The Iowa OER Communities of Practice (CoPs) program is a free professional development opportunity that supports instructors and instructional designers who want to connect with peers over a shared interest in open educational resources (OER). Participants in this program will have the chance to foster connections, build expertise, and identify, adapt, or create OER to support their work.
About the Program
The Communities of Practice cohorts meet monthly over the course of the academic year, from October through May. Cohorts may choose to continue meeting past this point if they wish. Past groups have collaborated on research projects and even presented at conferences about their work!
Each cohort will have additional support and facilitation provided by local Open Education leaders who will help drive discussions and answer questions. As teams become established, participants will begin developing original projects that build on the concepts they have learned. The project scope will be determined by each participant, based on their interests and time.
2026 Communities of Practice
This year, the communities of practice will support two tracks based on level of experience and interest area:
- Adopting & Exploring (recommended for those new to OER)
- This group will explore core concepts such as copyright, search strategies, and how to evaluate OER.
- Creating & Open Pedagogy (recommended for those with some prior OER knowledge)
- This group will explore more advanced concepts such as how to adapt or remix existing OER, tips for developing an original OER project, and implementing open pedagogy in a course.
How to apply
Fill out the 2026 Iowa OER Communities of Practice application form.
The form contains two sections:
- About you: your name, contact information, institution, experience with OER, and why you want to participate in the program.
- Final project (short description, 200 words or less): Outline a potential final project to pursue during the academic year (e.g., reviewing an open textbook or designing and open pedagogy assignment). This is a brainstorming exercise! You may change your plan for your project as you progress through the program’s curriculum.
Timeline
- September 28: Applications are due (extended!)
- October 1: Applicants will be notified about the status of their application
- October: Virtual kickoff event
Expectations for Participants
Participants will be expected to attend a virtual kickoff event in October and to participate in monthly, one-hour calls with their community of practice from October through May.
A certificate of completion will be provided at the end of the academic year to recognize those who participate in the community of practice. There are only three requirements to complete the program:
- Participate in at least half of the monthly meetings with your cohort.
- Throughout the curriculum, work toward a project of your choice. This may be an individual or group project.
- At the end of the program, complete a survey reflecting on your experience in the communities of practice and share your progress toward your final project.
Questions?
Contact the project lead, Abbey Elder, at aelder@iastate.edu