QUICK INFO
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Time Required | 10 minutes |
| Prerequisites | Web browser, Qwen account (free) |
| Tools Needed | Qwen Chat (chat.qwen.ai), December 2024 interface |
What You'll Learn:
- Access and activate Learn Mode in Qwen Chat
- Structure learning sessions for complex topics
- Use Socratic dialogue techniques with AI tutoring
- Adjust difficulty levels and pacing mid-session
GUIDE
Use Qwen Learn Mode to Study Any Subject With AI Tutoring
Set up personalized learning sessions that adapt to your level and explain concepts through dialogue.
Learn Mode transforms Qwen Chat into an interactive tutor that teaches through questions rather than lectures. This guide covers accessing the feature, structuring effective study sessions, and getting the most from dialogue-based learning. It assumes no prior experience with Qwen.
Getting Started
Navigate to chat.qwen.ai/?inputFeature=learn in your browser. This URL pre-activates Learn Mode.
If you don't have a Qwen account:
- Click "Sign Up" in the top right corner
- Register with email or link an existing Google, Apple, or Alibaba Cloud account
- Verify your email if prompted
Learn Mode runs on Qwen3-Max, the flagship model in Alibaba's Qwen series. No additional configuration is required.
How Learn Mode Differs from Standard Chat
Standard Qwen Chat responds to questions with direct answers. Learn Mode takes a different approach: it asks clarifying questions, builds on your existing knowledge, and guides you toward understanding through structured dialogue.
When you ask "Explain machine learning," standard chat provides a comprehensive definition. Learn Mode first asks what you already know about the topic, then scaffolds new concepts onto that foundation.
This distinction matters for retention. Passive reading produces shallow understanding. Active engagement through Q&A builds durable knowledge.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: State Your Learning Goal
Open Learn Mode and specify exactly what you want to learn. Vague goals produce vague tutoring.
Weak goal: "Teach me about chemistry"
Strong goal: "I need to understand oxidation-reduction reactions for my AP Chemistry exam. I can balance simple equations but don't understand electron transfer."
The second example gives Learn Mode three pieces of information: the topic, the context (exam prep), and your current skill level. It will calibrate its questions accordingly.
Expected result: Learn Mode responds with a diagnostic question to assess your starting point. It might ask you to explain what happens during a simple reaction like iron rusting.
Step 2: Engage with Diagnostic Questions
Learn Mode opens with questions designed to locate gaps in your understanding. Answer honestly, including uncertainties.
If it asks "What do you think happens to electrons when magnesium burns?", don't guess randomly. Responses like "I'm not sure, but I think the magnesium loses electrons?" help it identify exactly where to start teaching.
Saying "I don't know" is valid input. Learn Mode adjusts difficulty based on your responses. Pretending to understand concepts you don't delays useful instruction.
Expected result: After 1-3 diagnostic exchanges, Learn Mode identifies your knowledge level and transitions to guided instruction.
Step 3: Follow the Dialogue Scaffolding
Learn Mode builds concepts incrementally. Each exchange adds one layer of understanding before introducing the next.
A typical sequence for learning about neural networks:
- First exchange: What patterns do you notice in how humans learn from examples?
- Second exchange: How might a computer store information about those patterns?
- Third exchange: What would happen if we connected many pattern-detectors together?
Resist the urge to skip ahead. If you ask "Just tell me what backpropagation is," you bypass the conceptual foundation that makes backpropagation comprehensible.
Expected result: Each response requires you to actively synthesize information. You formulate answers rather than passively receiving them.
Step 4: Request Difficulty Adjustments
Learning trajectories aren't linear. You might grasp fundamentals quickly but struggle with applications, or vice versa.
Use explicit commands to adjust pacing:
- "This is too basic, skip to [specific concept]"
- "I'm lost, can you explain that more simply?"
- "Give me a harder example that tests this concept"
- "Walk me through that step by step"
Learn Mode maintains context across the session. Adjustments don't reset the conversation.
Expected result: The tutoring pace shifts to match your input. Subsequent questions reflect the new difficulty level.
Step 5: Practice with Applied Problems
After building conceptual understanding, request application exercises:
"Give me a problem to solve using what we just covered."
Learn Mode generates practice scenarios, then walks through your solution step by step. It identifies errors in reasoning, not just wrong answers.
For math and science topics, show your work in the chat. Type out intermediate steps. This gives Learn Mode visibility into your thought process.
Expected result: You receive a practice problem calibrated to the concepts covered. After submitting your attempt, Learn Mode provides specific feedback on your reasoning.
Step 6: Generate Summary Notes
At session end, request a structured summary:
"Summarize what we covered in a format I can review later."
Learn Mode produces organized notes covering the concepts discussed, key definitions, and common pitfalls you encountered. Save this output for revision.
Expected result: A condensed summary of the session's content, tailored to the specific path your dialogue followed.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: Learn Mode gives direct answers instead of asking questions Fix: Restate your request with explicit tutoring language. Add "Teach me through questions" or "Use Socratic method" to your prompt. If the behavior persists, close the tab and reopen the Learn Mode URL.
