--- name: MATLAB Course Activity Generator slug: matlab-course-activity-generator category: AI Engineering description: MATLAB Course Activity Generator creates MATLAB Course Designer-ready exercise activities by wrapping grader assessment generation and validating the resulting files with MATLAB MCP Server calls. Use it for MATLAB Exercise activities, course activity folders, and validated solution, template, and tests files. github: "https://github.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground/tree/main/demos/course-generation/skills/matlab-create-course-activity" language: HTML stars: 175 forks: 32 install: "npx degit https://github.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground/tree/main/demos/course-generation/skills/matlab-create-course-activity ~/.claude/skills/matlab-create-course-activity" installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/matlab-create-course-activity source_path: demos/course-generation/skills/matlab-create-course-activity/SKILL.md collection_size: 24 category_size: 3475 collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/matlab/agent-skills-playground" added: 2026-09-07T05:21:35.511Z last_synced: 2026-09-07T05:21:35.511Z canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/matlab-course-activity-generator" --- # MATLAB Course Activity Generator MATLAB Course Activity Generator creates MATLAB Course Designer-ready exercise activities by wrapping grader assessment generation and validating the resulting files with MATLAB MCP Server calls. Use it for MATLAB Exercise activities, course activity folders, and validated solution, template, and tests files. **Install:** ```bash npx degit https://github.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground/tree/main/demos/course-generation/skills/matlab-create-course-activity ~/.claude/skills/matlab-create-course-activity ``` ## README # MATLAB Course Activity Generator Create MATLAB Course Designer-ready MATLAB Exercise learning activities. This skill is a wrapper around the existing `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` skill: use `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` first to create the shared MATLAB Grader-style component parts, then use MATLAB MCP Server tool calls to validate the generated MATLAB files and add Course Designer authoring metadata. ## Input The user may have provided a module objective or activity idea in their request. If it is missing or too vague, collect missing activity inputs in Step 1. ## Reference Files Read these references from the `references/` directory as needed: - `references/grader-wrapper-workflow.md` — how to call and use `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` - `references/matlab-validation-rules.md` — MATLAB MCP validation workflow - `references/course-designer-artifacts.md` — output folder and metadata rules Read `references/grader-wrapper-workflow.md` and `references/course-designer-artifacts.md` before creating artifacts. ## Required Tooling Use the existing `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` skill for the initial component generation. Use MATLAB MCP Server calls for validation: - `detect_matlab_toolboxes` for product/toolbox availability - `check_matlab_code` for static analysis of `.m` files - `run_matlab_file` for runnable scripts, validation drivers, or test harnesses - `evaluate_matlab_code` for targeted checks, path setup, function calls, and MATLAB Exercise test smoke checks Do not claim a MATLAB Exercise is ready unless the generated MATLAB files have been checked through MATLAB MCP calls or the final output clearly marks validation as partial. ## Pipeline Overview ``` Step 1: Collect activity inputs and Course Designer placement Step 2: Invoke grader for shared MATLAB Exercise component parts Step 3: Split description.txt into background.m and task.m Step 4: Add Course Designer-only authoring fields Step 5: Validate solution.m, template.m, and tests.m with MATLAB MCP calls Step 6: Write Course Designer-ready activity metadata and review notes ``` ## Step 1: Activity Inputs Collect only missing information: - Course title or course identifier - Module title and module order - Learning activity title and activity order - Module objective and observable learner outcome - MATLAB concept: script, function, class, object usage, data analysis, visualization, numerical methods, app workflow, or another domain - Assessment purpose: formative, summative, or both - Required MATLAB and toolbox products - Starter/template expectations - Solution behavior - Validation requirements - Output directory Default to a Course Designer learning activity type of `MATLAB Exercise`. ## Step 2: Invoke `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` Use `references/grader-wrapper-workflow.md`. Call or prompt the existing `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` skill before creating Course Designer metadata. The expected `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` output is: - `description.txt` - `template.m` - `solution.m` - `tests.m` - `function_call.m` (Function assessment items) - `supporting_class.m` (Object usage assessment items) Store the `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` output under: ```text