In this time of ever-increasing change for digital learning practices and across educational institutions, we often find ourselves feeling our way around in the dark. Many of us are working as hard as we can to interpret the shadows of a future just around the corner, with uncertainty and instability as our two constants. 

This is where Accelerate 2026 provides its true value. We combat uncertainty with resilient curiosity, coming together to share the solutions we have developed so far and figure out the right questions to ask as we move around that corner. The connections we forge across this community of professionals and academics each fall help us accelerate our ideas and good work to meet the moment and keep pace with change.  

At Accelerate, an honest conversation between colleagues from different institutions can change how they both approach their work. Never underestimate the value of hearing, “We’re working through that, too.” That recognition of shared challenges gives us a place to start building together and asking the right questions. 

Our many bright lights, brought into focus together, get us thinking again about powerful ideas we had set aside and help us put new initiatives into motion. And this annual gathering gives us all the chance to informally mentor and generously welcome those just getting started in the digital learning field, sharing our community’s values and the value we find in Accelerate. We need bright minds and engaged voices to uphold those values now more than ever. 

As co-chairs of OLC Accelerate 2026, these are just some of the moments of collective focus we’re looking forward to sharing with you this November in Orlando. 

This year’s theme, “Illuminate the Future: Envisioning our Next Era of Digital Learning,” invites us to consider those questions together and find our footing amid uncertainty. In particular, as AI challenges us to change our practices, our professional judgment, empathy, and care for learners remain essential. These conversations across higher education, K–12, and workplace learning can help us see possibilities we might miss within our own settings. 

We invite you to bring the course redesign you’re still working through or the leadership question you haven’t resolved. Your experience will help someone else as you find your own path to a more satisfying answer or effective solution. At Accelerate, we focus our energies together to help you find your next steps. 

We’re especially excited about the ways this year’s program brings people together: 

• Alex Goryachev’s Tuesday keynote, “Educating for the Unknown,” will explore how education can prepare learners for a world changing with AI, while keeping equity, integrity, and critical thinking in view. 

• The AI Exploration Zone, Engagement Hub, and interactive sessions invite you to contribute. Formats such as “Conversation, Not Presentation,” gamified sessions, and Discovery Sessions give colleagues opportunities to explore ideas together. 

• Four Tuesday morning summits focus on AI, instructional design, K–12, and the HBCU online learning experience. They’re included with your conference pass; RSVP for your chosen summit when you register. 

• The Leadership Network Symposium on Monday, November 16, gives current and aspiring leaders time to examine shared challenges. This pre-conference event requires a separate ticket.