Hacking is for Kids HackCon V Guided Discussion August 5, 2017

Hacking is for EVERYONE! “This discussion is centered around the theme that hacking is for everyone...”

“...and when we mean everyone, kids (K-12) should be included as part of the conversation. Career paths can often start at a young age when kids are exposed to programs that teach them how to code.”

Victor Lourng High School Hackers & CodeDay Philly Lead Organizer

Chi Nguyen Commissioner at Major League Hacking

Source: Code.org

0 public schools in Philadelphia that teach computer science Source: The Notebook

Q: Why are there so few CS programs in public schools today?

A: ● TEALS connects tech students with high school teachers in order to assist getting the skills necessary to teachers in order ○ The teachers that are in schools do not have the skills that are needed to teach a coding class (for example a business major & teacher teaching java) ● The curriculum for AP CS appears to be outdated which doesn’t help current students It is hard to convince tech students to graduate ● Lack of school funding and teachers willing to teach ○ Schools are dealing with this circular problem where kids need to learn coding, but teachers can’t teach it ○ Salary differences: median for software developer is $84,360 and classroom teacher is $56,383

Q: Why aren’t kids interested in coding? “In other words, what are some things that turns them off from wanting to learn to code?”

A: ● The thing that I wasn’t taught in math class was algorithmic thinking ○ Which is a major step/resource for coding ● Kids involved in video games could be gotten to be interested in how these things are made ○ So targeting elementary school students even with the information of how did that iPad game get made ● The hacker image in public media showing a hooded individual in front of green text that gives kids the wrong impression about computer science

(green text stock photo) Source: CNN/Getty

Q: What got all of you interested in technology? *Note: this question was added in response to another answer in the discussion

A: ● I got interested in coding due to the hacking in the matrix ● I went to a charter school and a teacher had the class compete in groups to build something that the school needed ○ Seeing an idea and taking it to fruition ● My first experience was on my own actually through Codecademy, after I was turned away due to not being in the major to take the classes ● I didn’t have internet at home and I my own version of the internet, so I checked out books from the library on making websites at a young age

Q: What is the current makeup of kids learning to code?

A: ● In my majority hispanic high schools in California, programming classes tend to be overwhelmingly male and asian ● A hackathon for students that someone attended showed great diversity numbers (45% women, for example) demonstrate that there is an interest from these different groups ● Kids that are learning about how to program tend to be boys from families that have the money that can get them a teacher or put them in a summer/afterschool programs (privilege)

Source: Code.org

Q: How do we get kids willing to learn? “And more importantly, how do we get kids of different backgrounds willing to learn?”

A: ● Younger kids do much better with activities that teach coding skills, not necessarily coding an application ● Kids like to see visual output ● CodeDay Philly connects to kids’ interests in the arts by individualizes coding activities ○ Kids already like to make music, draw, play games, etc ○ Kids will learn how to make music, generate art, build games, etc, thru coding ● Hour of Code website also helps with the skills for teaching the algorithmic method of thinking that can be built on top of ● Direct family/friend encouragement ● The game Roblox is powered by coding and empowers kids to make their worlds better by showing them all of the available options (similar example is Minecraft)

Q: Once kids are learning, how do we keep them interested?

A: ● Working part-time at iCanCode the program grows the experience that the kids have by building up from building games in Scratch up to Unity ○ As well as doing hackathons and other events ● Normalize them to failure (bugs in code happen frequently), which is new to students

Q: How do we get teachers capable and willing to teach?

A: ● I went from pursuing a math teaching degree, to pursuing a CS degree in order to teach CS. Around me however there are many of my peers that have been discouraging me (money, dealing with bad kids, etc.) while I have been going forward with this anyways, there are others that would not follow through on this after hearing it repeatedly ● Others tend to be taught in workshops which are paid per class ○ Shows how money is a major incentive for people wanting to teach ● TEALS has classes that are free that people can use it in order to improve and provided curriculum to schools attempting to start a program

Q: What are some ways we as hackathon organizers can take action?

A: ● Advocate school boards and local government to expand CS education for everyone ● Something that high school hackathons desperately need are mentors, as majority of attendees are coding for the first time ● Coding or game design classes in high schools are elective credits. Moving this towards a graduation requirement filler would be a great way to improve this ○ Using your hackathon as a place to call the local government with participants (using a script) in order to campaign for this ● Organizing with local schools and students so that they continue to have the resources that they need (updating school labs or more access on a campus for interested parties) ○ “You can teach someone to fish but if they don’t have a fishing rod it doesn’t help them much in the long run”

Thank You! Victor Lourng @pixelyunicorn @pixelyunicorn Chi Nguyen @chi_ps @chibnguyen Special thanks to our notetaker, George Herde!