OpenEd Digest - August 2026
August 2026 | Edition 206
OpenEd Digest
Your monthly roundup of what’s new in open education
Upcoming Events
Curated picks from our lists of upcoming webinars and conferences
Upcoming Webinars:
Creative Commons - Responsibilities, Ethics, and Access: A Conversation with the Authors of Guidance for Indigenous Collections and Indigenous Data - Sept. 1
Colorado Department of Higher Education - OER Showcase Webinar - Sept. 1
OE Global - Revealing the Winners of the 2026 OEAwards for Excellence - Sept. 2
Open Education Association - Student Rights in the Era of AI: What It Means for Open Education - Sept. 9
Open Education Association - National Priorities Listening Session - Sept. 17
LibreTexts - Authoring Your Own OER with LibreTexts Conductor - Sept. 18
Pressbooks - AI in the Open: Real-World Practices in Teaching and Learning - Sept 22
Rebus - Information Session: Rebus Leadership Learning Pathways - Sept. 23
Kennesaw State University - Experts on DIY Publishing: Remixing the Book - Sept. 30
Conference Call for Proposals:
Lillehammer Lifelong Learning ICDE Conference 2027 - (in person, Feb. 15-17) - Deadline Sept. 9
B.C. Open Education Summit - (virtual, Feb. 24-25) - Deadline Oct. 19
Open Opportunities
Highlights from our open education opportunity board
Open Calls:
Call for Participation: Open for Antiracism (OFAR) 2026-27 - Deadline Sept. 4
Accepting Applications: Attending the Open Education National Summit - Deadline Sept. 10
Nomination Form: 2026 OPEN FL ZTC Champion Award Nomination Form - Deadline Sept. 17
Professional Learning: Creative Commons Certificate - Deadline Sept. 21
Call for Participation: Iowa OER Communities of Practice - Deadline Sept. 23
Call for Proposals: Open Science Instructional Resources Repository - Deadline Sept. 25
Job Opportunities:
Stories from the Field
Snapshots of open education making a difference
From Idaho: The Idaho State Board of Education adopted a revised course material affordability policy on June 18, strengthening protections for students around automatic textbook billing and reinforcing state support for open educational resources. The Open Education Association submitted a letter of support ahead of adoption, recommending the state's approach as a model for others. Read More >>
From Delaware: The University of Delaware announced its 2026 Open and Affordable Teaching Materials grant recipients in late August, with the program having now saved students more than $700,000 in textbook costs through faculty grants supporting OER adoption, adaptation, and creation. New grant recipients this cycle span reproductive biology, nursing, education, and business, reflecting the program's reach across disciplines. Read More >>
Hot Off the Press
Newly Published Resources to explore and share
Open Textbooks: OpenStax recently published second editions of Introduction to Business, Principles of Finance, and Business Law I Essentials. Developed with extensive input from faculty, industry experts, and students, these updates reflect changing business practices, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and evolving legal and ethical dynamics.
Open Resource: AI + OER Case Studies: A DOERS Project is an anthology that describes projects and experiences exploring the intersection of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) and open educational resources (OER). The case studies highlight promising practices and emerging policies across higher education systems, consortia, and institutions.
Open Resource: Transition for Individuals in Special Education: From School to Community provides information about the individualized planning, community-based learning, self-advocacy skills, and interagency collaboration needed for students to feel ready for life after their K-12 education.
Research: Beyond deficit materials: designing open educational resources for Spanish heritage language education provides a five-principle framework for designing open educational resources in Spanish heritage language education.
Reading List
Articles about open education and other noteworthy topics
Pasadena City College’s push for zero-cost textbooks | Local News Pasadena
STC Cuts College Costs with Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Programs | Texas Border Business
UW-Milwaukee’s affordable textbook initiative aims to make back-to-school expenses more manageable | Wisconsin Public Radio
Neighbor: The burden of buying textbooks for college classes | The Tiger
Honoring a legacy through open education | Virginia Tech News
Taking an AXE to the cost of course materials for NAU students | The NAU Review
UA Little Rock Builds on Momentum for Open Educational Resources | NewsWise
Governor Abbott Announces More Than $2 Million In Grants To Expand Free Educational Resources For Texas Students | Office of the Texas Governor
New UNE research suggests no-cost educational resources enhance learning, accessibility in dental education | University of New England
More KPU programs now free of textbook fees | Kwantlen Polytechnic University
