Upcoming Events
Student Rights in the Era of AI: What It Means for Open Education
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the student experience in higher education, often faster than institutions can establish clear protections. Hosted by the Open Education Association, this webinar explores what students are owed as AI becomes embedded in their education, and what open education practitioners can do about it.
The session will open with a presentation from Student Defense, introducing their Student AI Bill of Rights and the principles it establishes around transparency, human oversight, data ownership, safety, and access to AI's benefits. This will be followed by a panel discussion connecting these rights to the realities of OER and open pedagogy work, including questions of student data, authorship, agency, experience, and access. The webinar will close with time for informal discussion among attendees.
Whether you're new to thinking about AI and student rights or already grappling with these questions in your own practice, this webinar will offer a grounding in the Student AI Bill of Rights and offer practical perspectives from faculty, librarians, and students on what it means for open education.
Presenter:
Dan Zibel, Vice President & Chief Counsel, Student Defense
Dan Zibel is the Vice President & Chief Legal Counsel of Student Defense. He has substantial experience working on consumer protection issues in higher education, and the authority of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to oversee schools and other participants in Federal Student Aid programs. Before co-founding Student Defense, he served as the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Postsecondary Education in ED. He’s currently a litigator on several Student Defense lawsuits, including protecting SNAP recipients’ data from government overreach, and attempting to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of ED. He also co-leads Student Defense’s Safeguarding Higher-Ed Through AI Practices & Ethics (SHAPE) AI Initiative. It launched in September 2025 to provide strategic guidance, policy recommendations, and educational resources that promote ethical, responsible, student-friendly, and transparent uses of AI in higher education.
Panelists:
Amber Lynn Anderson, Master’s Student in Professional and Technical Writing, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Amber Lynn Anderson is a nonfiction editor and master’s student in Professional and Technical Writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she recently earned her BA in Professional and Technical Writing. As an undergraduate, she participated in an open-pedagogy project in Advanced Editing, serving as a co-author of Open Professional and Technical Editing with Handbook, an open textbook designed to support students and educators in the field. Her interests include nonfiction writing, editing, and teaching college-level writing courses.
Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Professor, Education, Health & Behavior, University of North Dakota
Virginia Clinton-Lisell, PhD, is a Professor in Educational Foundations and Research at the University of North Dakota. She holds a masters’ degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from New York University and a doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Clinton-Lisell’s research focuses on digital reading comprehension and open education. She is the Primary Researcher for the Open Education Group, which provides mentorship and support for early career researchers on open education projects.
Tiffani Tijerina, Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Writing, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Tiffani Tijerina, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She holds a Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University and an M.A. in Instructional Design and Technology from Georgia State University. Dr. Tijerina’s research and teaching focus on technical and professional writing and editing, open education, and instructional design. She is the editor of the Open Education Award-winning Pedagogy Opened: Innovative Theory and Practice, first author of the Open Education Award-winning Open Technical Communication 1e and 2e, and faculty author of the recently published open pedagogy project Open Professional and Technical Editing with Handbook.
David Tully, Principal Librarian for Student Affordability, North Carolina State University
David Tully serves as the Principal Librarian for Student Affordability at NC State University Libraries, overseeing the dual pillars of open education and student scholarship fundraising. He advances open education as a tool for both cost reduction and pedagogical enrichment, helping faculty create flexible, student-centered learning environments. Additionally, David leads strategic fundraising and management for the student scholarship program, partnering with donors to deliver direct financial relief and create opportunities for long-term student success.
The first 60 minutes of this webinar will be recorded and made available following the event.
National Priorities Listening Session
Join this interactive listening session to help shape national priorities for open education. We'll discuss what challenges in higher education open education is well positioned to solve, brainstorm potential priorities, and map the work already happening in this space.
National Priorities Listening Session
Join this interactive listening session to help shape national priorities for open education. We'll discuss what challenges in higher education open education is well positioned to solve, brainstorm potential priorities, and map the work already happening in this space.
Register Now: 2026 Open Education Conference
Save the date! The 2026 Open Education Conference (OpenEd26) will be held on October 27-29, 2026 as a virtual event. Sign up to receive updates about the call for proposals and registration.
The Open Education Conference is an annual convening for sharing and learning about open educational resources, open pedagogy, and open education initiatives. This engaging event brings together over 1,600 educators and open education advocates in-person and online to collaborate, support, and drive strategies for education that are accessible, affordable, and reflective of the learners they serve.
