress-Testing Your Personal Budget. ### 2.2. Stage 2: Synthesizing Learning Scenes and Interactive Content Once the pedagogical blueprint is confirmed, OpenMAIC deploys parallel subagents for each module. Rather than generating plain text, each topic is translated into structured learning scenes: lecture slides, question trees, runnable code scripts, and hands-on simulation environments. --- ## 3. Modular Learning Content Formats OpenMAIC supports a diverse portfolio of educational modalities, blending them into a cohesive, sequential curriculum. ### 3.1. Multimedia Slides and Voice Narration Lecture slides feature rich typographic layout, vector diagrams, LaTeX-rendered mathematical formulas, and contextual illustrations. The AI instructor delivers natural voice commentary while illuminating active concepts with an animated digital laser pointer. ### 3.2. Adaptive Quizzes and Automated Knowledge Checks Formative assessment modules verify subject comprehension throughout the course: - Single-select multiple-choice questions; - Multi-select verification exercises; - Open-ended short-answer prompts evaluated by an LLM for semantic accuracy and depth. ### 3.3. Interactive HTML Scenes and Digital Simulations To replace passive reading with experiential learning, OpenMAIC generates standalone HTML5/JavaScript applets: dynamic parametric charts, physical sandbox models, and real-time business calculators. ### 3.4. Project-Based Learning (PBL) Under the PBL framework, the learner assumes an active professional role (such as a Chief Financial Officer or Junior Data Analyst) and navigates multi-step enterprise challenges alongside synthetic teammates. Typical lesson flow inside an OpenMAIC classroom: ```mermaid flowchart TD Intro["1. Theoretical Introduction"] --> Slides["2. Voice-Narrated Multimedia Slides"] Slides --> Quiz["3. Comprehension Assessment / Quiz"] Quiz --> Sim["4. Interactive Simulation / HTML Lab"] Sim --> Debate["5. Group Discussion with AI Classmates"] Debate --> Project["6. Capstone Practical Project"] ``` --- ## 4. Multi-Agent Collaboration: AI Instructors and Classmates The platform's standout differentiator is its ability to simulate an authentic, collaborative classroom environment. ### 4.1. Role-Based Formats in the Virtual Classroom Multiple autonomous agents populate the virtual room, each assigned specific pedagogical behaviors and knowledge thresholds: | Agent Role | Classroom Responsibility | Behavioral Pattern | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Primary Instructor** | Conceptual exposition, slide narration | Structured delivery, adjusts pacing to learner feedback | | **AI Classmates (Peers)** | Participating in debates, modeling common hurdles | Ask clarifying questions, help demystify complex jargon | | **Debate Opponent** | Generating alternative perspectives | Presents critical counterarguments to stimulate debate | | **Teaching Assistant (TA)** | Practical support during hands-on exercises | Provides real-time code hints and debugging tips | Interaction modalities include **Classroom Discussion** (spontaneous multi-agent banter), **Roundtable Debate** (formal intellectual debates on polarizing topics), and **Q&A Mode** (one-on-one office hour consultations). ### 4.2. Collaborative Interactive Whiteboard AI agents share access to a collaborative digital whiteboard. They draw dependency graphs, write step-by-step mathematical proofs, and generate system architecture diagrams in real time while speaking. --- ## 5. Deep Interactive Mode: Experiential Learning Through Practice For mathematically complex and engineering-heavy subjects, OpenMAIC provides Deep Interactive Mode. ### 5.1. Five Categories of Applied Interactive Content This mode unlocks five distinct interactive modules: 1. **3D Visualizations:** Inspecting spatial structures, molecular models, and mechanical assemblies. 2. **Physics & Financial Simulators:** Adjusting variables via interactive sliders with instant recalculation. 3. **Educational Mini-Games:** Gamified mechanics designed to reinforce rules, grammar, or algorithmic steps. 4. **Interactive Mind Maps:** Conceptual knowledge graphs allowing users to expand and collapse subtopics. 