Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ The Evolution of the OPM: It’s Time for a Change

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

When Blackboard says it's time for a change, something is up. And what's up is the Online Program Management (OPM) company. These were companies that took over the burden of managing online programs for colleges and universities in exchange for a percentage of the tuition. This worked well when it appeared colleges and universities would never go online. But then came the pandemic and suddenly OPM contracts were toxic assets. But it's a brew that has been stewing for some time. " The revenue-share model came before more than 16% of all postsecondary students were enrolled exclusively in online programs. It came before 85% of students were considered non-traditional. In the last five years alone, an additional 1.5 million students have chosen to study exclusively online." And that was before the pandemic. Now of course this is a marketing blog, so we have Blackboard saying they have the answer. But institutions should think carefully before signing contracts contracting out their core business.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 08:46 a.m.

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