OER Digest – January 15, 2026
Gabby Hernandez | Volume 199 | January 15, 2025
OPEN ED DIGEST
Your monthly digest of open education updates, opportunities, and reminders
The Open Ed Digest is beginning its next chapter as part of the Open Education Association. Along with a refreshed layout, the Digest will move to a four-week publication schedule beginning next month. While a few things may look different, you can continue to expect the same trusted updates from across the open education community. Feel free to use the digest sign-up form to update your email information.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Curated picks from the Open Education Association’s Webinar Calendar and Conference List that relate to a national audience and are open for all.
UPCOMING WEBINARS:
Internet Archive - Public Domain Day - Jan. 21st
CCCOER - Open Exchange: Preparing for the ADA Title II Accessibility Deadline - Jan. 21st
Open Oregon - Making Accessible OER: Practical Strategies for Educators - Jan. 22nd
LibreTexts - LibreTexts Basics for Beginners - Jan. 23rd
Equity Unbound - Community Gathering - Jan. 27th
Colorado OER Council - OER Recognition in Tenure and Promotion - Jan 28th
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: The open education field has many opportunities to submit conference proposals and share the amazing work happening across the field. Below is a list of open call for proposals and their deadlines:
2026 Digital Scholarship Symposium Feb. 2nd
Florida OER Summit 2026 Feb. 6th
All Things Open Week Conference Feb. 6th
2026 Colorado OER Conference Feb. 15th
LAST CHANCE REGISTRATION:
In-Person Open and Affordable Learning Symposium
Virtual THECB Digital Learning Summit
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
Curated picks from the Open Education Association’s Opportunity Board that relates to a national audience and are open for all.
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: The DOERS Collaborative invites you to collaborate on an exciting new OER and Workforce Development project focused on building stronger, more inclusive learning pathways between education and industry. DOERS needs your input to develop an openly-licensed Playbook to help institutions, employers, and instructional designers collaborate more effectively. If you are available, sign up for an interest group.
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS: The AtlanticOER Development Grant Program invites applications from educators and institutions in the Atlantic Region of Canada to support the adaptation, adoption, creation, and curation of open educational resources (OER). The program aims to increase equitable access to course materials for students enrolled in credit-bearing courses while strengthening regional collaboration in open education. Applications are due February 6, 2026.
CALL FOR AUTHORS:
DOERS AI + OER Case Study Anthology Deadline Jan. 31st
Call for Abstracts: Case Studies in Library Publishing Deadline Feb. 27th
PEER REVIEW REQUESTS:
Pedagogy Opened: Innovative Theory and Practice, Volume 2 Deadline Feb. 2nd
Evaluating Openly Licensed Workforce Development Textbooks Deadline Feb. 2nd
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy Laboratory Manual Deadline Feb. 2nd
Browse more connection opportunities in the regularly updated Open Education Conference List, Webinar Calendar, and Opportunity Board.
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted.
From Colorado: The Colorado House Bill 26-1016 Continuation of Open Educational Resources Program has been introduced to the Colorado General Assembly and is under consideration. This bill would extend the state OER program for 5 more years, if passed. Read More>>
From Texas: South Plains College (SPC) faculty are preparing for the Spring 2026 semester by innovating technical education with open educational resources and artificial intelligence. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently granted a 2025 Star Award to SPC for its strides in AI-augmented OER course redesign, an approach to education that the college continues to leverage this year. Read More>>
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Each edition highlights an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource, including research, guides, templates, podcasts, open textbooks and more!
OPEN TEXTBOOKS FROM MILNE OPEN TEXTBOOKS:
The Future is Now: Empowering Society Through AI Literacy is a textbook that serves as a user-friendly guide to the “black box” of AI. It breaks down complex technical concepts—from machine learning and neural networks to large language models—making them accessible to students across all disciplines. This book empowers readers to move from passive consumers of technology to informed, active participants in the AI age.
The second edition of Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships is not available. This updated edition builds on the strengths of the first while incorporating important enhancements to reflect today’s communication landscape.
READING LIST
Stay up to date on the latest trends in Open Education.
Teen builds an award-winning virtual reality prototype thanks to free MIT courses | MIT News
When college costs hit hard, free course materials matter | Community College Daily
Harper students save money and gain access with open educational resources | Harper College News Bureau
Community College of Aurora gets state grant to expand free textbook resources | Sentinel
Open Oregon Educational Resources Report Demonstrates Impact of Open Education at PSU | Portland State University
Open textbook report: 11,000 SOU students, $1.9 million saved | SOU News
Have suggestions for the next edition? Let us know at oerdigest@gmail.com.
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