Open Education Week

Designing With, Not Around, Disabled Learners: A Screen-Reader Demo Experience
2026-03-05 20:30 - 22:00 (Africa/Cairo) | Cairo, Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
This session from Equity Unbound will demonstrate why screen-reader access is important when designing learning materials, especially Open Educational Resources. Have you ever wanted to know how people who are visually impaired or totally blind access your content? Come to this session and I, a visually impaired screen-reader user and an accessibility expert myself, will demonstrate for you the experience of a blind person navigating websites and digital materials.
We will begin with a TRIZ Liberating Structures activity in which participants will intentionally design the worst possible experience for someone using a screen reader. As we name common mistakes and exclusionary practices first, we will surface the barriers that disabled users encounter every day.
Through screen-reader demonstrations on JAWS, NVDA, and Voiceover, participants will experience how everyday design choices shape who can participate fully in learning spaces and who is required to work harder to feel “included” because the design was not made accessible from the beginning. Participants will see concrete examples of inaccessible practices, such as poorly structured documents, missing alt text, cluttered layouts, and excessive emoji use, and how these choices interfere with learning and participation.
The session will connect these examples to the four principles of accessibility: perceivable, operable, user-friendly, and real. We will also discuss reasonable accommodations and why accessibility must be built into course design rather than added later. Throughout the session, participants will be invited to reflect, ask questions, and rethink their own materials. By the end, they will leave with practical strategies for creating learning spaces that are genuinely inclusive for screen reader users.
Recording Now Available

See also the presentation slides and an anonymized chat log from this session

OpenEd25 Keynote Rewatch: adrienne maree brown
2026-03-05 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Washington, D.C., United States, Washington, D.C., DC, United States
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.

A Community Like No Other: LibreTexts Academy and LibreNet Consortium
2026-03-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Davis, United States, Davis, CA, United States
The LibreTexts Academy is the professional development hub of the LibreVerse, designed for faculty who are serious about open education but don’t have unlimited time to figure it all out alone. Whether you’re adopting an existing open textbook for the first time, or building a fully custom course from the ground up, the Academy meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go.
Monthly webinars, twice-weekly office hours, and self-paced training modules cover everything from getting started with ADAPT to remixing content to making your materials accessible. For those ready to go deeper, cohort programs, in-person workshops, and instructor certifications let you build real expertise and walk away with credentials to show for it.
The goal is simple: spend less time troubleshooting and more time teaching. Your students pay less. Your course feels like yours.
The LibreNet Consortium is a community of passionate educators dedicated to growing sustainable open education initiatives at their institutions. No matter where you are in your journey to bring down the cost of education, and create more equitable pathways for your students, the LibreNet Consortium provides the tools you need to ensure your efforts are sustainable for the road ahead.
Whether you connect with us through Academy or the LibreNet (or both!), you will join a community that’s been doing this work — together — for decades.

Transforming Learning in an Age of Information Abundance
2026-03-05 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Regina) | Saskatoon, Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Dave Cormier shares strategies for teaching in the digital age. Help students thrive in an information-rich world.
Pre-registration is required. A recording will be available with a link sent out to all registrants.

Call to Action: Co-designing and Enhancing Pharmacology for Nurses
2026-03-06 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | Oshawa, Canada, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Description
This Open Education Week, the OntarioTech University Teaching and Learning Center is inviting Health Sciences faculty to join us in reviewing, modifying, or adapting our Pharmacology for Nurses Open Educational Resource (OER).
This resource was developed specifically for nursing graduate students preparing for the NCLEX, providing evidence-based content, clear explanations, and practical examples to support safe and effective medication management.

By participating, you’ll help ensure it remains current, inclusive, and student-centered.
Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate how your expertise can enhance and support the Pharmacology for Nurses OER by suggesting updates or improvements.
Apply evidence-based and inclusive teaching practices to ensure the OER meets diverse learner needs, documenting your recommendations.
Create adapted or supplemental OER content that aligns with course objectives and promotes accessible, student-centered learning.

Who should participate?

Health Sciences faculty members who teach nursing or pharmacology-related courses, particularly those supporting NCLEX preparation.
Teaching assistants, instructional designers, and educational developers involved in nursing education.

