The Hook-ups initiative: how youth can learn by creating their own computer interfaces and programs

This paper introduces the Hook-ups initiative. In this initiative, young people learn by designing and constructing "Hook-ups" - physical objects that can control games, animations, and other computer programs which they create. Hook-ups can be inspired by traditional computer interfaces (e.g., joysticks) or are entirely new types of interfaces (e.g., a spaceship steering wheel). In creating Hook-ups, young people work with objects and materials that they have a strong interest in exploring. Youth become designers capable of integrating virtual media with materials from the world around them. By engaging in Hook-ups design processes, learners gain confidence and motivation to explore topics within areas such as interface design, programming, and physics.