The 2025 California STEAM Symposium will take place February 7–8, 2025, in San Diego, CA. Cohosted by the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation (CDEF), the California Department of Education, and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, this symposium is an annual gathering of STEAM education enthusiasts.
Join WestEd’s Early Childhood Development, Learning, and Systems team for dynamic discussions on inquiry-based learning experiences alongside district and county leaders, educators, innovators, and community members to explore the implementation of early math professional learning and coaching. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, engage in hands-on learning, and reimagine the possibilities in STEAM education!
Featured Sessions
Nurturing Children’s Agency and Identity Through Joyful, Playful STEAM Learning
Date: February 7, 2025
Time: 1:45–2:45 p.m. PT
The goal of this session is to help educators understand how to support children’s agency and identity in playful STEAM experiences. In this session, we will explore how inquiry-based STEAM learning experiences can inspire children as active agents in their learning and strengthen their identities as learners in STEAM. Participants will engage in an inquiry-based, playful STEAM activity; view examples of inquiry-based teaching; and discuss effective practices that are effective in supporting children’s agency and identity through meaningful STEAM learning.
Facilitators: This session will be facilitated by WestEd Early Childhood Learning and Development experts Lexi Alexander and Osnat Zur.
Count Play Explore—Promoting Early Math in Your Community
Date: February 7, 2025
Time: 1:45–2:45 p.m. PT
This 60-minute panel presentation will feature facilitators from three agencies that implemented early math professional learning and coaching in their local communities as part of the Count Play Explore statewide initiative. Panel members will share insights from their implementation and strategies for supporting educators’ early math mindsets, knowledge, and teaching practices. Participants will leave the session with activities, videos, research briefs, and other resources to promote early math and science in their local communities.
Panelists: The panelists for this session include Stephanie Ahumada from Dinuba Unified School District; Lesly Escobar, Madhu Kapoor, Jennifer Marcella-Burdett, and Lynneth Solis, all from WestEd; Sara Green from Alameda County Office of Education; and Juan Ramirez from the Central Valley Children’s Services Network.