4 ms·

How hip-hop is introducing children to coding and technology

46 points by js2 9y ago

maehwasu 9y ago
I had to double-check that this wasn't satire.
amelius 9y ago
Wasn't there a PHP compiler at Facebook called Hip-hop?
- JosephLark 9y ago
  I don't want to be rude, but are you looking for something more than a reply that just says 'Yes' or something? Searching for anything like "facebook php hip hop" would easily answer your question.
  - petethepig 9y ago
    I don't think it meant to be a literal question.
  - cartyboi29 9y ago
    You're honestly a fucking idiot shut up
bitwize 9y ago
"...fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon!"
robohoe 9y ago
Until they get introduced to Futuristic Sex Robotz...
monksy 9y ago
> He puts printed pictures of Mohamed on the wall, and asks students to scan them via an app. A menu of items pops up instantly: Mohamed’s Twitter feed; a 360-degree view of an interrogation room (meant to simulate the one Mohamed was taken to); a SoundCloud song; a quiz; a hip-hop video produced by Mr Mims. What was this a lesson for? (My knee jerk reaction makes me feel like that was politicized.. but I don't know the full story so I won't put that out there)
- busemann 9y ago
  Your instinctive reaction is probably correct. Gotta get them young to indoctrinate them.
- hsod 9y ago
  You just did put it out there, so why not elaborate on your reaction? What politicization are you concerned about?
  - monksy 9y ago
    I did write it, but I stated it was a feeling I didn't have a lot of support on and admited it. Politicization: That the thing was more about "feel bad for this person/person with attribute (religion, race,etc) insert police state here." If they're teaching people to feel bad rather than think, they're teaching people to react badly.
- rconti 9y ago
  I'm not sure why it matters. This seems like a textbook case of meeting students where they're at. Find something to catch their attention, something they might be interested in. The detail or right/wrong don't actually matter in the context of trying to catch and keep a kid's attention. I found the rapping HTML tags to be far more cringe-worthy.
  - emjoes1 9y ago
    Wow, this was just a sad read. I found the title "Hustling 101: How to Turn Your Code into Cash" to be more cringe-worthy. Sorry but Hip-Hop music/culture is what is keeping people down.
wturner 9y ago
I wrote a book to teach JavaScript to sound artists that is is loosely related. http://javascriptforsoundartists.com http://javascriptforsoundartists.com
rdtsc 9y ago
> One lesson centred upon Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old high school pupil who was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of building a hoax bomb when he brought a self-assembled clock to school. I remember that one, then later reading how it wasn't really a self-assembled clock but just a taken apart 70's or 80's clock that was put in a different case. http://blogs.artvoice.com/techvoice/2015/09/17/reverse-engineering-ahmed-mohameds-clock-and-ourselves/ http://blogs.artvoice.com/techvoice/2015/09/17/reverse-engin... > Mr Mims aims not for lecturing, but for dialogue In that spirit wonder how much Mr. Mims allows discussion of Ahmed being in on the idea of provoking a response. He packaged the disassembled clock in a briefcase then after being told to put it away and keep it his backpack for the rest of the day he took it out later and set an alarm on it. I think it is an interesting discussion how fear / xenophobia / prejudices can be taken advantage of in multiple ways. Later on the family demanded $15M compensation from the school district with a threat to file a lawsuit. Wonder if that is on the allowed spectrum of discussion in the classroom as well.
- burkaman 9y ago
  Not sure why you phrased this so combatively. The whole point of having a discussion is to "allow" stuff like this. Discussions are usually pretty boring if everyone agrees, and the idea here seems to be getting people more engaged.
  - ikeyany 9y ago
    It's phrased combatively because wording like "self-assembled clock" plants an intentional picture of naivety. I'm okay with HN readers pointing out when it happens.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
technovader 9y ago
Seems like this is becoming a template for click-bait articles. "How X is introducing kids to coding!" I've stopped paying attention unfortunately.
- marmor 9y ago
  Despite "How X is introducing kids to coding!" perhaps being a common trope, this is not a click-bait article, in my opinion. They're real-world events providing positive experiences mixing art and technology for kids and adults. (Full disclosure: I've helped to organize a few of these events as part of http://monthlymusichackathon.org http://monthlymusichackathon.org)
forkLding 9y ago
Ben Horowitz is a hip-hop fan too, see his book Hard thing about hard things, I like the fact the Hip-hop can be used to instruct technology and business and make things interesting.
brianzelip 9y ago
In Toledo, OH, USA in 2005 we put out a hip hop album titled 'Reboot' where every track was about computers and society. See: - http://www.toledohiphop.org/reboot/ http://www.toledohiphop.org/reboot/ - https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Pass-Message-toledohiphop-org/dp/B00K4CR91W https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Pass-Message-toledohiphop-org/... (no affiliate, just linking since I'm glad to see the cover)

46 points by js2 9y ago

maehwasu 9y ago

I had to double-check that this wasn't satire.

amelius 9y ago

Wasn't there a PHP compiler at Facebook called Hip-hop?