Google Meet Information
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ddu-wnki-ucm
Or dial: (CA) +1 587-797-8162‬ PIN: ‪854 299 637‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ddu-wnki-ucm?pin=9011646883513

Opening Doors & Breaking Barriers: Advancing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization Through Open Education
2026-03-06 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto) | St. Catharines, Canada, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Open education is about more than resources and licensing – in practice, it can be a powerful tool for social and educational justice. In this interactive session from Brock University, we will explore how open practice can enhance educational experiences for students and instructors alike, by breaking down barriers, fostering inclusive environments, and challenging the status quo.
Workshop Facilitator: Ashlyne O’Neil

Finding the Human Connection in a Digital World: Using Discuss-It to Build Community, Promote Critical Thinking, and Shift the Focus of Assessment
2026-03-06 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sacramento, United States, Sacramento, CA, United States
In an age of automation, how do you ensure that student work remains a reflection of genuine learning?
Join us to learn about Discuss-It, an openly-licensed tool within the LibreTexts platform. Discuss-It transforms discussions into interactive, multimedia exchanges through audio, video, and text. Learn how integrating voice and video responses can boost engagement, build community, and bring human presence back to your courses regardless of your discipline.
Register for Finding the Human Connection in a Digital World

Open Education Talks- Utilizing GenAI and Technology in Supporting OE and OER
2026-03-11 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Denver) | Calgary, Canada, Calgary, AB, Canada
Open Education Talks is a series of 15-minute lightning talks and digital posters about facets of open education. These talks aim to create an accessible, virtual space for conversations about open education. We welcome proposals from educators, students, administrators, librarians, instructional designers, and all other roles related to the design, delivery, and evaluation of open education in post-secondary institutions. We encourage student-led or partnered talks that showcase the critical role of student leadership and student-educator collaborations in open education. To register for these Zoom sessions, visit: https://ucalgary.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpfuuhqjsiE9xwLFkoS4uK-KLd0bwXMbkC
Utilizing GenAI and Technology in Supporting OE and OER

Beyond Openness: Transdisciplinary Collaboration as the Heart of Open Education in the Age of AI – Sandra Abegglen, Mohammadmadhi Zanjanian, Alexandra Poppendorf (University of Calgary – Alberta, Canada)
Building Trust Through AI Transparency in OERs – Amanda Grey and Karen Meijer (Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia, Canada)
Opterna: BCcampus Open GenAI Project – Elizabeth A. Childs (Royal Roads University – British Columbia, Canada), Robynne Devine, and Harper Friedman (BCcampus – British Columbia, Canada)
Thinking Outside the Box! Creating and Implementing a Secondary Database as a Teaching Tool for Dental Students – Nazlee Sharmin and Ava Chow (University of Alberta – Alberta, Canada)
A Critical Examination of the Economics of Open – Mima Diab (University of Calgary – Alberta, Canada)

The Power of Free Knowledge: How MIT Open Learning is Shaping Tomorrow’s Open Education Landscape
2026-03-12 10:00 - 10:45 (America/New_York) | Cambridge, United States, Cambridge, MA, United States
“The Power of Free Knowledge: How MIT Open Learning is Shaping Tomorrow’s Open Education Landscape” with Dana Doyle and Curt Newton
An Open Conversation hosted by Yvonne Ng
Thursday, March 12, 2026
10:00AM – 10:45AM EST
Question and answer session at the end.

Please join us for a lively and inspiring conversation with Dana Doyle, Senior Director of the MITx Program, and Curt Newton, Director of MIT OpenCourseWare. Together, they’ll share standout moments from their decades of championing open education, reflect on the global impact of free and accessible learning, and offer a forward-looking take on what’s next for the open education movement.
About the speakers

Dana Doyle has been working at MIT Open Learning for over 10 years and has held roles from project management of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) creation to her current role as the Senior Director of the MITx Program.
As the Senior Director, Doyle manages a team of 20+ to support faculty in creating online open courses for the world. She also works with other units across Open Learning and MIT to further MIT’s mission. Doyle holds a Master of Education from Northeastern University.
Curt Newton leads MIT OpenCourseWare in supporting millions of global learners and educators every year with freely shared materials from over 2,500 MIT courses. Newton joined OpenCourseWare in 2004, shortly after its launch, captivated by the promise of open education, and worked as a Publication Manager and Site Curator prior to becoming Director in 2018.
Newton is also a recognized leader in building more effective and equitable climate action through open knowledge practices and resources, at MIT and around the world, through a wide range of professional and civic engagements.
Yvonne Ng is the Annual Giving and Donor Relations Officer for MIT Open Learning, where she leads annual giving strategy, donor stewardship, and development communications to support programs such as MIT OpenCourseWare and MITx. She manages stewardship for roughly 2,400 donors each year and contributes to fundraising efforts. Previously, she spent more than a decade advancing digital outreach and fundraising for MIT OpenCourseWare. Yvonne has worked in communications and digital media since 2000 and holds a BA in Spanish and Anthropology from Bowdoin College.

