About | iCED | Miami Dade College

iCED Mission

To transform learning, strengthen democracy, and contribute meaningfully to the common good by awakening and empowering students for lifelong civic engagement.

Theory of Change

The Institute for Civic Engagement & Democracy (iCED) is part of the Office of Changemaking Education and Social Innovation at MDC and provides the MDC community with high-quality opportunities for civic learning and democratic engagement.

iCED believes that when teaching and learning experiences are transformed for students and faculty, they develop the knowledge, skills and agency to become active citizens. We aim to close Miami’s civic empowerment gap and achieve a more representative, participatory democracy.

Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE)

CLDE is defined as educational experiences that intentionally prepare students for informed, engaged participation in their communities’ civic and democratic life by providing opportunities to develop civic knowledge, skills, and mindsets through learning and practice.

We offer a myriad of programs across all MDC campuses and centers through three pathways: Service, Civic Leadership, & Democratic Engagement. Each pathway incorporates specific CLDE elements:

CLDE Elements (All iCED CLDE programming will include one or more of these eight elements)

Learning from others, self, and environment to develop informed perspectives on social issues
Recognizing and appreciating human diversity and commonality
Behaving, and working through controversy, with civility
Taking an active role in the political process
Participating actively in public life, public problem solving, and service
Assuming leadership and membership roles in organizations
Developing empathy, ethics, values, and sense of social responsibility
Promoting social justice locally and globally

Programmatic Values

Community-centered partnerships
Critical reflection
Critical thinking
Collaboration

Service Pathway

Participating actively in public life, public problem solving, and service
Learning from others, self, and environment to develop informed perspectives on social issues
Developing empathy, ethics, values, and sense of social responsibility

Civic Leadership Pathway

Assuming leadership and membership roles in organizations
Behaving, and working through controversy, with civility
Developing empathy, ethics, values, and sense of social responsibility

Democratic Engagement Pathway

Taking an active role in the political process
Promoting social justice locally and globally
Recognizing and appreciating human diversity and commonality