Whether you’re sharing research, presenting new strategies, or exploring emerging trends in learning and development, your insights drive the future of online and digital learning. In 2026, OLC is offering a bold new initiative bringing high-impact online and digital learning discussions, hands-on workshops, and community building experiences directly to campuses. Now is the time to share your innovative ideas with your global network of colleagues, your community, and those looking to elevate online and digital learning to the next level.
In early August 2026, OLC is excited to offer two Elevate events, partnering with Tarleton State University Ft. Worth (August 3-5, Ft. Worth, TX) and Rockford University (August 6-7, Rockford, IL). Select your location, submit your proposal, and plan to join us for these inaugural events. The Call for Proposals for OLC Elevate 2026 is open now through April 6, 2025.
Information & Resources
We’re seeking proposals that reflect and showcase our vibrant community of practice — promoting theory, research, methodology, and/or applied effective teaching and learning practices in online, blended and digital learning across K-12, higher education, and industry.
Please note, all proposals for Elevate 2026 are for onsite sessions in either Ft. Worth, TX or Rockford, IL. You will pick your specific location and corresponding desired track during the proposal process. There is no virtual program associated with OLC’s Elevate events.
All individuals (presenters, co-presenters, and authors) submitted on a conference proposal must have a current OLC User account with name, title, and organization. You will also be asked to upload a photo (optional but strongly recommended) and short bio (required) for each presenter. If you or your colleagues do not have an account or, if you need to update your information, visit your OLC user account – a community membership is free.
To make the submission process quick and easy, be sure to collect all the necessary proposal information in advance using the template provided (Proposal Planning Template) so that you can easily cut and paste information into your submission form. The template will also guide you through the information you will need to obtain from your collaborators (including email addresses) prior to submitting your proposal.
We’ve put together a series of documents to help you prepare your presentation proposal:
- Proposal Planning Template (creates a Google document copy automatically)
- Writing Effective Abstracts Guide (creates a Google document copy automatically)
- OLC Presenter Services
Important Dates
- March 2, 2026: Call for Proposals opens
- April 6, 2026 (by 11:59pm ET): Proposals due
- May 14, 2026: Notification of acceptance
- June 1, 2026: Deadline for presenters to accept
- June 8 2026: Full program published
- June 25, 2026: Deadline for presenters to register
- July 16, 2026: Deadline to edit abstracts
- July 30, 2026: Deadline for presentations to be uploaded to the Elevateresource library
- August 3-5, 2026: OLC Elevate – Texas (Tarleton State University, Ft. Worth, TX)
- August 6-7, 2026: OLC Elevate – Illinois (Rockford University, Rockford, IL)
Track Descriptions
Please review the track titles, descriptions, and example topics to find where your ideas, research, demonstrations, or conversations might fit best within the program! Please note that all submissions to the tracks listed below must have at least one academically-affiliated presenter listed.
All sessions will be 45 minutes.
Elevate 2026 - Fort Worth, TX Tracks
Track #1 - Reimagining Learning Models: Online, Blended and AI-Enabled Experiences
This track explores how learning itself is being redesigned as it moves beyond institution-bound models into flexible, digital, and AI-mediated ecosystems.
Topics may include:
- Online and blended learning as core enterprise infrastructure
- AI-enabled personalization, assessment, and learner support
- Modular, competency-based, and ecosystem-aligned learning models
- Designing learning experiences that function across platforms and partners
- The evolving role of educators in AI-supported digital learning environments
Track #2 - Governing the Learning Ecosystem: Strategy, Leadership & Trust
This track examines how learning professionals guide, govern and sustain quality when learning is distributed across systems, platforms and partners.
Topics may include:
- Enterprise-level strategy for online learning and AI
- Governance, policy, and accountability in ecosystem models
- Quality, trust, and oversight beyond institutional boundaries
- Leadership decision-making in AI-mediated environments
- Aligning learning ecosystems with mission and outcomes
Track #3 - Designing the Technology Ecosystem: Platforms, Tools and AI-Enabled Innovation
This track focuses on how educational technology enables learning ecosystems, supporting scalable online learning and AI integration across the enterprise.
Topics may include:
- Educational technology platforms for online and hybrid learning
- AI-enabled tools for teaching, learning, and assessment
- Integrating edtech solutions across ecosystem partners
- Selecting and evaluating technology for impact and scale
- Strategic partnerships within the edtech ecosystem
Elevate 2026 - Rockford, Il Tracks
Track #1 - Reimagining Learning: Pedagogy & Learning Design
This track focuses on the design and delivery of effective digital and AI-enabled learning experiences.
Topics may include:
- Designing online and blended learning with AI-supported tools
- AI-informed course and curriculum development
- Assessment, feedback, and evaluation in AI-enhanced learning environments
- Academic integrity and instructional decision-making with generative AI
- Evolving teaching practices in digitally mediated and AI-supported learning
Track #2 - Leading Transformation: Strategy, Leadership & Organizational Change
This track addresses how institutions, districts, and systems are leading digital learning and AI-driven transformation.
Topics may include:
- Institutional and district AI strategy and governance
- Leadership approaches to responsible AI adoption
- Building organizational readiness and AI literacy
- Change management for digital learning and AI integration
- Aligning AI initiatives with educational goals and outcomes
- Ethical considerations for AI
Track #3 - Enabling Innovation: Technology, Data & Learning Ecosystems
This track explores the technologies, data practices, and partnerships that enable scalable digital learning and AI integration.