JosephLark 9y ago
I don't want to be rude, but are you looking for something more than a reply that just says 'Yes' or something? Searching for anything like "facebook php hip hop" would easily answer your question.
- petethepig 9y ago
  I don't think it meant to be a literal question.
- cartyboi29 9y ago
  You're honestly a fucking idiot shut up

bitwize 9y ago

"...fluent in JavaScript as well as Klingon!"

robohoe 9y ago

Until they get introduced to Futuristic Sex Robotz...

monksy 9y ago

> He puts printed pictures of Mohamed on the wall, and asks students to scan them via an app. A menu of items pops up instantly: Mohamed’s Twitter feed; a 360-degree view of an interrogation room (meant to simulate the one Mohamed was taken to); a SoundCloud song; a quiz; a hip-hop video produced by Mr Mims. What was this a lesson for? (My knee jerk reaction makes me feel like that was politicized.. but I don't know the full story so I won't put that out there)

busemann 9y ago
Your instinctive reaction is probably correct. Gotta get them young to indoctrinate them.
hsod 9y ago
You just did put it out there, so why not elaborate on your reaction? What politicization are you concerned about?
- monksy 9y ago
  I did write it, but I stated it was a feeling I didn't have a lot of support on and admited it. Politicization: That the thing was more about "feel bad for this person/person with attribute (religion, race,etc) insert police state here." If they're teaching people to feel bad rather than think, they're teaching people to react badly.
rconti 9y ago
I'm not sure why it matters. This seems like a textbook case of meeting students where they're at. Find something to catch their attention, something they might be interested in. The detail or right/wrong don't actually matter in the context of trying to catch and keep a kid's attention. I found the rapping HTML tags to be far more cringe-worthy.
- emjoes1 9y ago
  Wow, this was just a sad read. I found the title "Hustling 101: How to Turn Your Code into Cash" to be more cringe-worthy. Sorry but Hip-Hop music/culture is what is keeping people down.

wturner 9y ago

I wrote a book to teach JavaScript to sound artists that is is loosely related. http://javascriptforsoundartists.com http://javascriptforsoundartists.com

rdtsc 9y ago

> One lesson centred upon Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old high school pupil who was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of building a hoax bomb when he brought a self-assembled clock to school. I remember that one, then later reading how it wasn't really a self-assembled clock but just a taken apart 70's or 80's clock that was put in a different case. http://blogs.artvoice.com/techvoice/2015/09/17/reverse-engineering-ahmed-mohameds-clock-and-ourselves/ http://blogs.artvoice.com/techvoice/2015/09/17/reverse-engin... > Mr Mims aims not for lecturing, but for dialogue In that spirit wonder how much Mr. Mims allows discussion of Ahmed being in on the idea of provoking a response. He packaged the disassembled clock in a briefcase then after being told to put it away and keep it his backpack for the rest of the day he took it out later and set an alarm on it. I think it is an interesting discussion how fear / xenophobia / prejudices can be taken advantage of in multiple ways. Later on the family demanded $15M compensation from the school district with a threat to file a lawsuit. Wonder if that is on the allowed spectrum of discussion in the classroom as well.

burkaman 9y ago
Not sure why you phrased this so combatively. The whole point of having a discussion is to "allow" stuff like this. Discussions are usually pretty boring if everyone agrees, and the idea here seems to be getting people more engaged.
- ikeyany 9y ago
  It's phrased combatively because wording like "self-assembled clock" plants an intentional picture of naivety. I'm okay with HN readers pointing out when it happens.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]

technovader 9y ago

Seems like this is becoming a template for click-bait articles. "How X is introducing kids to coding!" I've stopped paying attention unfortunately.

marmor 9y ago
Despite "How X is introducing kids to coding!" perhaps being a common trope, this is not a click-bait article, in my opinion. They're real-world events providing positive experiences mixing art and technology for kids and adults. (Full disclosure: I've helped to organize a few of these events as part of http://monthlymusichackathon.org http://monthlymusichackathon.org)

forkLding 9y ago

Ben Horowitz is a hip-hop fan too, see his book Hard thing about hard things, I like the fact the Hip-hop can be used to instruct technology and business and make things interesting.

brianzelip 9y ago

In Toledo, OH, USA in 2005 we put out a hip hop album titled 'Reboot' where every track was about computers and society. See: - http://www.toledohiphop.org/reboot/ http://www.toledohiphop.org/reboot/ - https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Pass-Message-toledohiphop-org/dp/B00K4CR91W https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Pass-Message-toledohiphop-org/... (no affiliate, just linking since I'm glad to see the cover)