Open Arkansas 2026 Conference Invites Attendees to Explore Open Education
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All who are interested in open education are invited to attend Open Arkansas 2026, a free, one-day conference exploring the use and growth of open educational resources (OER) and other open practices. The in-person conference will take place Friday, Oct. 16, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Register by Saturday, Oct. 10.
This year's conference, themed "Progress Over Perfection: Where the Wild Things Grow," will bring together educators, librarians, instructional designers and others interested in making education more accessible and affordable. The event will feature presentations and opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from colleagues and explore practical approaches to incorporating open education into teaching and learning.
"The goal of the conference is to bring people from across our area together to learn and discuss Open Educational Practices," said Christine Rickabaugh, open education librarian for the U of A Libraries. "We have sessions planned for those just learning about OER and sessions for those who have been working in this area for a while."
Open educational resources are free, openly licensed teaching and learning materials that educators can use, adapt and share. They can give instructors greater flexibility in selecting and developing course materials while helping students avoid the cost of traditional textbooks and other educational resources. The American Association of Colleges & Universities recently named OER as a high-impact practice.
The conference will feature keynote speaker Amy Hofer, director of Open Oregon Educational Resources. Hofer brings extensive experience in open education and will share perspectives on advancing open educational practices at a statewide level.
"Progress Over Perfection" reflects the conference's focus on learning and growth rather than expecting educators to have a fully developed open education program from the outset. Attendees at any stage of their work with OER are welcome, whether they are exploring open education for the first time or looking for new ideas to build on existing efforts.
For the full schedule and registration information, visit the Open Arkansas 2026 conference website.