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Facebook is Equipping K-8 Classrooms With Robot Sets To Boost Tech Diversity

Posted by msmash on from the further-push dept.

Long time reader theodp writes: Facebook last week announced the launch of CodeFWD, "a free online education program created in partnership with [robotic toy maker] Sphero to increase the amount of underrepresented and female students interested in studying computer science." Sphero and CodeFWD are offering a free Sphero BOLT Power Pack (a classroom set of 15 robots valued at $2,499) for a select number of accepted applicants through the program. So, what do you need to begin CodeFWD by Facebook? "No experience necessary. No experience preferred ," explains the website. However, that's not to say CodeFWD is for all. "CodeFWD is intended for educators who are credentialed K-12 teachers or 501(c)(3) non-profit staff members in the United States," the website makes clear, adding that "given the limited supply of robots, we will evaluate the information you've provided and prioritize those applications that help us achieve the goal of expanding access to computer programming opportunities." And Facebook, being Facebook, adds that it wants some data out of the deal: "Please note that Facebook will have access to aggregate, anonymous usage data from Sphero, but will not have access to user-identifiable data collected by Sphero."

13 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Not sure I like by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not sure I like Facebook having ANY presence in the classroom even if it's trying to help.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:Not sure I like by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      I'm not sure I like Facebook having ANY presence in the classroom even if it's trying to help.

      Sure, but it is unfair to blame Facebook for this. They are being pressured to "do something" about diversity, and this is "something".

    2. Re:Not sure I like by nwf · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm sure Facebook wants kids from all ages, genders and races to become mindless drones that give away their privacy for precious little in return.

      Soon, we'll be hearing stiff like this, "Teacher, your pupils have not been actively engaging with Facebook sufficiently to ensure timely deliveries of educational supplies. Please encourage your children to not be left behind."

      --
      I don't know, but it works for me.
    3. Re:Not sure I like by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      I'm not sure I like Facebook having ANY presence in the classroom even if it's trying to help.

      The Cambridge Analytica/Facebook conglomerate knows you have to get their data early and often.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  2. Holy hell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would be happy if I could live the rest of my life and never hear or read the word "diversity" ever again.

    1. Re:Holy hell by hey! · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I once worked for a very well-intentioned liberal white man who once gleefully toted up all the minorities he had hired; I was his Asian. The thing was, except for me every one there came out of the same graduate school program he founded, and I think every last one of them, even his black females, had wealthy lawyers as parents; his latino's father was some kind of government minister in Mexico. I was the only one there with a working class, inner city background, and believe me, I felt it. Certainly having him identify me as a his token Asian didn't make me feel valued, as an Asian or anything else.

      Actually diversity *is* valuable to organizations as a counterpoint to another thing organizations need: cohesion. Cohesion without diversity equals group think; it leads to blind spots. That's how you get some outrageously tone-deaf PR campaigns, like Nivea's "White is Purity" campaign, or Pepsi's infamous Kendall Jenner campaign.

      Now my coworkers at this place were smart, cultured, and genuinely good people, but they were just *outrageously* condescending, and they couldn't see it because they were constantly reinforcing their own shared world views. Now I'm very liberal myself, but when some wealthy white woman talks about "privilege" it can set my teeth on edge. I understand the point she's trying to make, and it's not that she's wrong, but that's just a horribly tone deaf piece of jargon. Can you imagine how that sounds to a middle aged man who just lost his job at the mill? Lack of economic diversity means you can use that kind of jargon and never see the downside, like Nivea's "White is Purity" campaign.

      I think my take away from that job is that a spot check of skin color, gender, and ethnicity can tell you if you *lack* diversity. But it can't tell you that you *have* diversity. The whole point of diversity in an organization is to provide situational awareness and flexibility in thinking.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  3. Not necessarily by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm picturing something more like this:

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/update-kindergarten-teacher-denies-legos-to-boys-in-name-of-gender-equity

  4. Re:What the fuck is this bullshit? by alvinrod · · Score: 2

    The cynic (or maybe the realist) in me just assumes that they drive page views (and therefore advertising) as opposed to anything more sinister. The social justice agenda doesn't go down terribly well around here and these articles seems unlikely to win anyone over. I think it just comes down the fact that anyone can have an opinion on political issues, and will argue in the comments endless, whereas if you run a story about some niche technology, there are fewer people with the knowledge or expertise to comment.

  5. Re:Is it underreprented or female or both? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

    Also, what does underrepresented actually mean?

    It means under represented in tech compared to their presence in the general population.

    So anything except a white or Asian male.

    Black, Hispanic, Native American, or female of any race is under represented.

    I spent several years working in after school programs for robots, coding, and GATE (Gifted And Talented Education). I can see some sense in "girl-only" instruction, since boys can get overly enthusiastic about tech, so the girls often pull back and just sit and watch. But this can be addressed by allowing girls to self-segregate into girl-only workgroups.

    For race it make NO SENSE. Black kids do better when intermixed, and kids learn a lot from their peers.

  6. Meanwhile in Appalachia... by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Some poor little white boy, who lives with his methhead parents in a run-down trailer with no running water, is asking his teacher if he can have a robot too.

    "Sorry kid. These are just for the under-privileged."

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  7. Re:Is it underreprented or female or both? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Also, what does underrepresented actually mean?

    It means under represented in tech compared to their presence in the general population.

    So anything except a white or Asian male.

    Black, Hispanic, Native American, or female of any race is under represented.

    I spent several years working in after school programs for robots, coding, and GATE (Gifted And Talented Education). I can see some sense in "girl-only" instruction, since boys can get overly enthusiastic about tech, so the girls often pull back and just sit and watch. But this can be addressed by allowing girls to self-segregate into girl-only workgroups.

    For race it make NO SENSE. Black kids do better when intermixed, and kids learn a lot from their peers.

    What about Black girls only classes, or transgender only.

    Gender apartheid is rapidly becomeing a liberal touchstone.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  8. Re:Is it underreprented or female or both? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

    Also, what does underrepresented actually mean?

    It means under represented in tech compared to their presence in the general population.

    So anything except a white or Asian male.

    Black, Hispanic, Native American, or female of any race is under represented.

    I spent several years working in after school programs for robots, coding, and GATE (Gifted And Talented Education). I can see some sense in "girl-only" instruction, since boys can get overly enthusiastic about tech, so the girls often pull back and just sit and watch. But this can be addressed by allowing girls to self-segregate into girl-only workgroups.

    For race it make NO SENSE. Black kids do better when intermixed, and kids learn a lot from their peers.

    What about Black girls only classes, or transgender only.

    Gender apartheid is rapidly becomeing a liberal touchstone.

    Asking questions is not flame bait slash dotters. Asking questions is looking for answers.

    And modding my post flamebait is merely showing that you know that you don't want to answer the question. Why not?

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  9. Re:What the fuck is this bullshit? by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    What? SJW and climate stories get more eyeballs than some lame, on-topic, tech-related story.

    The editors know who their masters are and sing their songs, the system works.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.