How hip-hop is introducing children to coding and technology | Hacker News Reader

How hip-hop is introducing children to coding and technology

economist.com

46 pointsjs219 comments

> 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-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.

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.

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.

> 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)

You just did put it out there, so why not elaborate on your reaction? What politicization are you concerned about?

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.

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.

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.

I wrote a book to teach JavaScript to sound artists that is is loosely related.

http://javascriptforsoundartists.com

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

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/

- https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Pass-Message-toledohiphop-org/... (no affiliate, just linking since I'm glad to see the cover)

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

Seems like this is becoming a template for click-bait articles. "How X is introducing kids to coding!"

I've stopped paying attention unfortunately.

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)

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.

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

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.

I don't think it meant to be a literal question.

Until they get introduced to Futuristic Sex Robotz...

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