Strategic Initiative: CDEC (Constructive Dissent for Educational Change)

Update: July 2023

Goal 3: An aligned community 

What was the key objective of CDEC?

The main objective of the CDEC Initiative is to catalyze transformation of engineering education to become antiracist. This objective is approached through a workshop that helps engineering education professionals to (1) articulate visions of an antiracist future for engineering education, (2) assess the opportunities presented by the gaps between the present and that future, and (3) identify actions to take to leverage those opportunities and work toward that antiracist future. All of this is accomplished through a framing of "constructive dissent," dissenting from the status quo with hope. 

What has this initiative accomplished to date?

The first pilot workshop was offered on May 18, 2023, with 12 participants. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive and points to continuing this work. 

What happens next?

They will be carefully reviewing all feedback to assess all aspects of the workshop in detail, revising the workshop as indicated by feedback, and pursuing further funding to continue this project. They will also be continuing to convene pilot participants as a community of practice as we engage in the actions identified in the workshop.