Symptom: Questions are too easy or too hard after several exchanges Fix: Provide explicit feedback: "These questions are below my level" or "I need more foundational explanation first." Learn Mode requires calibration data to adjust.
Symptom: Session loses context after many exchanges Fix: Summarize the current learning state in a new message: "We've covered X and Y, and I'm now working on understanding Z." Long sessions (50+ exchanges) may require periodic context refreshes.
Symptom: Learn Mode doesn't acknowledge the topic I want to study Fix: Check that you're using the Learn Mode URL parameter (?inputFeature=learn). Verify the topic isn't restricted content. Rephrase using academic terminology.
What's Next
You've set up Learn Mode, structured a learning session, and generated summary notes. For subjects requiring visual aids, explore Qwen Chat's image generation features alongside Learn Mode. The guide "Creating Educational Diagrams with Qwen" covers integration techniques.
PRO TIPS
- Start sessions with "I have 20 minutes to learn [topic]" to set time-bounded scope
- Use /think command in responses to see Qwen's reasoning process exposed, which itself teaches problem-solving approaches
- Copy Learn Mode's questions into a separate doc as flashcard prompts for later review
- When stuck, ask "What question should I be asking right now?" to expose hidden assumptions
COMMON MISTAKES
- Answering diagnostic questions with "yes" or "no": Learn Mode needs substantive responses to assess your understanding. Elaborate even if uncertain. One-word answers provide insufficient calibration data.
- Asking for definitions when you want understanding: "What is entropy?" produces a definition. "Help me understand why entropy increases" produces teaching. Frame requests around understanding, not information retrieval.
- Skipping practice problems to save time: Conceptual explanation without application creates illusion of competence. Request at least one applied problem per major concept to verify actual understanding.
- Switching topics mid-session without transition: Abrupt topic changes discard accumulated context. Either complete the current topic or explicitly ask Learn Mode to save progress before changing subjects.
PROMPT TEMPLATES
Deep Dive on Single Concept
I want to deeply understand [CONCEPT] from [FIELD]. My current level: [BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED]. I already know [RELATED CONCEPTS YOU UNDERSTAND]. Guide me through this using questions that build on each other.
Customize by: Replacing bracketed sections with your specific topic, field, and knowledge baseline.
Example output: For "I want to deeply understand recursion from computer science. My current level: beginner. I already know loops and functions," Learn Mode responds:
"Before we dive into recursion, let me understand your mental model. When you write a function that calls another function, what happens to the first function while the second one runs?"
Exam Preparation Mode
I have an exam on [SUBJECT] covering [TOPICS]. Test my understanding through progressively harder questions. When I make errors, explain the underlying misconception before giving the correct answer.
Customize by: Listing specific exam topics so Learn Mode can systematically cover each area.
Example output: Learn Mode generates targeted questions, identifies patterns in your errors, and addresses root misconceptions rather than surface mistakes.
Concept Comparison
Help me understand the difference between [CONCEPT A] and [CONCEPT B]. I often confuse them because [REASON FOR CONFUSION]. Guide me through examples that highlight the distinction.
Customize by: Including your specific point of confusion to enable targeted differentiation.
Example output: Learn Mode asks you to apply each concept to the same scenario, making the distinction concrete through application rather than definition.
FAQ
Q: Does Learn Mode save session history between browser visits? A: Yes, if you're logged into your Qwen account. Sessions persist in your chat history. Anonymous sessions are lost when you close the browser.
Q: Can I use Learn Mode for language learning? A: Yes. Specify your target language and proficiency level. Learn Mode conducts dialogue in the target language, adjusting complexity to your stated level. It corrects errors in context rather than interrupting with grammar rules.
Q: Is there a usage limit for Learn Mode? A: Qwen Chat has rate limits for free accounts. Extended tutoring sessions (2+ hours continuous) may encounter temporary throttling. Paid tiers offer higher limits.
Q: Can Learn Mode access external resources or my uploaded documents? A: Learn Mode can reference documents you upload to the chat session. It cannot browse external URLs during tutoring. Upload relevant materials (PDFs, images) if you want topic-specific instruction.
Q: How does Learn Mode handle incorrect information in my responses? A: It identifies errors through follow-up questions rather than immediate correction. If you state something wrong, Learn Mode asks questions that lead you to recognize the error yourself. Direct correction occurs only when guided discovery fails.
Q: Can I use Learn Mode on mobile? A: Yes. The Qwen mobile app supports Learn Mode. Download from App Store or Google Play and navigate to the Learn feature in the app interface.
RESOURCES
- Qwen Chat: Main interface for accessing Learn Mode and other Qwen features
- Qwen Documentation: Technical documentation covering model capabilities and limitations
- Qwen GitHub: Open-source model weights and deployment guides for developers
- Alibaba Cloud Model Studio: Enterprise API access for integrating Qwen into applications