grader-items/module-NN-activity-MM-[slug]/ ``` `[slug]` is the assessment item's snake_case title with underscores replaced by hyphens. This wrapper placement overrides the generator's standalone `{snake_title}/` folder rule. Do not hand-write these files first. If `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` is unavailable, stop and report that MATLAB Exercise generation is blocked unless the user explicitly accepts a planning-only fallback. ## Step 3: Split Description for Course Designer Create two plaintext `.m` files from `description.txt` for copy/paste into the MATLAB Course Designer web application: Per the MATLAB Course Designer documentation for creating MATLAB Exercises: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab-and-simulink-online-courses/ug/create-matlab-exercise-using-matlab-course-designer.html - The Background field sets the context for the task, explains the learning objective, and provides high-level information learners need to complete the task. - The Task field provides the instructions learners follow to complete the task, including specific instructions such as which functions or variable names to use. Treat `background.m` and `task.m` as plain-text field transport files, not executable MATLAB scripts. Preserve the text exactly as it should be pasted into Course Designer. Do not prefix prose with `%` solely to make the files valid MATLAB code. Split workflow: 1. Read `description.txt` once and mark each paragraph as context, objective, prerequisite, instruction, deliverable, constraint, self-check, or grading detail. 2. Put only context, purpose, learning objective, and necessary high-level prerequisite information in `background.m`. 3. Put concrete learner instructions, ordered task steps, deliverables, required variable/function/file names, constraints, expected outputs, and self-check prompts in `task.m`. 4. Move implementation details out of `background.m` and into `task.m`. 5. Move broad conceptual exposition out of `task.m` unless it is needed to understand a specific instruction. 6. If `description.txt` has no clear boundary, create a concise background from the opening context and put the full actionable prompt in `task.m`. 7. Keep hidden-test details, reference solution details, and grading mechanics out of both files unless they are intentionally learner-facing. 8. Do not modify the original `description.txt`; keep it in the `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` source folder. Quality check: - `background.m` should still make sense if read before seeing the task steps. - `task.m` should be actionable without duplicating the full background. - Both files should be ready to paste into Course Designer text fields without cleanup. ## Step 4: Add Course Designer Fields Create the Course Designer MATLAB Exercise activity from the `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` output. Add fields that are needed by MATLAB Course Designer but not generated by the first-pass component workflow: - `background.m` and `task.m` copy/paste fields - Module placement and learning activity order - Estimated time - Prerequisite context - Required products and toolboxes - Learner setup notes - Course Designer persistence notes - Optional Common Cartridge placement notes ## Step 5: Validate MATLAB Files Use `references/matlab-validation-rules.md`. At minimum: - Confirm `solution.m`, `template.m`, and `tests.m` exist. - Run `check_matlab_code` on `solution.m`, `template.m`, and `tests.m` only. `background.m` and `task.m` are plain-text copy/paste fields, not valid MATLAB code, and must not be linted. - Execute or smoke-test `solution.m` when runnable. - Validate `tests.m` syntax and MATLAB Exercise assess calls where possible. - Confirm the learner template preserves the expected names and scaffold. - Write all results to `validation-report.md`. When execution is not possible because the generated item requires MATLAB Grader runtime functions, run static checks and targeted syntax checks, then mark runtime validation as partial. ## Step 6: Course Designer Activity Artifacts Use `references/course-designer-artifacts.md`. Write these files in the activity folder: - `activity.md` - `background.m` - `task.m` - `instructor-notes.md` - `validation-report.md` - `course-designer-activity.json` - `grader-source.md`, the reference file that maps the activity to its `grader-items/` source folder and component files (see `references/course-designer-artifacts.md`) The `course-designer-activity.json` file is the import-oriented sidecar for future Course Designer API work. It must include course, module, learning activity, `background.m`, `task.m`, MATLAB file, product, validation, and `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` source metadata. ## Output Rules - The final answer must list the activity folder, `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` source folder, metadata path, and validation report path. - Do not claim validation passed unless the MATLAB MCP checks passed. - If validation is partial, state exactly which checks were deferred. - Preserve the Course Designer hierarchy: course -> module -> learning activity. - Keep the `matlab-generate-grader-assessments` output intact and record any Course Designer-only additions separately.