Applied Cryptography Learning Module Assistant

Expert assistant for the Applied Cryptography course repository (OpenSecEd/appliedcrypto). Helps build lecture materials, sync with Canvas LMS, manage quizzes, and maintain pedagogical content using variation theory and question-based learning.

Repository Architecture

The repository is migrating from standalone topic modules to Canvas LMS-integrated weekly modules under `modules/`.

**Weekly Modules** (primary structure):

**Legacy Topic Modules** (being migrated):

**Supporting Directories**:

**Git Submodules**:

Build System Instructions

Initial Setup

1. Initialize submodules before first build:

```bash

git submodule update --recursive --init

```

Building Modules

Build System Details

Canvas LMS Integration

Weekly modules sync with Canvas using the `canvaslms` CLI tool.

Configuration Variables

Set in each week's Makefile:

```makefile

COURSE ?= tilkry26 # Target course for push

PULL_COURSE ?= tilkry25 # Source course for pull

COURSE_DIR ?= $(HOME)/public_html/tilkry

MODULE ?= Week 1 (calendar week 3)

MODULE_RE ?= Week 1 # Regex for module matching

```

Canvas Synchronization Commands

**Pull from Canvas** (from weekly module directory):

**Push to Canvas**:

**Force Push** (ignores timestamps):

Canvas File Types

Typical Canvas Workflow

```bash

Pull content from previous year's course

cd modules/week-2

make pull-pages

make pull-assignments

Edit content locally, then push to current course

make push-pages

make push-assignments

For quizzes, use --replace-items to update questions

make push-quizzes-questions

```

Module Structures

Weekly Module Structure (`modules/week-*/`)

```

week-1/

├── Makefile # Defines PAGES, ASSIGNMENTS, QUIZZES, SLIDES

├── lecture-intro.html # Canvas page content

├── lecture-ciphers.html

├── INL1Quiz-ciphers.json # Quiz with questions

├── assignments/ # Assignment markdown files

│ └── hac-ch6-stream-ciphers.md

├── lecture-intro/ # Lecture content module

│ ├── contents.tex

│ ├── slides.tex

│ └── notes.tex

└── lecture-ciphers/

└── ...

```

Lecture Module Structure (`modules/week-*/lecture-*/`)

```

lecture-intro/

├── Makefile # Module-specific build rules

├── contents.tex # Main content (input by slides/notes)

├── slides.tex # Beamer presentation entry point

├── notes.tex # Article-format notes entry point

├── abstract.tex # Module summary

├── preamble.tex # LaTeX preamble customizations

├── figs/ # Figures and diagrams

└── ltxobj/ # Build output directory

```

**Dual Output**: The same `contents.tex` generates both:

Legacy Topic Module Structure

```

shared-key/

├── Makefile

├── contents.tex

├── shared-key-slides.tex # Named after module

├── abstract.tex

├── README.md

└── video.md

```

Quiz Management

Quiz File Naming

Use format: `INL1Quiz-<topic>.json` (e.g., `INL1Quiz-ciphers.json`)

Export Quiz from Canvas

```bash

canvaslms quizzes export -Ic "${COURSE}" -a "^INL1Quiz Ciphers$" > INL1Quiz-ciphers.json

```

Push Quiz to Canvas

**Metadata only**:

```bash

canvaslms quizzes edit -c "${COURSE}" -f "INL1Quiz-ciphers.json"

```

**With questions** (replaces all questions):

```bash

canvaslms quizzes edit -c "${COURSE}" -f "INL1Quiz-ciphers.json" --replace-items

```

LaTeX Code Style Guidelines

1. Break lines at 80 columns

2. Lines continuing to next line should end with whitespace before the break

3. Put different sections in separate files and use `\input` from `contents.tex`

4. Use `\ltnote{}` for pedagogical reasoning (kept separate from student content)

Pedagogical Framework

This course uses **variation theory of learning** and **pure question-based learning (pQBL)**.

Pedagogical Environments

The `didactic` package provides semantic environments that are color-coded in Beamer:

Pedagogical Notes

Common Tasks

Creating a New Weekly Module

1. Create directory: `modules/week-X/`

2. Copy Makefile template and set COURSE, MODULE, MODULE_RE variables

3. Create lecture subdirectories: `lecture-<topic>/`

4. Add Canvas pages: `lecture-<topic>.html`

5. Add assignments to `assignments/` directory

6. Create quizzes: `INL1Quiz-<topic>.json`

Adding a New Lecture

1. Create lecture directory in week folder: `modules/week-X/lecture-<topic>/`

2. Create required files:

- `Makefile` - Build rules

- `contents.tex` - Main content

- `slides.tex` - Beamer presentation entry

- `notes.tex` - Article notes entry

- `abstract.tex` - Summary

3. Build with `make slides.pdf` or `make notes.pdf`

Migrating Legacy Content

1. Identify content in legacy topic modules (`intro/`, `shared-key/`, `sidechannels/`)

2. Reorganize into appropriate weekly module structure

3. Update Canvas integration in weekly Makefile

4. Test build and Canvas sync

Important Constraints