[workshop-sim] Repair: Add a mid-page formative check to GitHub Actions intro to reduce concept overload

[github-actions]

Problem statement

04-github-actions-intro.md has the highest curriculum-quality risk score in Part 1 (overall_score 5.39/10), driven by active_learning 3.9/10 and checkpoint_quality 0.0/10. In the latest Monte Carlo simulation it also has the third-highest conditional dropout: 16.0% among 44,256 at-risk runs (95% CI 15.7%–16.4%), with aggregate.failureCategoriesByStep attributing nearly all failures (7,099) to concept-overload. The page's only formative check is a single "reveal the labels" <details> block at the very end of the page, with no way for a learner who mislabels the sample workflow to recover mid-page — they must silently re-read the entire five-concept comparison table.

Proposed change

Add one lightweight formative check partway through the page — immediately after the "Quick Refresher" section and before the classic-vs-agentic comparison table — asking the learner to identify the trigger/job/runner/step in a second, shorter workflow snippet, with an inline reveal-and-recovery note ("If you missed X, re-read the Y section above before continuing"). This does not remove or simplify any existing content; it adds one intermediate checkpoint to reduce concept pile-up before the harder classic-vs-agentic comparison.

Failure mode classification

Learning barrier — the dropout stems from concept density with no intermediate formative check, not from environment/tooling/auth friction (the page is browser-only and requires no credentials).

Quantitative guardrail

Current scores for 04-github-actions-intro.md:

• overall_score: 5.39/10
• Weakest rubric dimensions: active_learning 3.9/10, checkpoint_quality 0.0/10
• Learning KPI index components: active_learning 3.9, checkpoint_quality 0.0, scaffolding 5.0 → index = (2.0×3.9 + 2.0×0.0 + 1.5×5.0) / 5.5 = 2.78/10

Adding a genuine formative check (not a cosmetic checklist item) should raise active_learning and, if it uses the rubric's recognized checkpoint heading pattern, checkpoint_quality, which raises the KPI index without touching cognitive_load, readability, scaffolding, or style_compliance scores negatively. The change adds content depth rather than removing it, so overall_score should stay flat or improve.

Acceptance criteria

• The shared curriculum quantitative assessment overall_score for 04-github-actions-intro.md stays flat or improves after the change
• The step's learning KPI index (2.0 × active_learning + 2.0 × checkpoint_quality + 1.5 × scaffolding) / 5.5 stays flat or improves versus the current 2.78/10 baseline
• Hands-on practice, checkpoints, and scaffolding are preserved or strengthened — the existing labeling exercise and end-of-page checklist remain intact, and the new formative check is additive
• The new formative check is placed before the classic-vs-agentic comparison table, not merged into the final checkpoint

Suggested owner profile

workshop maintainer (content and pedagogy judgment call on placement and tone of the new formative check)
Related to #3607

Generated by 🔬 Workshop Student Simulator · copilot · auto · 248.6 AIC · ⌖ 25.8 AIC · ⊞ 14.8K · ◷

• expires on Sep 21, 2026, 1:04 PM UTC

[github-actions]

This issue is being closed as outdated. A newer issue has been created: #3616

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