Join The Open Practice Academy
Designing meaningful change for real life.
The Open Practice Academy is built for educators, librarians, instructional designers, faculty developers, leaders, teams, and organizations who are trying to make meaningful learning and change work actually doable.
Â
Creating a free TOPA account helps us understand who you are, what kind of support you may need, and which access pathway best fits your role, goals, and funding context.
Â
Your free account is the starting point for TOPA learning opportunities, support options, access-tier pricing, updates, and future community offerings.
Your Starting Point
- Gain instant access to free and low-cost learning opportunities tailored to your professional goals.
- Receive curated updates about new courses, webinars, and resources that matter to your practice.
- Identify your ideal access tier to ensure pricing matches your specific funding situation.
- Explore specialized pathways including certificate programs, Support Studio, and team-based learning.
You do not need to know exactly what you need before joining. Your account helps us route you toward the learning or support pathway that makes the most sense for you.
Choose Your Access Tier
Community Access
For students, adjuncts, and underfunded practitioners paying out of pocket. Includes low-cost webinars and scholarship opportunities.
Individual Professional
For instructional staff and leaders investing in personal practice. Access courses, certificates, and Support Studio sessions.
Institutional Sponsored
For participation funded by departments, grants, or employers. Streamlined billing and institutional enrollment pathways.
Partner Access
For teams and organizations seeking custom professional development, facilitated cohorts, and embedded specialist support.
Equity Request
Reduced-cost and scholarship pathways for those where cost is a barrier. Shared responsibility built into the system.
Not Sure Yet?
Join first and explore. Your access pathway can be adjusted later if your needs or funding context change.
Sustainable Education
Reciprocity & Transparency
TOPA uses access tiers to support both accessibility and sustainability.
Â
Not everyone comes to this work with the same resources. Some people are paying out of pocket. Some are using professional development funds. Some are supported by a department, grant, library, center, school, institution, or employer. Some organizations are looking for custom or ongoing support.
Â
TOPA Access Tiers help match people and organizations with the most appropriate pricing pathway, support options, and next steps.
Â
This model is built on trust, transparency, and reciprocity. When people and institutions with access to funding pay at the appropriate rate, TOPA can continue offering free and reduced-cost options for those with fewer resources.
Â
That is open practice in action: shared responsibility, honest participation, and care built into the system.
Free Learning
Explore open education updates, pilot resources, and introductory workshops at no cost.
Member Access & Global Pathways
Member Updates
Stay informed with the latest practical tools for Open Education and specialized leadership alerts.
Studio Access
Unlock priority booking for Support Studio sessions and direct certificate pathway inquiries.
Scholarships
Apply for equity-based access and reduced-cost pathways supported by institutional partners.
The TOPA Sustainable Model
TOPA exists to help people build learning, training, and change initiatives that can survive real life.
Â
That means designing for real constraints: limited time, limited funding, overloaded educators, complex institutions, accessibility needs, and people who cannot afford one more barrier.
Â
A free membership model lets TOPA keep the front door open while still building a sustainable business. Free and lower-cost access matters. So does sustainable compensation for the skilled labor involved in professional learning, implementation support, and care-centered design. Both things can be true.