idstack

idstack

Status: beta. Skills work end-to-end and ship behind a versioned plugin (v2.5.0), but expect rough edges and breaking changes between minor versions while we shake out the rest of the workflow with real instructional designers. Tell us what's broken or missing.

New in v2.5.0: native support for OpenAI Codex CLI alongside Claude Code. Same 11 skills, same evidence base, same .idstack/ manifest. Run ./setup and idstack auto-detects which CLIs you have installed. (Gemini CLI on the v2.6 roadmap.)

Decades of research say elaborated feedback improves learning. Cognitive load theory has been replicated for 30 years. Constructive alignment measurably raises grades. The evidence is strong, but most course design tools don't make it easy to apply.

idstack is an open source set of skills for evidence-based instructional design that bring peer-reviewed research into your actual workflow. Runs in Claude Code and Codex CLI. Not a chatbot that summarizes papers — a design partner that checks your alignment matrix, flags cognitive load issues, classifies your objectives with Bloom's taxonomy, and tells you the evidence strength behind every recommendation.

Skills covering the full lifecycle: analyze, design, build, export. One shared project manifest that remembers your course across sessions. Every recommendation tagged with its evidence tier, from T1 (meta-analyses) to T5 (expert opinion), so you always know how strong the backing is.

Free, MIT licensed, open source. Have feedback or a feature request?

Quick start

1. Install idstack (30 seconds, see below)
2. Run /idstack:course-import on your Canvas/Blackboard/Moodle course
3. Run /idstack:course-quality-review to see what the evidence says
4. Stop there. You'll know if this is for you.

See it work

You:    /idstack:course-import

idstack: How do you want to import your course?
         A) IMS Common Cartridge file (.imscc)
         B) Paste course documents
         C) Canvas API
         D) PDF or document file
         E) SCORM package (.zip)

You:    C — here's my Canvas URL and access token.

idstack: Connected. Pulling course data...
         Found: 12 modules, 8 assignments, 4 discussions, 6 outcomes.

         ## Import Quality Triage

         Found 4 flags during import:
         ⚠ 12 modules, only 4 have stated learning objectives
         ⚠ All 8 assessments are auto-graded quizzes (no rubrics)
           [Assessment-8] [T1] — elaborated feedback produces larger
           learning gains than correctness-only
         ⚠ No collaborative activities beyond discussion forums
           [Online-15] [T2] — low social presence predicts weaker outcomes
         ⚠ No accessibility information for video content

         6 objectives pre-classified with Bloom's taxonomy.
         12 modules mapped to task analysis.

         Manifest saved to .idstack/project.json.
         Run /idstack:course-quality-review for a full evidence-based audit.

You:    /idstack:course-quality-review

idstack: Reading your manifest... I have 12 modules, 6 objectives,
         and 8 assessments from your Canvas import.

         ## Course Quality Review

         **Overall Score: 62/100**

         ### QM Structural Review
         | Standard              | Status | Finding                    |
         |-----------------------|--------|----------------------------|
         | Course Overview       | pass   | Clear syllabus, nav set    |
         | Learning Objectives   | flag   | 8 modules lack objectives  |
         | Assessment            | flag   | No rubrics, no alignment   |
         | Instructional Materials| pass   | Materials current           |
         | Learning Activities   | flag   | No active learning design  |
         | Course Technology     | pass   | Tools used purposefully    |
         | Learner Support       | flag   | No support section found   |
         | Accessibility         | flag   | No alt formats for video   |

         ### Community of Inquiry Presence
         - Teaching Presence:  7/10 — strong content, weak facilitation
         - Social Presence:    3/10 — no group work, minimal peer interaction
         - Cognitive Presence: 5/10 — surface-level activities, no inquiry cycle

         This course meets 3 of 8 QM standards but scores 3/10 on social
         presence. Courses with low social presence show weaker learning
         outcomes in online settings [Online-15] [T2].

         ### Top 3 Recommendations
         1. Add rubrics to all assessments with elaborated feedback
            [Assessment-8] [T1] — Run /learning-objectives to align
         2. Design collaborative activities for at least 4 modules
            [Online-15] [T2]
         3. Add learner support section with office hours, tutoring,
            and technical help resources