FREE online resources and downloadable programs for learners and their teachers.

It seems that many good things come out of MIT these days. That’s where the people behind Instructables are from, or at least it’s where they got their start. They’ve put together a wonderful resource that I think could be adopted widely by educators who are looking for ways to engage and challenge learners. This resource has the added benefit of helping equip students with essential 21st century skills.

Instructables bills itself as “The World’s Biggest Show & Tell”. It strikes me as an online paradise for people of any age who are interested in inventing, designing, and making things. I see huge potential for engaging countless high school students who are motivated by concrete application of what they study in school. In typical Web 2.0 fashion, Instructables offers a convenient forum for networking and collaborating with others of like mind. They even throw in additional motivation from contests that offer real prizes.

Instructables is built on the concept of posting step-by-step instructions. It provides a template for putting up a visual image for each step, along with space for accompanying text. “Collaborators” are given the opportunity to comment on each step or on the project as a whole. The community therefore can have input on refining the process and/or the product.

Not surprisingly, Instructables hosts groups and forums. Major categories include: Art; Craft; Food; Games; Home; Life; Offbeat; Ride; Tech. There are currently 3 contests under way, including one called “Mashup” that is offering over $5,000 in prizes. Popular projects include a remote for an iPod, making a safety pin from a paper clip, and a mini airplane that actually flies. That’s the airplane shown below, and the entry in Instructables includes a video that proves it can fly!