Open Education Talks- Enhancing OER Publishing and Connections with Open Scholarship
2026-03-18 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Denver) | Calgary, Canada, Calgary, AB, Canada
Open Education Talks is a series of 15-minute lightning talks and digital posters about facets of open education. These talks aim to create an accessible, virtual space for conversations about open education. We welcome proposals from educators, students, administrators, librarians, instructional designers, and all other roles related to the design, delivery, and evaluation of open education in post-secondary institutions. We encourage student-led or partnered talks that showcase the critical role of student leadership and student-educator collaborations in open education. To register for these Zoom sessions, visit: https://ucalgary.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpfuuhqjsiE9xwLFkoS4uK-KLd0bwXMbkC
Enhancing OER Publishing and Connections with Open Scholarship

From Research to Reach: Open Education and OER for Knowledge Mobilization – Mélanie Brunet (University of Ottawa – Ontario, Canada)
OER and the Future of Open Science – Melissa Chim (Excelsior University – New York, USA)
Trusting OERs: Peer Review for Open Textbooks – Irena Knezevic (Carleton University – Ontario, Canada)
Empowering Open Education through Wikimedia: The EduWiki Hub Experience – Barakat Adegboye and Bukola James (EduWiki Hub – Nigeria)
The Forge: A Next-Generation Platform for Open Pedagogy and Resource Co-Creation – Delmar Larsen (LibreTexts, University of California, Davis – California, USA)

The Price is Wrong: Free or Low-Cost Alternatives in Higher Education (Concordia University)
2026-03-18 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Toronto) | Montreal, Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Sometimes, the cost of academic publishing can feel very wrong. Costs might feel wrong for students facing higher living and tuition costs, and for researchers seeking to make their work open access.
Textbooks, course packs, journal articles, academic books, and related online resources carry various price tags; some of which are shockingly high or low. Uncover the publishing costs in academia and learn about for-profit publishing alternatives. Participants who guess the accurate price will win prizes as we reveal how pathways within open scholarship and open education can lessen the financial burdens on students, educators, and researchers.
In twelve spins, our version of Price is Wrong features useful information, several slices of humour, and prizes for our winners. In this collaboration, Rachel Harris and Zo Kopyna from the Concordia University Library’s Open Educational Resources Team, Ryan Van Huijstee from Concordia University Press, and Douglas Moffat from 4TH Space act as game-show hosts, radio announcers, and design magicians. Together, we encourage students, professors, librarians, and staff members to join us… as volunteer game-show contestants and audience members, take your seats!
…
How can you participate? Join us in person [4TH SPACE in the J.W. McConnell Building] or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube.

> Learn more
> Part of open education month at Concordia University

Bridging knowledge gaps through collaboration: Wikimedia in South Africa and the UK
2026-03-24 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | Leeds, United Kingdom, Leeds, United Kingdom
This Knowledge Equity webinar focuses on advancing knowledge equity through Wikimedia initiatives and open education, with a particular emphasis on South African and UK perspectives. During this session we will explore how collaborative efforts between Wikimedia communities, Open Education and Open Research networks can:
• Empower local knowledge creation and representation.
• Address systemic barriers to access and participation in digital knowledge platforms.
• Highlight successful models of community engagement
• Foster cross-regional collaboration to build inclusive, sustainable knowledge ecosystems.
The session will look at practical strategies for increasing the reach of Wikimedia, the importance of language diversity, and the ethical dimensions of open knowledge production. We will also reflect on how global partnerships can support local and regional initiatives.
Tuesday 24 March, 12:00 – 13:00 GMT / 14:00 – 15:00 SAST

Guest speakers:
Herschal Jackson is the inaugural Executive Director of Wikimedia South Africa (Wikimedia ZA), leading the chapter’s transition toward greater professionalisation of its operation, strategic growth and the amplification of its presence within the global Wikimedia community.
Previously serving as Executive Coordinator of Wikimedia ZA, he strengthened organisational systems, advanced program delivery, and facilitated the 2023 Strategic Planning Meeting. He has played key roles in major initiatives, including co‑organising WikiIndaba 2024 and leading on SWiP Phase 2, a multilingual knowledge‑equity project supporting student contributors across South Africa and neighbouring SADC countries, working in their own languages.
Herschal was instrumental in guiding the development and ratification of Wikimedia ZA’s 2024–2026 strategy and established governance subcommittees to support its implementation. His leadership continues to shape a resilient, collaborative, and future‑focused chapter for Wikimedia ZA.
—
Lucy Crompton-Reid joined Wikimedia UK as Chief Executive in October 2015, where she has spearheaded a focus on equity and inclusion on Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. Lucy leads the charity’s work in advocating for a healthy online information ecosystem, and promoting Wikimedia as an important tool in the development of vital media and information literacy skills.
Lucy sits on the British Library Advisory Council, the Board of Advisors for the Khalili Foundation and the External Advisory Board for AI For Collective Intelligence (AI4CI), a UKRI National AI Research Hub. She also Chairs the local arts charity where she lives in rural Scotland.

