37 Innovate Idaho 2026 RFP
RFP: Innovate Idaho 2026 — AI and Open Education Symposium
Part of Open Education Week 2026
Dear Idaho Educators,
We’re pleased to announce Innovate Idaho 2026, a virtual symposium celebrating innovation in teaching and learning across Idaho’s public colleges and universities. Building on our inaugural 2025 Teaching and Learning with AI event, this year’s symposium expands to embrace the intersection of artificial intelligence and open education, but we also welcome work in either area or on its own. The event will be held remotely on Friday, April 10, 2026, 11am-3pm MST, as part of the global celebration of Open Education Week 2026.
We invite educators, librarians, technologists, student support professionals, and researchers from Idaho’s eight public institutions to share practical insights and creative approaches.
We welcome submissions across a spectrum:
- AI in Education: Teaching with AI, literacy, assessment strategies, ethical considerations, governance approaches, etc.
- AI + Open Education: Using AI to create, adapt, or improve OER, open pedagogy in the age of AI, accessibility and AI tools, etc.
- Open Education: OER adoption and creation, open pedagogy, open access, reducing textbook costs, open licensing, etc.
Presentation Formats:
- Individual Presentations (15–20 min)
- Lightning Talks (5–7 min)
Sample Topics (not exhaustive):
- Practical applications of AI in teaching, advising, or student support
- Process-oriented and AI-resilient assessment designs
- AI acknowledgement statements and academic integrity approaches
- OER adoption stories: what worked, what didn’t
- Creating or adapting OER with AI tools
- Open pedagogy projects and student-created resources
- Cross-institutional collaborations
- Simple, adaptable principles for local AI or OER implementation
Submission Deadline: February 12, 2026
Proposal Submission Link: Innovate Idaho 2026 Call for Proposals
The CFP is listed here: Idaho State Board Announcement Page
Thank you,
Joel Gladd, Statewide AI Catalyst Lead, College of Western Idaho
Kevin Rank, Catalyst, Boise State University
Heidi Tighe, Catalyst, College of Eastern Idaho
Samra Culum, Catalyst, College of Southern Idaho
Jillana Finnegan, Catalyst, College of Western Idaho
Ben Morton, Catalyst, Lewis-Clark State College
Abraham Romney, Catalyst, Idaho State University
Taylor Waring, Catalyst, North Idaho College
Bert Baumgaertner, Catalyst, University of Idaho
