Democratic Innovation in Education Evolving School Systems for Civic Engagement

In The Open System podcast, ​Matt Leighninger, director of the Center for Democracy Innovation at the National Civic League, joins Doannie Tran and Landon Mascareñaz to explore the evolving relationship between education and democracy. Leighninger highlights efforts to transform public meetings using technology and deliberative processes to build civic trust. Tran and Mascareñaz advocate for viewing democracy as a dynamic system that requires innovation, such as liberatory design and co-creation in public decision-making. Despite the challenges of polarization, the team remains hopeful, emphasizing the public's desire for community collaboration and democratic innovation. Read the blog post below and listen to the podcast here.

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Release: Embracing Democratic Innovation in School Systems with Matt Leighninger, by Landon Mascareñaz & Doannie Tran

Doannie Tran, Landon Mascareña and Stephen Hurley are joined by Matt Leighninger as we continue to explore the intersection between education and democracy and how to innovate and adapt our systems to meet the evolving needs of 21st-century citizens.

Matt Leighninger directs the Center for Democracy Innovation at the National Civic League. He leads the Center’s work in strengthening democratic infrastructure, organizing national engagement efforts, and measuring the quality of engagement and democracy.

Matt has been one of the central figures in democracy innovation over the last twenty years. As a network-builder, convener, author, commentator, researcher, and practitioner, he has helped catalyze and connect the key developments in the recent evolution of democracy (bio excerpt from NCL website).

Key Takeaways:

1. Redefining Public Meetings for Greater Civic Trust: Matt Leighninger outlines a project aimed at transforming public meetings through technology and small group deliberative processes, to make them more effective, efficient, and trustworthy.
2. The Dynamic Nature of Democracy: Doannie Tran and Landon Mascareñaz emphasize the importance of viewing democracy as a dynamic system that must evolve to cater to diverse needs, advocating for innovative practices like liberatory design and co-creative work in public decision-making spaces.
3. Hope Amidst Polarization: Despite current democratic stresses, Matt Leighninger and the team remain hopeful, highlighting that most people desire community collaboration and innovation. This optimism is grounded in historical successes and the present willingness of individuals to engage in improving local democracies through creative and participatory processes.

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Listen to The Open System podcast here: voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/embracing-democratic-innovation-in-school-systems-with-matt-leighninger/