Spaced Repetition Learning Tasks 📝 (a special type of recurring task that follows an SRL scheduler)

[DryIce1]

Maintainer's note: This was first added in Ideas: Any New Feature Requests go in Issues please, where I normally just close requests because new features go in Issues now. However, as an exception, I've moved it to Q&A, in case anyone else can suggest alternative ways of achieving the same effect using any other Spaced Repetition Plugins.

---

I propose a new type of recurring task that incorporates a Spaced Repetition Learning (SRL) theory scheduler to reschedule tasks that contain a designated SRL Task metadata emoji 📝.

Usually one would format the answer to be contained in a nested bullet (which could be toggled/revealed within the rendered task query). Other format ideas would be to link to the specific note within the SRL task and preview it by holding Ctrl + hover over link.

The user would click the checkbox to "complete" the task and advance the task in the SRL scheduling.

1. Basic Function :

• Example SRL task:

  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝1(2024-01-28T09:55) ⏳ 2024-01-28T09:57
      - 12,742 km
  - [ ] #task summarise the following note : [[test SRL review note]] 📝1(2024-01-28T09:55) ⏳ 2024-01-28T09:57

• Notes regarding SRL task properties:

  • All SRL tasks contain
    • Global tag as per Tasks Plugin default behaviour : #task
    • stepNumber : 📝stepNumber(yyyy-MM-ddddTHH:mm)
    • Scheduled Date : ⏳ yyyy-MM-dddd
  • To perform advanced filtering, SRL tasks may contain
    • tags to indicate that the SRL is part of a specific study topic or group (e.g. #study/mathematics)
  • SRL tasks probably would not contain
    • priority
    • recurring 🔁 property
    • Statuses / custom checkboxes

• SRL tasks: Use the 📝 emoji to indicate it is an SRL task.

• Task Rescheduling Steps: Use the 📝stepNumber emoji followed by a number to indicate the step of spaced repetition. For example, 📝0 means the task is not yet attempted. The plugin will then reschedule each task according to spaced repetition rescheduling (e.g. Steps of 📝1 = 2 min, 📝2 = 10 min, 📝3 = 1 day, 📝4 = 3 days, 📝5 = 7 days... etc according to SRL scheduling).

• Recording Task Completion Date-Time: At each completion, reprint the Completion Date-Time of that step following the format 📝stepNumber(yyyy-MM-ddddTHH:mm). For example, 📝1(2024-01-28T09:55) indicates the task progressed to Step 1 and was last completed at 2024-01-28T09:55.

• Completing a task advances the stepNumber and adds/advances the Scheduled Date: The Scheduled Date advances according to the stepNumber and the Date-Time that the task was just completed. It is added as per tasks formatting to the end of the task, ⏳ yyyy-MM-dddd.

• Example Task Entries: the following shows examples of what might be recorded at each step. (note, the task should not however be duplicated).

  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝0(2024-01-28T09:55)
  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝1(2024-01-28T09:55) ⏳ 2024-01-28T09:57
  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝2(2024-01-28T09:57) ⏳ 2024-01-28T10:07
  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝3(2024-01-28T10:07) ⏳ 2024-01-29T00:00
  - [ ] #task What is the diameter of the Earth? 📝4(2024-01-29T13:12) ⏳ 2024-02-01T00:00

2. Building SRL Task Queries:

Basic SRL Tasks Query:

  ```tasks
  srl
  ```

• The most basic SRL task query (immediately above) should show all tasks currently qualifying to be reviewed, meaning tasks with a scheduled date-time before the current date-time.
• SRL tasks query should be triggered by srl or 📝 keywords, to filter only SRL tasks.
• SRL tasks queries should be able to narrowed using the usual filters (e.g. limit, short, happens after today)

Exclude SRL Tasks from Non-SRL Queries by Default:

• Issue: Non-SRL task queries may become cluttered if SRL tasks are included.
• Solution / Important Recommendation: The default behavior of the Tasks Plugin should be to exclude all SRL tasks (tasks containing the 📝 emoji) from non-SRL task queries.
  • In other words, queries NOT containing srl or 📝 NEVER contain SRL 📝 tasks.
  • And naturally, queries containing srl or 📝 should only contain tasks containing 📝

3. Display of SRL Queries

• Issue : Usually an answer to the SRL Task would be contained a nested bullets.
• Solution : Display a toggle to unflod the nested bullets of the task.
  • The user can confirm their knowledge of the SRL Task question. And can Complete the SRL task, advancing the stepNumber and Scheduled Date.
• Note : currently, there is a bug titled Preview when hovering over backlinks no longer works as of ver 3.4.0 or later #2127 to fix backlink previewing. This bug fix may allow a user to more rapidly confirm / check their knowledge on the question. However, toggling reveal of nested bullets would probably be a better solution.

4. Clarifying initial issues

1. Rescheduling Based on Current Date-Time:

• Issue: do not schedule the next review based on the previous scheduled time (📝stepNumber(yyyy-MM-ddddTHH:mm), which might not accurately reflect when the task was completed.
• Solution: Reschedule based upon current date-time at the moment the task is completed.