Topics may include:
- Learning platforms, analytics, and AI-enabled systems
- Data strategy, privacy, and governance in AI-supported environments
- Emerging AI technologies shaping digital learning ecosystems
- Evaluating, scaling, and sustaining AI-enabled innovation
- Collaboration with edtech and technology partners
FAQs for Submitters
Where can I find more information about the OLC Elevate 2026 events, locations, programming opportunities, etc?
For more detailed information about the conference, please visit the OLC Elevate 2026 webpage. The page will be updated regularly as information becomes available. If you have any questions that are not addressed on the website, please send an e-mail to conference@onlinelearning-c.org.
What key dates should I pay attention to for OLC Elevate 2026? When is my proposal due and when will I be notified?
- March 2, 2026: Call for Proposals opens
- April 6, 2026 (by 11:59pm ET): Proposals due
- May 14, 2026: Notification of acceptance
- June 1, 2026: Deadline for presenters to accept
- June 8, 2026: Full program published
- June 25,2026: Deadline for presenters to register
- July 16, 2026: Deadline to edit abstracts
- July 30, 2026: Deadline for presentations to be uploaded to the Elevate resource library
- August 3-5, 2026: OLC Elevate – Texas (Tarleton State University, Ft. Worth, TX)
- August 6-7, 2026: OLC Elevate – Illinois (Rockford University, Rockford, IL)
All submissions are sent notification emails, regardless of acceptance status. Notifications are sent to the session owner (the person who submits the submission). Please be sure to add the @onlinelearning-c.org domain to your accepted emails filters to ensure you receive these messages. If you do not receive a notification email by May 14, 2026, please contact us at conference@onlinelearning-c.org.
What criteria are used to evaluate my proposal?
Presentations are evaluated using five major categories:
- Relevance to the conference
- Clarity of topic and outcomes for attendees
- Audience appeal
- Interactivity
- Alignment to session-specific criteria
Do accepted presenters need to register and pay for the OLC Elevate event?
Yes, all accepted presenters must register and pay the published registration fees for the OLC Elevate event to which they submit. Presenters will be accepted to and will register for only the specific program (Texas or Illinois) to which they submit. Pricing information for presenters is available on the OLC Elevate 2026 registration webpage.
Can a vendor submit a proposal for a session?
Vendors in the EdTech, online, or digital learning space—or anyone promoting a product or service—may submit proposals for educational sessions. However, if the proposal involves a specific service or product, it must include a co-presenter who is either an educator (K-12 or higher education) or an industry L&D professional. All presenters, including educators, vendors, and industry L&D professionals, are required to register for the conference. Sessions must be educational in nature and may not serve as sales promotions for a product or service.
Elevate sponsors receive a 45-minute Solution Showcase session as part of their sponsorship package, which may include a demonstration or presentation. These sessions are not submitted through the Call for Proposals but follow submission instructions provided by the OLC Conference Team.
FAQs for Presenters
What should I expect in terms of audience participation and engagement?
- Selecting a session: Attendees are free to select any session to attend during a particular time slot. There is no advance registration for specific sessions. Depending on the interest level for your session and other sessions during your time slot, you may have anywhere from 10-60+ people in your session.
- Engagement and technology: We encourage presenters to take as universal an approach to the design of their sessions as possible, keeping in mind that attendees will come to their sessions with unique goals and levels of anticipated engagement. Access and accessibility are important considerations here. If presenters are expecting attendees to have access to or utilize specific technology, this should be explicitly detailed in your session abstract. Participants are responsible for bringing their own devices. Wireless connectivity is provided for onsite participants.
- Session materials: Attendees will be expecting presentation handouts, slides, and other related materials to be available in the conference repository. Attendees will want to view in advance the conference repository to determine their session selection and find materials for those they will miss. Materials that are uploaded in advance also contribute to the accessibility of sessions.
What will my presentation environment (i.e. 'room') look like?
Rooms will be primarily set in small group seating. There will be a podium and head table for presenters in the front of the room.
What technology is provided by the conference?
- Each room is equipped with an LCD projector (16:9 aspect ratio), wireless Internet connection, laptop audio output capability, a podium, and a screen. Rooms are not equipped with computers; presenters must provide their own computers and adaptors. We do not provide laptops for presenters. Please bring any specialized conversion cables and adaptors along with you, such as Mac adapters, if needed to connect to HDMI. Most breakout rooms are of a size where it is deemed microphones are not needed.
- We encourage all presenters to either attend or review the recording of the presenter services webinar (coming soon) for more guidance on what to expect as a presenter.
Will OLC cover conference-related expenses for presenters?
No, OLC does not cover conference-related expenses for presenters. As a non-profit, OLC is unable to provide assistance for registration, travel, or lodging expenses to presenters. Presenters are responsible for their own registration fees, travel, and lodging expenses, including all taxes and fees on said travel and lodging expenses.
How do I find out when I am scheduled to present?
The Elevate website will have a complete listing of sessions where you may find the date and time assigned for your presentation. The schedule is published on June 8.
Can my co-presenter(s) see our session submission and make edits?
No, only the session owner (the person who submitted the proposal) has the ability to see and edit the proposal submission.
How long can I edit my proposal?
The session owner (the person who submitted the proposal) has the ability to edit the proposal until the Call for Proposals closes (April 6, 2026 at 11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time Zone). Once the call for proposals closes, all edits (title, abstracts, presenters, additional authors) must be submitted to the OLC Conference Team using our Session Edit Request form.
Questions or Requests for Assistance?
Feel free to contact us at conference@onlinelearning-c.org for support from the OLC Conference Team.
