**Laptop required for professional development** For young children growing in today’s digital world, the acquisition of coding and programming skills has become a popular and appropriate focus in education. Beyond engaging in technology and coding applications as consumers – the passive act of sitting in front of a screen and merely pressing buttons without a high level of thought – early childhood students are capable of high-quality programming tasks through play-based learning experiences. As producers, our youngest students may explore the open-ended nature of computer programming and coding through design, art, and innovation. Engaging in coding builds valuable and transferable practices such as problem-solving, flexibility, and perseverance, as well as developmentally appropriate skills including social and emotional exploration, fine motor movement, and cognitive challenges. The activities in this unit require a KIBO15 robot. **The KIBO 15 Robot, Programming Blocks, and Expression Module are required to complete the virtual PD for this Unit, but will be provided for those participating in the in-person training.
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