The development of a model for sub-system reuse and the evaluation of currently available rapid prototyping platforms has led to the development of a GEneric Reusable Module (GERM). The GERM is a low-cost, stand-alone, reprogrammable development tool designed for prototyping digital subsystems. The GERM, and associated templates, aid the designer in rapidly prototyping and reusing subsystem designs. The GERM addresses also the introduction of students to FPGA technology in an environment which they can continue to use for more complex designs. Extensions of the GERM include combining multiple GERMs together to prototype larger subsystems and systems. The system was used successfully in computer engineering courses at Duke University.