2. Task Rescheduling Line Replacement:

• Issue: �Don't duplicate the task on a new line with the updated date-time, potentially cluttering the task list.
• Solution: Instead, replace the existing task with the updated step number(date) and scheduled time. This keeps the task list clean and avoids unnecessary duplication.

3. Rescheduling Tasks Completed Late at Night After Midnight:

• Issue: Users studying late after midnight may want tasks done at midnight to be rescheduled for the same day rather than the next day.
• Solution: If a task is completed between midnight and 03:00 am, reschedule as if the task was completed the day prior at 11:59.

4. An explanation of preference to not use tags to indicate that the task is an SRL Task:

• Issue: I propose that using a tag to indicate that is an SRL Task is not a desired solution. Using a tag such as #SRL AND the SRL 📝 emoji will lead to a large number of unnecessary #SRL tags.
• Solution: As described above, use only the 📝 emoji to indicate SRL tasks. This simplifies the organization and avoids tag clutter.

5. Handling of invalid SRL tasks

• Issue : SRL tasks containing a 📝 but an INVALID structure or schedule date may be lost in a vault and never displayed in a task query.
• Solution : Invalid SRL tasks should be always prioritised at the very top of the list by default. And should be highlighted in some way to identify the if required. This allows a user to fix the date format or other error.

6. Dynamic Updating of SRL Tasks:

• Issue: I am uncertain about whether task queries dynamically update, and whether tasks that become scheduled over time, if they will be dynamically updated, or if a query/page refresh is required.

4. Advanced Function ideas (for future development consideration):

• If the basic function was being used enthusiastically, and more Anki type functions were requested, consider building the following suggestions.

Pop up modal and smart rescheduling

• Easy, Good, Hard, Again pop up modal: Implement a pop-up modal that offers users input options similar to Anki (Easy, Good, Hard, Again). Users can choose their response to the task. Rescheduling would follow a smarter rescheduling algorithm.
• Smart Rescheduling Algorithm: Develop a smarter rescheduling algorithm that considers the user's input to optimize the spaced repetition intervals. (e.g. increase intervals for tasks marked easy, and decrease intervals for tasks marked hard or again.)
• Example Pop-Up Modal:

  - [Easy] (Increase interval significantly)
  - [Good] (Increase interval moderately)
  - [Hard] (Keep interval the same)
  - [Again] (Decrease interval)
  

Complex SRL Task Queries Suggestions:

• All SRL Tasks (srl):
• SRL Tasks at a Specific Step (srl:📝4):
  • Query: Show tasks at a specific step (e.g., 📝4) regardless of when they were last done.
• SRL Tasks Last Done Today (srl:📝(today)):
  • Query: Show tasks last done today, regardless of their step or scheduled date-time.
• SRL Tasks Last Done at a Specific Date (srl:📝(2024-01-29)):
  • Query: Show tasks last done on a specified date, regardless of their current step.
• SRL Tasks Scheduled at a Specific Date (srl:happens after today, srl:happens before next week, etc.):
  • Query: Show tasks scheduled after today, before next week, or based on other date criteria.
• Don't Show Invalid Tasks (srl:no invalid):
  • Query: Don't show invalid tasks.

(Apologies for this large post. I don't have any training in coding or building plugins currently, and I don't have the time to learn and build currently. I imagine that this idea is unlikely to get traction without somebody else, but I thought it was worth me putting together my ideas in case someone else found this proposal idea interesting, useful and logical)

[claremacrae]

Thank you for the thorough post.

Realistically, this is very unlikely to be done. It is a massive amount of work for something which is not core to Task goals, and for a very specialised purpose.

However, please can you explain why this should be done?

Why would anyone need to use it? What would this enable them to do?

Also, I know that there is already at least one Spaced Repetition plugin. So why cannot something similar to this be achieved in one of those plugins?

[claremacrae]

Also, i don’t notice at first that this is in the wrong place. Below is my standard answer about this.

However, that would be setting unrealistic expectations that it might be implemented.

So I will move this to the Q&A section for now, in case anyone offers any ideas about how to achieve the requested effect.

---

Thank you for using the Tasks plugin, and for taking the time to make a suggestion.

Background

As per the title of this section - Ideas: Any New Feature Requests go in Issues please, we don't track feature requests in Discussions any more.

(Bugs have always been tracked in Issues.)

Here are some of the reasons why the need for this change:
#1168

I had to leave Ideas Discussions open to allow people to comment on existing ideas, and so we could track their votes, so I renamed the section to try to point people to Ideas instead for new reports.

Request

So I would be grateful if you would go to Issues, click New Issue and submit your request there...

I'm going to close this now, and look forward to receiving your report in Issues.

Thanks again.

[claremacrae]

I've edited the original post above, requesting suggestions about how to achieve something like the requested capabilities in other SRS plugins.

[claremacrae]

These are the available existing Spaced Repetition plugins for Obsidian:
https://obsidian.md/plugins?search=spaced

[claremacrae]

This has been discussed on Discord, starting in this message.

Key conclusions:

• It's a super impressive Feature Request - very clear and well-thought through
• This is a huge amount of work
• It's a much better fit for a separate plugin than for the current design of Tasks
• Perhaps one of the several existing Spaced Repetition plugins may already help

So, nothing personal @DryIce1, but I'm closing this, for transparency.