The EdCounts Podcast

Exploring Health and Learning with the Building Strong Brains Coalition

The first 18 months of a child's life are incredibly important when it comes to brain development. So how can we ensure that both children and parents are healthy at this stage? In this episode, Candy Yoder, Senior Strategist with Building Strong Brains, and Paul Shetler-Fast, Executive Director of Maple City Health Care Center, show us how local organizations are collaborating to provide early childhood and family supports.

The Impact of Indiana's Funding Cuts on Pre-K Providers

Access and affordability of pre-K have been challenges for decades. But recent state budget cuts in Indiana are making those challenges much more acute. In this episode, we'll hear from Aleyna Mitchell, Director of Development and Community Outreach at El Campito Child Development Center, about the impact of funding cuts on families and pre-K providers.

AI in Schools - What's the Best Policy?

AI is now present in schools across the nation, and it's not going away anytime soon. But how are teachers and administrators responding to its academic pros and cons? Amy Dirlam, Assistant Superintendent of St. Joseph Public Schools, and Ben Rimes, Director of Technology at Coloma Community Schools, will help us learn about developing policies that balance the support of AI with human interaction in learning.

How Communities Can Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

Whether it's in homes, schools, or on social media, it takes a community to ensure the safety and growth of children. In this episode, Angie Skwarcan of The CASIE Center and Kim Yoder of Child and Parent Services - Elkhart take us through some of the different ways that we can prevent child abuse and neglect.

Teaching Science with...Art? How Does That Work?

Science is a vast and complex field, and it can be challenging for scientists to share their work with students and the general public. In this episode, we'll chat with Dr. Maggie Fink and Dr. Shahir Rizk, professors at Indiana University South Bend, who both have experience in making science accessible through art, conversation, and connection.