As the conference’s 23rd annual gathering, OpenEd26 be held in a fully online setting, with plans to return as a hybrid event in 2027.
National Priorities Listening Session
Join this interactive listening session to help shape national priorities for open education. We'll discuss what challenges in higher education open education is well positioned to solve, brainstorm potential priorities, and map the work already happening in this space.
Choosing What’s Next: Introducing the National Open Education Priorities Process
What should open education take on next? Introducing a process to choose national priorities.
Summer Member Social Hour
Join this informal member social hour to soak up the last stretch of summer with the Open Education Association!
Open Education and Microcredentials: Getting a Seat at the Table
This webinar has concluded but you can watch the recording and view the slides.
Microcredentials are gaining real momentum on campuses across the country, and it is a conversation open education advocates should be part of. As institutions explore and expand their microcredential offerings, there is opportunity to ensure open education is integrated into that work. Hosted by the Open Education Association, this webinar is designed to prepare you to find those conversations on your campus, get involved, and know what to say once you are in the room.
The session will include a high-level overview by Lisa Young on what microcredentials are, where conversations are happening and how open education advocates can meaningfully engage. This will be followed by a panel discussion offering candid insights and perspectives on bridging these two communities and time for informal discussion among all attendees.
Whether you are just beginning to explore how open education connects to microcredentials on your campus or looking for concrete strategies to bring these efforts into alignment, this webinar will give you the language, the entry points, and the tools to move from parallel conversations to a shared vision.
Presenter:
Lisa Young, Founder & Principal, EduEssentials Consulting
Panelists:
Andrew Fisher, VPAA, Bristol Community College
Kathryn Belous, Workforce Sector Strategies Administrator, Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity
Dixie McMahon, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives Executive, Workforce Development, Bank of America
Funding Strategies for Open Education
Hosted by the Open Education Association, this webinar tackles the real work of resourcing open education initiatives, with a focus on private foundations and funding sources that open advocates may not typically think to pursue.
Office Hour: Open Textbook Pilot Program
The Open Education Association and SPARC are hosting open office hours for anyone interested in the Open Textbook Pilot Program. The Department of Labor, on behalf of the Department of Education, has opened the fiscal year 2026 competition with $7 million available for new awards. The program funds the creation and expansion of open textbooks that reduce costs for students in high-enrollment courses and in-demand fields.
Join us on Friday, May 29 at 1:00 PM Eastern to ask questions, discuss the opportunity with others, or connect with potential collaborators. Drop in any time. Applications are due June 23, 2026.
Peer Reviewer Training for the Journal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education
This webinar has concluded but you can watch the recording and view the slides.
Join us for a free peer reviewer training session designed to prepare you to participate in JOERHE's open peer review process, in which authors and reviewers know each other’s identities and can engage with each other throughout the editorial process. Peer reviewers receive scholarly credit through the publication of their peer review alongside the published article.
During this session, you will learn the following:
What is open peer review?
What is the peer review process we use at JOERHE?
What are we looking for in a peer review?
How do you provide kind and collegial feedback to authors?
Whether you're a first-time reviewer or simply looking for a refresher, this training will give you the tools and confidence to engage in a process built on kindness, collegiality, and genuine support for authors and the broader OER community.
Open Education in the Midwest: Social Hour
Join the Open Education Association and Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) for an informal social hour connecting open education practitioners across the midwestern region. Come ready to meet others, share what you're working on, and build professional relationships with the people doing this work near you.
Not from this region? Find the regional social hour that best represents you on our events page.
Audience: All are welcome
Open Education in the Northeast: Social Hour
Join the Open Education Association and the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) for an informal social hour connecting open education practitioners across the Northeast region. Come ready to meet others, share what you're working on, and build professional relationships with the people doing this work near you.
Not from this region? Find the regional social hour that best represents you on our events page.
Audience: All are welcome
Open Education in the South: Social Hour
Join the Open Education Association and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) for an informal social hour connecting open education practitioners across the southern region. Come ready to meet others, share what you're working on, and build professional relationships with the people doing this work near you.
Not from this region? Find the regional social hour that best represents you on our events page.
