March Newsletter: Beyond Echo Chambers
Beyond Echo Chambers
Open education has made real progress, but the case hasn't reached many of the spaces where it could matter most. From administrators focused on retention to faculty navigating new program demands to policymakers looking for cost solutions, the people who could accelerate this work are often already wrestling with problems open education can help solve — they just may not have made the connection.
Join us on Wednesday, April 1 at 2pm ET for our next webinar Beyond Echo Chambers: Bringing Open Education to New Audiences, featuring presenter Lindsey Gwozdz and panelists Amanda Coolidge, Liliana Diaz, and Ethan Senack. This event is open to the public and will be recorded.
Policy Spotlight: Pennsylvania
Founded in 2017, Affordable Learning Pennsylvania (ALPA) has built a robust statewide OER community of practice. Unlike some peer initiatives, they did it without dedicated public funding or state agency support. Their work is driven by a commitment to serve Pennsylvania’s more than 600,000 students, who face more barriers than most. In a 2023 survey, 81 percent of Pennsylvania students reported worrying about their course material costs, 10 points above the national average, and 38 percent said those costs had caused them to earn a poor grade.
This week, the Open Education Association joined University of Pittsburgh students and ALPA advocates to meet with lawmakers in the state capital of Harrisburg. We distributed a fact sheet highlighting key statistics and policy approaches in other states and discussed legislative opportunities, including a previously-introduced bill that supported OER in dual credit programs.
Left to right: Akshita Pawar, senior at University of Pittsburgh, Van Slavishak, freshman at University of Pittsburgh, Joe Webster, State Representative, 150th Legislative District, Marian Hampton, Affordable Learning PA, Christina Riehman-Murphy, Open Education Association & Affordable Learning PA
Working Group Updates
Three member working groups launched this month, each focused on a different dimension of the association's long-term programming:
Research: Mapping the existing landscape of open education scholarly initiatives to identify where the association can add distinct value.
Professional Development: Assessing gaps in professional recognition and development opportunities across the field, including advising on the design of a mentorship program.
Outreach: Developing a strategy for elevating open education with audiences beyond the existing community, including advising on a program to support members presenting at external events.
All three groups run through June and will report out recommendations.
Latest Resource
We offer a range of popular, field-wide resources. Check out our latest addition.
Hot Off the Press Publication Tracker
A regularly updated tracker of new reports, research, and open textbooks in open education. Browse the list or submit a publication to help keep the field informed about work that matters.
Member Profiles
Each month we’ll highlight Open Education Association members and what drives their work. Want to be featured? Share your story.
Dr. Amber Anderson
When this soil scientist’s textbook doubled in price, she did what soil does: grew something new. Her open textbook is now used by instructors across the country and is engaging students in new ways. Read More
Chelsee Dickson
Chelsee discovered open education when her professor made her class an unusual offer: stick with the outdated textbook, or build a new one. She's been holding that door open for others ever since. Read More
Dr. Delmar Larsen
Every semester, Delmar's chemistry students ran the same calculation: was the textbook worth it? He decided they shouldn't have to. Today, LibreTexts offers over 3,000 free books to anyone who needs them. Read More
Upcoming Events
In addition to our list of upcoming events, check our conference list and webinar calendar for more offered by the community.
OpenEd26 CFP: Deadline April 3rd
The call for proposals is closing soon for the 2026 Open Education Conference, held virtually on Oct. 27-79. Don’t miss the chance to present or submit a contributed paper related to this year’s compelling theme: The Space Between.
“Shut Up and Write!” Method Working Session for OpenEd26 Proposals
📝 Tue, March 31, 2026 12:00 PM ET • Public
Webinar: Beyond Echo Chambers: Bringing Open Education to New Audiences
🎥 Wed, April 1, 2026 2:00 PM ET • Public
Working Session: Mentorship Program Development
🌱 Thu, April 2, 2026 3:00 PM ET • Members
Research Working Group
🔬 Mon, April 6, 2026 11:00 AM ET • Members
Professional Development Working Group
📚 Wed, April 8, 2026 3:00 PM ET • Members
Outreach Working Group
📣 Thu, April 9, 2026 1:30 PM ET • Members
Information Session: Open Education Association
💬 Thu, April 16, 2026 1:00 PM ET • Public
Thanks for reading. We’ll be back next month with more updates and opportunities.
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