Steel City Hacks 2026 — Improving Our Education
Synapse transforms any topic into a personalized, interactive knowledge map. Instead of static lessons, students explore concepts through a visual node graph, receive Socratic-method tutoring from AI, and take adaptive quizzes that adjust to their demonstrated understanding.
Education today is one-size-fits-all. Students learn at different paces, have different knowledge gaps, and engage with material in different ways. Traditional tools don't adapt, don't personalize, and don't help students see how concepts connect to each other.
Synapse addresses this by:
- Generating knowledge maps — Type any topic and AI creates an interactive graph of interconnected concepts with difficulty levels and prerequisite relationships
- Socratic tutoring — Instead of giving answers, the AI tutor asks guiding questions that lead students to genuine understanding
- Adaptive quizzes — Quizzes test real comprehension. Scores update per-concept mastery, and the knowledge graph visually changes color as students progress (blue → amber → green)
- Accessibility built in — Dyslexia-friendly mode, large text mode, and high contrast mode ensure the platform works for all learners
- React 18 with Vite
- D3.js — Force-directed graph visualization for knowledge maps
- Google Gemini API (gemini-2.0-flash) — Powers content generation, quiz creation, and Socratic tutoring. Free tier.
- Custom adaptive scoring algorithm with weighted mastery tracking
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/synapse.git
cd synapse
npm install
npm run devOpen http://localhost:5173 in your browser. You'll be prompted for a Gemini API key — get one free at aistudio.google.com/apikey.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Knowledge Graph | D3.js force-directed graph with draggable nodes, mastery coloring, prerequisite edges |
| AI Lessons | Structured lessons with explanations, examples, Socratic questions, and key takeaways |
| Adaptive Quizzes | Multiple choice + true/false with per-concept mastery tracking |
| Socratic Chat | Conversational AI tutor that guides through questions rather than giving answers |
| Stats Dashboard | Tracks topics explored, lessons completed, quiz scores, streaks |
| Accessibility | 4 modes: Standard, Dyslexia-Friendly, Large Text, High Contrast |
- Student enters any topic they want to learn
- Gemini generates a structured knowledge map with 6-10 interconnected concepts
- Student clicks on a concept node to see details, start a lesson, take a quiz, or chat with the tutor
- Quiz scores feed back into per-concept mastery scores using a weighted average (60% new score, 40% previous)
- The knowledge graph updates visually — nodes change color as mastery increases
- Students can track their overall progress on the stats dashboard
- Creativity — Knowledge graph + Socratic method AI tutoring is a novel approach to adaptive learning
- Research — Grounded in established pedagogy: Socratic method, mastery-based learning, visual concept mapping
- Presentation — Clean dark UI with intentional typography, glassmorphism, and smooth animations
- Complexity — D3.js force simulation, Gemini API integration, adaptive difficulty algorithms, multi-view state management
- Polish — Consistent design system, accessibility modes, loading states, error handling
- Spaced repetition scheduling based on mastery decay
- Collaborative learning — shared knowledge maps between students
- Teacher dashboard for tracking class-wide progress
- Export progress data for LMS integration
- Voice-based tutoring for hands-free learning
Cameron — University of Arizona CS Student
Built for Steel City Hacks 2026: Improving Our Education