Audience: All are welcome
Open Education in the West: Social Hour
Join the Open Education Association and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) for an informal social hour connecting open education practitioners across the western region. Come ready to meet others, share what you're working on, and build professional relationships with the people doing this work near you.
Not from this region? Find the regional social hour that best represents you on our events page.
Audience: All are welcome
Working Session: Mentorship
The Open Education Association is exploring the possibility of introducing a mentorship program and would like your input! We welcome association members to provide their feedback and ideas based on the current needs of the field.
This session will give a brief overview of the proposed initiative, then shift to an interactive feedback gathering session on specific aspects of a proposed program. If you prefer to contribute asynchronously, register to receive access to session materials.
Date & Time:
Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
3:00pm ET / 2:00pm CT / 1:00pm MT / 12:00pm PT
Audience: Members Only
Beyond Echo Chambers: Bringing Open Education to New Audiences
This event has concluded, but you can view the slides and watch the recording.
Open education has made meaningful progress, yet the case hasn't reached many of the spaces where it could have an even greater impact. This webinar is for practitioners ready to take open education outside familiar circles. It will cover practical strategies for framing open education for new audiences and making the case in unfamiliar rooms, highlighting presenting at conferences as one concrete avenue for this work.
The session will begin with a framing presentation, followed by a panel discussion. The speakers bring firsthand experience doing this across a range of contexts, from government and policy to fields well beyond the open education community. The webinar will be recorded and made available after the event.
Presenter:
Lindsey Gwozdz, Assistant Dean of Library, Community College of Rhode Island
Panelists:
Amanda Coolidge, VP Strategic Engagement and Growth, Pressbooks
Ethan Senack, Assistant Director of Ops and Development, Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions
Liliana Diaz Solodukhin, Senior Program Officer, Ascendium Education Group
Audience: All are welcome
"Shut Up and Write!" Working Session for OpenEd26 Proposals
You are invited to the Open Education Conference’s inaugural “Shut Up and Write!” working session. “Shut Up and Write!” is an established methodology to support dedicated time for writing.
With multiple upcoming deadlines for open education conferences — including the OpenEd26 deadline on April 3rd — this is a great opportunity to develop a proposal idea, start writing, or refine a draft. The session is beginner friendly and open to anyone, including those unsure about submitting or what to write.
The session will begin with a brief opening with tips on effective conference proposal writing, followed by quiet time for writing. The group will reconvene at the end to share progress. The focus will be OpenEd26 proposals but participants are welcome to work on any conference.
Learn More
Audience: All are welcome
"Shut Up and Write!" Working Session for OpenEd26 Proposals
You are invited to the Open Education Conference’s inaugural “Shut Up and Write!” working session. “Shut Up and Write!” is an established methodology to support dedicated time for writing.
With multiple upcoming deadlines for open education conferences — including the OpenEd26 deadline on April 3rd — this is a great opportunity to develop a proposal idea, start writing, or refine a draft. The session is beginner friendly and open to anyone, including those unsure about submitting or what to write.
The session will begin with a brief opening with tips on effective conference proposal writing, followed by quiet time for writing. The group will reconvene at the end to share progress. The focus will be OpenEd26 proposals but participants are welcome to work on any conference.
Learn More
Audience: All are welcome
Outreach Working Group
This Outreach Working Group will guide the Open Education Association’s efforts to expand outreach beyond the open education community and elevate the field with influential audiences, including administrators, disciplinary faculty, aligned organizations, and policymakers.
At this meeting, we will begin identifying priority organizations and conferences to engage and explore strategies to help members bring open education into new spaces.
Open signup has closed, but it's not too late to join this group! Just email contact@opened.org before the meeting.
Audience: Members Only
Professional Development Working Group
The Professional Development Working Group advises the Open Education Association on supporting professional growth and recognition in the open education field.
At this meeting, we will begin conducting a landscape analysis of existing professional development and recognition opportunities, including programs, credentials, awards, and communities of practice, to understand better where the association can add value.
Open signup has closed, but it's not too late to join this group! Just email contact@opened.org before the meeting.
Audience: Members Only
Research Working Group
The Research Working Group guides the Open Education Association’s efforts to support open education research and strengthen connections with existing scholarly initiatives and networks.
At this meeting, we will begin a landscape analysis of open education scholarly initiatives, including scholarly agendas, conference proceedings, journals, and related efforts, to identify gaps, trends, and opportunities where the association can add distinct value.