Prácticas de conocimiento abiertas y equitativas en el mundo de habla hispana
2026-03-25 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Leeds, United Kingdom, Leeds, United Kingdom
Esta sesión inaugural examinará tanto los fundamentos filosóficos como las aplicaciones prácticas de la Equidad del Conocimiento en el mundo hispanohablante, destacando cómo se están desarrollando enfoques abiertos, inclusivos y centrados en la comunidad para abordar las desigualdades estructurales en el acceso al conocimiento.
La sesión explorará cómo tecnologías emergentes, como la IA generativa, se intersectan con las prácticas de conocimiento equitativas; cómo la educación abierta puede apoyar a estudiantes de comunidades con menor acceso a oportunidades educativas y de contextos socioeconómicamente desfavorecidos mediante espacios de aprendizaje flexibles y adaptativos; y cómo los esfuerzos de inclusión digital, especialmente en la educación primaria, pueden ayudar a garantizar que niñas y niños tengan un acceso temprano y significativo a las herramientas y habilidades digitales necesarias para participar plenamente en los ecosistemas contemporáneos del conocimiento.

Prácticas de conocimiento abiertas y equitativas en el mundo de habla hispana
2026-03-26 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Regina) | Leeds, United Kingdom, Leeds, United Kingdom
The Knowledge Equity Network (KEN), Open Education Latin America (OELATAM) and the Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) are pleased to announce a new collaboration to deliver a series of online sessions focusing on Knowledge Equity and Open Scholarship in the Spanish speaking world.
This partnership brings together three organisations committed to widening global access to knowledge, strengthening open scholarly ecosystems and amplifying the achievements of Spanish‑speaking colleagues, institutions, organisations and communities across Latin America and Europe.

Open & Knowledge Equity Praxis across the Spanish Speaking World
This opening session will examine both the philosophical foundations and practical applications of Knowledge Equity across the Spanish‑speaking world, highlighting how open, inclusive and community‑centred approaches are being developed to address structural inequalities in access to knowledge.
Please note this session will be in Spanish.

Esta sesión inaugural examinará tanto los fundamentos filosóficos como las aplicaciones prácticas de la Equidad del Conocimiento en el mundo hispanohablante, destacando cómo se están desarrollando enfoques abiertos, inclusivos y centrados en la comunidad para abordar las desigualdades estructurales en el acceso al conocimiento. La sesión explorará cómo tecnologías emergentes, como la IA generativa, se intersectan con las prácticas de conocimiento equitativas; cómo la educación abierta puede apoyar a estudiantes de comunidades con menor acceso a oportunidades educativas y de contextos socioeconómicamente desfavorecidos mediante espacios de aprendizaje flexibles y adaptativos; y cómo los esfuerzos de inclusión digital, especialmente en la educación primaria, pueden ayudar a garantizar que niñas y niños tengan un acceso temprano y significativo a las herramientas y habilidades digitales necesarias para participar plenamente en los ecosistemas contemporáneos del conocimiento.

Contemplative pedagogy and practices in the classroom launch
2026-03-27 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | Montreal, Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
In an increasingly fractured world, how can we cultivate deeper, more connected ways of learning? Contemplative practices and pedagogy (CP&P) offers a response by engaging the ‘whole person’ – mind, body, and spirit – in teaching and learning.
Join Concordia University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning to launch the new open educational resource (OER) on Contemplative practices and pedagogies in the classroom. This collection was co-created with our faculty interest group in 2025 with contributions from faculty, staff, students and guest speakers. Contributors documented testimonials, insights and practices that free to access and adapt for the Concordia community and beyond.
Agenda:

Opening remarks from Dr. Rosemary Reilly and Cristina Galofre Gomez, co-facilitators of the faculty interest group
Process of co-creating the open-access resource with faculty and preview of the contents with Josephine Guan
Framing this work as evidence of teaching excellence with Margo Echenberg, CTL, and Dr. Rachel Harris, Scholarly Publishing Librarian
Breakout discussions on focused topics led by the speakers:

Contemplative pedagogy in higher education led by Dr. Reilly
Hands-on dossier workshop with Margo and Dr. Harris

All Things Open 2026
2026-04-06 13:00 - 2026-04-09 16:00 (America/New_York)
Curious about open access, open data, or open educational resources? Join us virtually for Kennesaw State University Libraries’ fourth annual All Things Open Conference from April 6-9 as we celebrate all Open Movements, including…

Open access journals and publishing
Open data
Open educational resources
Open pedagogy and equitable teaching practices
Open repositories
Open science
Open-source software
Open licensing and fair use
Open “hidden gems”
And any other efforts to increase access and equity!