5. **In-Browser Code Sandboxes:** Writing, running, and debugging Python, JavaScript, or SQL directly inside the lesson. ### 5.2. Responsive Design and Cross-Device Support All generated interactive scenes automatically adapt across screen resolutions, providing smooth touch gestures on mobile devices and keyboard shortcuts on desktop monitors. --- ## 6. Generating Courses from Custom Knowledge Bases OpenMAIC eliminates the need to author courses purely from scratch by transforming proprietary enterprise documentation into interactive curricula. ### 6.1. Supported File Formats: Documents, Audio, and Video The ingestion engine accepts an extensive range of source materials: - Documents: `PDF`, `DOCX`, `TXT`, `Markdown`; - Tabular Data: `XLSX`, `CSV`; - Slide Decks: `PPTX`; - Media: Audio lectures (`MP3`, `WAV`) and video files (`MP4`). For audiovisual content, the system performs speech-to-text transcription and keyframe visual extraction. ### 6.2. Ingesting and Querying Extracted Text in Agent Workbench Within the Agent Workbench, ingested materials are indexed semantically. The AI curriculum agent cites exact paragraphs from reference textbooks, preserves original schematic drawings, and links outputs back to original source pages. --- ## 7. Operational Mode Comparison: Classic Mode vs Agent Workbench Choose between Classic Mode and the Agent Workbench depending on your requirements for speed versus granular control: | Evaluation Metric | Classic Mode (Rapid) | Agent Workbench (Pro Mode) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Generation Speed** | 1–3 minutes (fully automated) | Step-by-step conversational iteration | | **Customization Depth** | Global parameters and topic scope | Granular control over every slide, script, and quiz | | **Skill Integration** | Automated end-to-end pipeline | 20 specialized Skills (Research, Code, Slides) | | **Media & PPTX Import** | Static one-off ingestion | Interactive querying, rearranging, and asset remixing | | **Session Persistence** | Single export pass | Server-backed persistent sessions with undo history | ### 7.1. Rapid Automated Pipeline (Classic Mode) Ideal for rapid prototyping or quick overviews: input a one-sentence topic or upload a handbook, and the platform delivers a turn-key interactive classroom ready for immediate consumption. ### 7.2. Conversational Environment with 20 Skills (Agent Workbench / Pro Mode) In Pro Mode, collaborate with the agent as an executive instructional producer: ```text Add an applied lab module before the final exam. Simplify the mathematical explanation of Ohm's Law in module 3. Convert this static summary slide into an interactive circuit simulator. ``` --- ## 8. Deployment Options and Platform Setup OpenMAIC can be launched as a cloud-hosted web service or hosted on private on-premise infrastructure. ### 8.1. Cloud-Hosted Experience (Hosted Mode) The most frictionless path: obtain an Access Code from the hosted service and authenticate your client application without managing local servers. ### 8.2. Local Deployment on Self-Hosted Infrastructure For strict data governance, deploy the platform entirely within your own infrastructure. Prerequisites: - **Node.js:** version 22.19 or later; - **Package Manager:** `pnpm` 10+; - API credentials for at least one supported AI provider. Installation steps: ```bash # Clone the repository and enter directory git clone https://github.com/THU-MAIC/OpenMAIC.git cd OpenMAIC # Install project dependencies pnpm install # Configure environment variables cp .env.example .env.local ``` Open `.env.local` and configure your API key: ```bash OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-proj-your-secret-key" ``` Start the development server: ```bash pnpm dev ``` Once initialized, access the OpenMAIC web interface locally at `http://localhost:3000`. --- ## 9. Integrating OpenMAIC via Codex, OpenClaw, and Autonomous Agents OpenMAIC ships with native support for the **SKILL.md** standard, empowering developer AI agents to orchestrate course production autonomously. ### 9.1. Implementing the SKILL.md Standard in Codex and DeepSeek In Codex, import the `skills/openmaic/` directory from the official repository. The agent automatically learns platform operations, initiates local dev instances, and compiles classrooms from concise chat prompts: ```text Teach me quantum physics in an interactive OpenMAIC classroom ``` ### 9.2. Messaging Integrations via OpenClaw (Slack, Discord, Telegram) Within the OpenClaw ecosystem, install the skill with a single terminal command: ```bash clawhub install openmaic ``` This enables teams to launch courses, generate interactive widgets, and distribute join links directly within team channels in Slack, Discord, or Telegram. --- ## 10. Supported LLMs and Multi-Model Workload Distribution OpenMAIC decouples platform orchestration from underlying model providers, supporting commercial APIs and local open weights alike. ### 10.1. Optimal Model Selection for Core Educational Tasks | Task in OpenMAIC | Recommended Model | Strengths and Considerations | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Curriculum Planning & Syllabus** | Gemini 2.5 Pro / Claude 3.7 Sonnet | Superior pedagogical reasoning across complex domains | | **High-Volume Slide Drafting** | Gemini 2.0 Flash / GPT-4o-mini | Blazing inference speed at minimal