Open signup has closed, but it's not too late to join this group! Just email contact@opened.org before the meeting.
Audience: Members Only
OpenEd25 Keynote Rewatch: adrienne maree brown
The Open Education Association invites you to a virtual rewatch of bestselling author adrienne maree brown’s keynote from the 2025 Open Education Conference. Drawing on decades of movement facilitation, science fiction scholarship, and community care, this keynote invites participants to reflect on transformation, imagination, and the practices that help communities grow and heal.
All are welcome to attend this virtual “rewatch party,” which will feature a livestream of the keynote and live chat in Zoom. After the recording, attendees are welcome to stay for an optional discussion.
This event will not be recorded, but a recording of the keynote is available to watch anytime from the Open Education Conference.
OpenEd25 Keynote Rewatch: Dr. Kim Hunter Reed
The Open Education Association invites you to a virtual rewatch of Louisiana Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Kim Hunter Reed’s keynote from the 2025 Open Education Conference. Entitled New Horizons: Opening Doors and Transforming Lives Through Higher Ed in Louisiana, this inspiring talk explores how to pave the way toward more affordable and accessible higher education through bold policy, open innovation, and strategic investments in resources, partnerships, and programs that prioritize student success.
All are welcome to attend this virtual “rewatch party,” which will feature a livestream of the keynote and live chat in Zoom. After the recording, attendees are welcome to stay for an optional discussion.
Audience: All are welcome
This event will not be recorded, but a recording of the keynote is available to watch anytime from the Open Education Conference.
Open Education Week
Open Education Week is an annual, global celebration that brings together educators, students, librarians, and advocates to share ideas, highlight successful practices, and build connections around open education. Organized by Open Education Global, the week features events and activities from around the world that explore how openly licensed educational resources and practices can support teaching, learning, and collaboration across educational systems.
Learn more about Open Education Week and explore the full schedule of global events at the official site.
OER and Title II Accessibility Compliance: Separating Myths from Facts
This event has concluded; however, you can view the slides and shared resources.
As many institutions prepare for the DOJ Title II accessibility compliance deadline in April, this 90-minute webinar will clarify what the new requirements mean in practice, address common misconceptions, and explore how to advocate for OER for greater accessibility in teaching and learning. The session will include a high-level overview of OER and accessibility by Amanda Larson, an expert panel discussion on how to navigate questions on campus, and time for informal discussion among attendees. The webinar will be recorded and published with helpful resources after the event.
Presenter:
Amanda Larson, Affordable Educational Resources Initiative Program Coordinator, Ohio State University
Panelists:
Elli Constantin, Distance Education Director, Cypress College, Special AI Advisor for Accessibility, California Community Colleges
Kaela Parks, Dean of Accessible and Inclusive Education, Portland Community College
Ryan Randall, Instructional Designer, Idaho State University
Audience: All are welcome
Outreach Working Group: Introductory Session
Interested in learning more about the Open Education Association’s Outreach Working Group? Join us for an introductory session!
This session provides an opportunity to learn more about the Outreach Working Group’s purpose, objectives, and how it supports the broader mission of the Open Education Association. The group focuses on expanding the reach of open education by engaging new audiences and elevating open education in spaces beyond the existing community. We’ll walk through what the group plans to accomplish, what participation looks like, and how members can get involved before the work officially begins.
During the session, we’ll cover:
The purpose of the Outreach Working Group
Planned focus areas and example activities
Expectations for participation
Working group schedule
Q&A
Audience: All are welcome at this session, but note that membership is required to join the working group
Professional Development Working Group: Introductory Session
Want to learn more about the Open Education Association’s Professional Development Working Group? Join us for an introductory session!
This session will provide an overview of the Professional Development Working Group’s goals and planned areas of focus. The group will help shape the association’s approach to professional development, including how to highlight existing programs offered by the field, how to develop new programming that addresses key gaps or opportunities, and ways to support professional recognition for practitioners at different stages of their careers. We’ll discuss what the group aims to work on, what participation looks like, and what members can expect before the work officially begins.
During the session, we’ll cover:
The purpose of the Professional Development Working Group
Planned focus areas and example activities
Expectations for participation
Working group schedule
Q&A
Audience: All are welcome at this session, but note that membership is required to join the working group
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