Sessions begin at 1PM ET each day and span undergraduate scholars in open access publishing, zines in open pedagogy, funding and licensing OER, and more!
Our keynote speaker Dr. Katherine Rose Adams is the Higher Education Leadership and Practice (HELP) Doctoral Program Coordinator at the University of North Georgia. She’s a teacher and mentor to graduate students and adult learners, and her research revolves around university-community partnerships and open educational resources.

Universal Design for Learning and Open Education: Integrating Accessibility and Inclusion
2026-04-15 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Regina) | Regina, Canada, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Join the University of Regina, Centre for Teaching and Learning for our final 2025/2026 Open Education Speaker Series presentation “Universal Design for Learning and Open Education: Integrating Accessibility and Inclusion” with Dr. Ann Gagné and Kosar Dakhilalian (Brock University)
📅Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
🕰️Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
🗺️Time Zone: CST/Saskatchewan Time
📌Register at https://uregina.libcal.com/event/4004017 (This link will open in a new tab).
Abstract: This session will explore the three main principles of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines, to provide examples of how open education can foster engagement, give options for representation, and demonstrate learning. The speakers will provide examples of resources, tools, and assessments from their co-created OER on Accessible Adoption, to allow participants to reflect on how UDL can be an attainable and sustainable way to approach accessibility and inclusion in Open in their specific disciplinary contexts.
Dr. Ann Gagné (she/her) is Senior Educational Developer, Accessibility & Inclusion at Brock University. She has worked in higher education for over 22 years. Her work focuses on the need for accessible pedagogies through awareness of disabled lived experiences. She regularly facilitates workshops on accessible and inclusive pedagogy and trauma-informed UDL.
Kosar Dakhilalian is an Educational Developer, Open Educational Resources at Brock University since 2023. She facilitates workshops to respond to the OER needs of the instructors, offers consultations, and helps with design and creation of OER and interactive elements.

How Do Course Materials Impact Student Belonging? Insights from User Experience Research (CCCOER Webinar)
2026-04-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Concord, United States, Concord, MA, United States
Explore how course materials – especially OER – shape students’ sense of belonging through insights from a user-experience-informed research study with undergraduate learners. This CCCOER webinar highlights key questions faculty authors should ask themselves about course reading language, organization, and purpose, in order to further student belonging.
Attendees will take away practical strategies for editing OER with student needs in mind, along with research approaches that can be adapted across higher education settings, including community colleges. This session offers a concrete example of how thoughtful inquiry can guide the creation of more inclusive, engaging, and student-centered course materials.
Presenters:

Sarah Hare, MLIS, Open Educational Resources Librarian, University of California, Santa Cruz
Alexandra Marcaccio, MA, MLIS, Atlantic OERLead, The Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries/Conseil des bibliothèques postsecondaires de l’Atlantique (CAAL-CBPA)

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join us on April 15. This meeting will be recorded and the recording will be sent out to all registrants as well as posted on the event web site..
This webinar is produced in collaboration with CCCOER’s Research and Impact Committee.

ISKME OER Summit
2026-04-29 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Half Moon Bay, United States, Half Moon Bay, CA, United States
This free event will be hosted virtually on April 29 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Pacific Time. Taking inspiration from resilient redwood forests, ISKME’s OER Summit will focus on how being deeply rooted and connected in our communities helps us to rise and thrive together. Stay up to date about this event on the OER Commons 2026 OER Summit Hub.
We’ll seek to develop connections, showcase best practices, and provide opportunities for OER leaders to learn from each other to advance their OER work. We’ll highlight our partners’ inspiring and impactful OER initiatives from around the world during the Summit’s Opening Session with National Geographic Society, and the OER Showcase Sessions featuring presentations from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, US Virgin Islands, and more.
This event is free for everyone, with a suggested donation of $25 to support ISKME’s continued work in developing OER communities, the OER Commons digital library, and free access to knowledge globally.
See Also

The OER Summit Hub where most likely the recordings of sessions will be available
Community Notes shared and edited by participants
Live notes added in OEG Connect