per-token API cost | | **Interactive Code & Simulations** | Claude 3.7 Sonnet / DeepSeek-V3 | High-precision HTML5/JavaScript syntax generation | | **Voice Synthesis (TTS)** | ElevenLabs / OpenAI TTS / Lemonade | Natural human pacing, intonations, and pronunciation | ### 10.2. Multi-Model Architecture: Service-Level Specialization OpenMAIC allows routing sub-tasks to specialized models: DeepSeek or Qwen for lesson copy, FLUX or DALL-E 3 for diagram generation, ElevenLabs for voice synthesis, and Perplexity or Tavily for live fact verification. --- ## 11. Exporting and Distributing Finished Courses Courses are never locked into the proprietary interface: OpenMAIC supports four universal export pipelines. ### 11.1. Editable PowerPoint (.pptx) Slides export into native PowerPoint files preserving vector shapes, editable text frames, formulas, and high-resolution images for offline human editing. ### 11.2. Standalone Interactive Pages (Interactive HTML) Interactive simulations and 3D scenes export as self-contained web packages that run in modern web browsers without internet connectivity. ### 11.3. Comprehensive Course Archive (Classroom ZIP) Packages the complete course syllabus, media files, narration audio, and interactive modules into a single bundle suitable for backups or deployment to other OpenMAIC instances. ### 11.4. Video Export Capabilities (MP4) Exporting full video lectures utilizes a background rendering service powered by headless Chromium and FFmpeg, capturing slide transitions, audio tracks, and laser cursor tracking in high resolution. --- ## 12. Step-by-Step Practical Workflow: Building a Course from Scratch Follow this battle-tested playbook to create a corporate training course. ### 12.1. Step 1: Formulating the Target Prompt Draft a structured prompt specifying the role, target audience, and educational outputs: ```text [Role]: Act as a Lead Enterprise Productivity Consultant. [Task]: Generate a practical course: "ChatGPT Fundamentals for Project Managers". [Audience]: Team leads with zero prior technical AI experience. [Scope]: 5 concise modules progressing from prompt basics to weekly status automation. [Format]: Multimedia slides, a comprehension quiz after each module, and 1 interactive simulation. ``` ### 12.2. Step 2: Validating and Calibrating the Structure Inspect the proposed course structure. If critical topics are missing, issue a refinement instruction: ```text Insert a dedicated lesson between modules 2 and 3 covering output fact-checking and hallucination prevention. ``` ### 12.3. Step 3: Ingesting Custom Source Materials Upload company policies, operational checklists, or internal manuals and attach an instructional constraint: ```text Use the uploaded onboarding guidelines as the factual baseline for all quiz scenarios. ``` ### 12.4. Step 4: Conversational Refinement via the Agent Make fine-grained scene updates inside the Workbench: - "Shorten the theoretical explanation in module 4 to under 100 words." - "Replace the bulleted list on slide 3 with a comparative pros-and-cons table." - "Add a practical simulation calculating project return on investment (ROI)." ### 12.5. Step 5: Taking the Course and Final Export Audit the finished classroom: listen to audio narration, test quiz answer validations, and export the `.pptx` deck or `Classroom ZIP` package for organization-wide deployment. --- ## 13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### 13.1. Practical Answers to Common OpenMAIC Questions > [!NOTE] > **Do I need a high-end dedicated GPU to run OpenMAIC locally?** > No. When routing language model and image requests to cloud APIs (such as OpenAI, Gemini, or Anthropic), the local OpenMAIC server requires only a lightweight Node.js runtime, consuming less than 512 MB of system memory. > [!TIP] > **How can I minimize API token expenditure when designing large curricula?** > Adopt a tiered routing strategy: assign syllabus planning and pedagogical logic to flagship reasoning models (Gemini 2.5 Pro or Claude 3.7 Sonnet), while offloading slide drafting and quiz generation to cost-efficient models like Gemini 2.0 Flash or GPT-4o-mini. > [!IMPORTANT] > **What are the best practices for uploading long video and audio recordings?** > For lengthy lecture recordings, split media files into digestible 20–30 minute chapters prior to uploading. This prevents context window degradation and substantially improves semantic citation accuracy. > [!WARNING] > **Hardware overhead and requirements for MP4 video export** > Unlike lightweight PPTX and HTML exports, generating rendered MP4 video lectures requires deploying a dedicated background render service with Chromium and FFmpeg. On entry-level VPS instances without dedicated CPU cores, video compilation can take significant time.