Instructify

Not too long ago, I wrote about Johnny Lee, who made a marvelous interactive whiteboard from a $40 Wii remote. This is a great example of how doing-it-yourself is a viable option when it comes to learning how something works, and how you can make it work differently. Not only is do-it-yourself learning fun and educational, it is inspirational, too. Edutopia, website of The George Lucas Educational Foundation, presents this great article about the different ways you can access DIY projects and the resources that will help you along the way.

Check out the growing communities of DIYers online, where aspiring hackers swap instructions for all kinds of projects. Web sites such as Instructables and Make offer project plans, videos, and tips any teacher can find useful. The excellent Howtoons has simple, inexpensive projects that kids would enjoy, presented in a fun cartoon format. These simple projects are not as elaborate as Lee’s, but the sense of satisfaction is the same.

If you’re wondering what to do with your students in order to help them use their creative and technical skills, this article has some great places to start. Who knows what they might be inspired to create, or as Lee did, re-create. – JEREMY S. GRIFFIN

Hack Attack: Do-It-Yourself Projects Enhance Learning