You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
Moodle, the open-source learning management system provider, is ending its partnership with Blackboard, according to a Moodle announcement Friday morning. Blackboard on Friday afternoon offered a slightly different version of events, announcing in a press release that it "strategically decided to end its partnership with Moodle."
After September, Blackboard will no longer be permitted to use the Moodlerooms name or other Moodle trademarks it had been licensed to use for advertising Moodle-related services. Blackboard, which some say has been narrowly overtaken in U.S. market share by Canvas, will transition out of Moodle's Certified Partner Program over the next few months, according to Moodle's release. Blackboard will invest money from the partnership into further development of its Moodle-based open-source products, which continue to serve more than 1,000 clients worldwide.
In a statement, Moodle CEO and founder Martin Dougiamas said the partnership with Blackboard had generated less revenue each year since Blackboard acquired several Moodle partners in 2012. "Now is the right time to clarify the situation between us and focus more tightly on our exciting roadmap around our open software," Dougiamas wrote.
Moodlerooms clients' services will not be affected by the changes, according to Moodle. Blackboard plans to roll out new branding for its open-source products "soon," the company said.
