http://www.metafilter.com/tags/smartshorties Posts tagged with 'smartshorties' at MetaFilter. Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:10:05 -0800 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:10:05 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/72355/Crank%2DThat%2DHonor%2DRoll <a href="http://www.smartshorties.com">Smart Shorties</a> is a new CD being marketed to teachers that takes the beats from popular rap songs and rewrites them to the multiplication tables, with the intent of improving kids' math skills. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/04/22/businesswire20080422006370r1.html">Forbes has a nice roundup on it's history</a>, and <a href="http://www.smartshorties.com/article/Featured_Article/learning_curve_hip_hop_math">NPR has done a featurette on it as well</a> At the very least, it's certainly worth a listen for the chuckle potential, but in addition to that, it's an interesting example of the now-booming <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edutainment">Edutainment</a> industry, something that not only spans <a href="http://www.rockthesat.com/">CD's</a>, but also <a href="http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/mathblaster/">computer games</a> and even <a href="http://www.vtechkids.com/tv_learning.cfm">standalone video game consoles</a>. <br> <br> also, Smart Shorties is certainly <a href="http://www.flocabulary.com/">not </a><a href="http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/projects/hiphopmath/">the </a><a href="http://www.mathraps.com/">only </a> "Hip-hop in the classroom" product out there, <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/deurecs">nor is it</a> <a href="http://www.connectforkids.org/node/543">the first.</a> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.72355 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:10:05 -0800 education edutainment Hip-hop learning math rap smartshorties The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew