The Orthogonal Bet
Samantha John on Hopscotch the easy bake oven of code
Apr 30, 2025
Samantha John, co-founder of Hopscotch, discusses her innovative programming platform designed to make coding accessible and fun for kids. She shares the origins of Hopscotch and its evolution into a collaborative community tool, emphasizing creativity and support among young coders. The conversation touches on the historical barriers in tech and the transformative experience of learning programming. They also delve into the impact of AI on the future of coding education, highlighting the importance of fostering a love for programming from an early age.
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Quick takeaways
- Samantha John emphasizes the importance of creating accessible and fun programming environments like Hopscotch to inspire children's creativity and learning.
- The podcast discusses the need for diversity in tech education, addressing historical gender biases that have marginalized girls in programming.
Deep dives
The Origins and Purpose of Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a programming environment designed specifically for children, allowing them to create games, apps, and animations easily on various devices including the iPad and web platforms. Samantha John, a co-founder of Hopscotch, aimed to lower the barriers to programming by making it tangible and fun, moving away from traditional programming's complexities. Inspired by her own experiences as a latecomer to programming, she recognized the need for approachable tools that cater to younger audiences, facilitating an easier introduction to coding concepts. The platform encourages kids to engage their creativity while learning programming, aiming to capture the joy that often gets lost in traditional learning environments.
