Professional Learning
From Successful Implementation to
Instructional Innovation
Professional Learning is one of the four core components of the RoboBlocky solution. It empowers educators to successfully implement RoboBlocky while developing the knowledge, skills, confidence, and Teacher Agency to customize instruction, develop curriculum, and innovate teaching and learning.
Professional Learning is available to individual educators and can also be organized by schools, districts, County Offices of Education, state agencies, and other educational organizations. Opportunities include scheduled online sessions, sessions at Barobo, customized on-site Professional Learning, curriculum implementation support, coaching, Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Computer Science Supplementary Authorization, and ongoing instructional support.
No prior coding or robotics experience is required.
From Curriculum Users to
Curriculum Developers and Innovators
RoboBlocky Professional Learning develops Teacher Agency by giving educators the knowledge, tools, and flexibility to make informed instructional decisions, respond to student needs, and take greater ownership of curriculum and instruction.
Teachers begin with high-quality RoboBlocky curriculum, research-informed instructional frameworks and strategies, and ready-to-use lessons and activities. They can differentiate instruction, copy and modify existing RoboBlocky lessons and activities, and create their own lessons, activities, projects, and curriculum. This flexibility empowers all teachers to integrate mathematics with STEAM, computer science, engineering design, reading, and writing through coding and robotics.
Students progress from users of technology to creators of technology. Teachers progress from users of curriculum to developers and innovators of curriculum.
Through Professional Learning and classroom experience, educators progressively develop the expertise to customize curriculum, collaborate with colleagues, mentor other educators, and lead continued instructional innovation.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Individual Educators
Individual educators can participate in scheduled Professional Learning sessions offered throughout the year. Sessions may be delivered online through Zoom or in person at Barobo.
Educators can select Professional Learning opportunities based on their grade levels, Curriculum Programs, instructional goals, and areas of interest.
Schools, Districts, and Educational Agencies
Barobo provides customized Professional Learning for schools, districts, County Offices of Education, state agencies, and other educational organizations. Programs can support school and district implementations, regional initiatives, and grant-funded programs.
Sessions can be customized around Curriculum Programs, grade levels, instructional priorities, educator experience, implementation schedules, and local needs. They may be delivered online, at Barobo, or at a school, district, county, or other organization site.
Professional Learning typically serves educators across TK–12, providing a coherent understanding of the RoboBlocky Curriculum, Platform, Robotics Hardware, and instructional approaches across grade levels. Sessions can also be customized for specific grade levels or grade bands based on local implementation needs.
Follow-up sessions, coaching, and ongoing implementation support can also be arranged.
What Educators Learn
Professional Learning prepares educators to confidently implement, customize, and develop learning experiences using the RoboBlocky Curriculum, RoboBlocky Platform, Robotics Hardware, and research-informed instructional frameworks and strategies.Topics may include:
Curriculum and Instruction
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Implementing RoboBlocky Curriculum Programs and courses
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Applying the Learning Math with Robotics™ educational philosophy
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Using the RoboBlocky 5E+GC Instructional Framework™, RISE, REST, mathematical modeling, and Structured Student Talk
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Differentiating instruction to support diverse learners
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Connecting curriculum and instruction to state and national standards
Interdisciplinary Learning with Robotics
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Integrating mathematics with coding and robotics
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Integrating mathematics with STEAM, computer science, and engineering design through robotics
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Integrating reading and writing to develop academic language and strengthen mathematical communication and reasoning
Coding, Robotics, and Engineering Design
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Using block- and text-based programming and integrating programming with the RoboBlocky Curriculum
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Programming and controlling virtual and physical robots
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Using robotics hardware, mathematical manipulatives, engineering design, and physical computing
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Implementing Engineering Design with Robotics, RoboParade™, RoboEngineering Expo™, and RoboPlay™ Competitions
RoboBlocky Platform and Classroom Implementation
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Using the RoboBlocky Platform, including its integrated Learning Management System (LMS) and Real-Time Learning Management and Interaction
Lesson and Curriculum Development
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Copying and modifying existing RoboBlocky lessons and activities
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Developing original lessons, activities, projects, and curriculum
A Professional Learning Progression
RoboBlocky Professional Learning supports educators as they progress from learning the fundamentals to curriculum development and instructional innovation.
Learn → Implement → Customize → Develop → Innovate
Educators first develop the knowledge and confidence to implement RoboBlocky effectively. With classroom experience, they learn to customize lessons, differentiate instruction, and integrate RoboBlocky with existing curricula. They can then develop original lessons, activities, projects, and learning experiences to meet the needs of their students.
As their expertise grows, educators can collaborate through Professional Learning Communities, mentor colleagues, share effective practices, and help lead curriculum development and instructional innovation across classrooms, grade levels, schools, and districts.
Building Sustainable Educator Capacity
Professional Learning is designed to build long-term instructional capacity within schools, districts, and educational organizations.
Organizations can begin with a single Curriculum Program, course, grade level, or group of educators and expand implementation over time. Follow-up Professional Learning, coaching, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and peer mentoring support instructional continuity, teacher collaboration, and coherent implementation.
As local expertise develops, experienced educators can support colleagues, share effective practices, customize curriculum for local needs, and help sustain continued instructional improvement and innovation.
Continuing Education Units and
Computer Science Supplementary Authorization
UC Merced Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), in partnership with Barobo, Inc., offers a CTC-aligned Computer Science Supplementary Authorization program for K–12 educators.
The program supports educators in developing computer science knowledge and pedagogy, integrating computer science into STEAM teaching, using robotics and physical computing, and developing standards-aligned interdisciplinary curriculum.
UC Merced PACE, in partnership with Barobo, also provides Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for participating educators.
Barobo Professional Learning Community
Professional Learning continues beyond scheduled sessions.
Registered RoboBlocky instructors can connect with other educators through the Barobo Professional Learning Community to ask questions, exchange ideas, share classroom experiences, and find practical tips for curriculum implementation, customization, and instruction.
What Educators Say
Hear from educators who have participated in Barobo Professional Learning and brought their learning into classrooms and programs.
"There was so much information that I gathered today that will help with the successful introduction of coding to my students. I am very green in the C-STEM world but today a ton of connections were made in order to help build my confidence to deliver lessons to my students. They are going to be so excited next week!"
— Ashley Trower, 5th Grade Teacher, Marysville, California
"I learned how to incorporate coding naturally and in alignment with the standards I am already expected to teach. It was fantastic instruction paced well and supportive implementation. Great presentation and instruction!"
— Kaylah Salinas, High School Teacher, Fresno, California
"I like that we started with the online robot and built up to the actual robot. The explanations of the code were great before we actually ran the programs for the Arduino and robot. I appreciated starting from the very basics and building from there, as I have had no experience with Arduino and robotics."
— Audrey Boone, 7th–8th Grade Technology Teacher, Salt Lake City, Utah
Find Your Professional Learning Opportunity
