Designing Hopscotch: Engaging Young Coders

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Samantha John, co-founder of Hopscotch—a delightful programming environment designed for children. Samuel wanted to explore the origins of Hopscotch, its underlying philosophy, and how we might think more broadly about teaching programming to young people.

Their conversation spans the history of programming, the unique powers and possibilities of computers, and the role of tools like Hopscotch in shaping how kids interact with code. They also touch on AI and the future of programming. It’s a fun, wide-ranging discussion that captures Samantha’s thoughtful approach and contagious enthusiasm.