I built a kite… Harrison Williams – COMM 3444 Mobile Gaming

Project Overview

For the DIY project, I chose to build a kite. I have never actually built a kite. I did know the physics behind it since I’m a nerd about that kind of stuff, but not the actual creation of it. I also rarely work with my hands. To better explain my lack of ability to actually make things, I want to note that whenever I do a project with a friend that involves tools or physically creating something, I am the one who plans everything out beforehand–what do we need, where do we get it, how much do we need?–so having to do the handiwork myself was a challenge.

My Experiences as a Learner

I am an auditory and tactile learner. But I lean towards tactile-kinesthetic more often than not, since I remember things better by doing them. Being a tactile learner means I learn best by doing it or physically being there. So while I was looking for tutorials, I looked for “how to build” or “the physics behind…” videos so that I could better understand how everything works. From that I put myself in the place of the person showing me what to do in the video and tried to imagine doing it myself. This vicarious approach, along with the video that shows what is going on in three dimensions, as opposed to what is told on a page, contributed to my learning what to do to build the kite. This is not a surprise, since I have been using this strategy to facilitate my learning since I learned how to do it.

Guides and Tutorials

The videos listed above are the ones I viewed to learn how to make the kite. The first video (1.) is all about how to build a parachute. This is very useful since I based my entire kite off of one. Other than it not mentioning the possibility of a parachute being a kite, this video had no weaknesses. The second is a website on how kites work. This was more just to make sure I didn’t mess up the hole in the middle. So as long as it provided the information help me do that, it could do no wrong; so no real strengths or weaknesses for Video 2. The third video explained how to build a basic kite, which was a good start since I didn’t know how to make any. Its strengths lay in its ability to do that. It had no apparent weaknesses.

Problems Encountered Along The Way

One of the biggest problems was when I had to look for the materials out of which to make the kite. I needed a sturdy but very light weight material that didn’t cost too much. I ended up deciding on a plastic sheet for the body, fishing line for the strings, which I would sew if needed, and packing tape to help reinforce the plastic where I needed to cut holes. The other problem was the kind of kite I wanted to make. I wanted to make a ring kite, which is a kite that looks a bit like a parachute. This kite has zero support and rotates as air passes through it. But no one has a “how to build a ring kite” video, so I had to base it on a parachute and then cut a hole in the middle of it.

The Result and What I Learned

The project turned out pretty well. My kite flies when I put it over a fan and it remains in the air, which is great, but I know this project was about more than successfully–or not–building something. This project put me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to learn something that I not only did not know how to make, but did not know how to learn to make until I began trying to figure it out. It forced me to get creative, using what knowledge I had to attain new knowledge. Creativity stems from not knowing what will happen, and taking that leap. It also helps make people more open to trying new things.

This class is going to get into many areas that most people are not comfortable with (animating, coding…). I can see how this assignment is supposed to make tackling something that the student might not be comfortable with, easier. This also helps make the student try new things.

Credits

I got help getting the materials from my dad, and had help with editing this blog from my tutor.

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