The academic LMS market just turned 30 years old — and its history explains a lot about why it looks the way it does today. In a guest post at the On EdTech newsletter, Matt Pittinsky, one of the co-founders of Blackboard reflects on what happened to the original IMS vision of

In which Glenda Morgan and I, in a joint post, make a counter-argument to the "LMS is Dead" thesis most recently shared at Inside Higher Ed op-ed and by Alfred Essa. It's a good debate to have in public, and not a new one. https://t.co/Mb04kNqe6h

I miss the 80s.

🚨 Data Drop for NegReg Week 🚨 If you're following the upcoming Negotiated Rulemaking on Workforce Pell and AHEAD accountability, this might save you days of work. Over the summer, the Department of Education collected more than 1,100 public comments on OBBBA implementation.

Hey @usedgov, listen in to the latest episode of 🎙️The Rant podcast. @PhilOnEdTech and I dig into the importance of using the right metrics for measuring earnings premium. Just in time for your upcoming rule making round! https://t.co/4Ga8PKT5m3

There’s new research this week that deserves real attention — not just because it confirms my earlier reporting, but because of who produced it and when it’s arriving. The Postsecondary Value Commission, created by the Gates Foundation, funded a new report by University of

A sneak peek of our shiny new learning platform!

The new National Student Clearinghouse data show Fall 2025 enrollment gains across much of higher ed — led by community colleges, short-cycle programs, and strong first-year pipelines. But On EdTech+ subscribers already had this story back in mid-September. Our early analysis

New federal rules require all #highered web content to be accessible by spring 2026. Most institutions aren't ready. - @sarakcuster @insidehighered “A regulatory time bomb” - @PhilOnEdTech https://t.co/fLo3pU9lBA #highered #CIO #edtech

💥 The Other Regulatory Time Bomb Most higher-ed leaders have heard that new ADA Title II accessibility rules take effect in 2026 — but few understand how disruptive they’ll be. These aren’t vague guidelines: they require every public institution to make all web and media

Coursera’s message to universities seems clear: We’re just not that into you. The company has unilaterally imposed a new 15% “platform fee” on university partners — on top of existing revenue splits — while downplaying degree programs and original university content in its

Do not go gentle. The Code Chronicles III: Code Never Dies.

Two weeks ago, The New York Times published a Guest Essay claiming community colleges have “lost their way” by embracing online education. The problem? The author cited no evidence, and the piece ignored actual research — including studies on the very college system being

Purdue Global has made progress — but not profits. An in-depth Lafayette Journal & Courier piece this week (excellent reporting from student journalist Israel Schuman) lays out just how complex the Purdue–Kaplan experiment remains. Purdue Global has improved retention, doubled

TOPcast ep195 includes shoutouts to @morganmundum @mvpmv @rayschroeder @_digitalnicole @QMProgram @educause @EduventuresInc @CDLRA_ACRFL @UPCEA @OLCToday @DrMathes @PhilOnEdTech @chronicle and more!

Anthology’s bankruptcy process has exposed a less visible but important dynamic: the role of private equity. Nexus Capital is both a controlling creditor in the Chapter 11 case and, through its ownership of ACT and Encoura, the backer of one of the stalking horse bidders.

Anthology's debt interest payments were 41% of total revenue, and other insights from the court filings Blackboard will be spun off a a separate company with $0 long-term debt https://t.co/fw9UyO1oG8 via @philonedtech #highered #edtech

When nearly half your revenue goes just to cover interest payments, the math stops working. From the court filings: Anthology was paying $185 million a year in interest—41% of total revenue There was no scenario where the company could meet its obligations without restructuring

🎄LIVE: Ghosts of Christmas Past—Christmas & New Year’s in American History. Join us for a holiday Political Trade Secrets w/ historic storyteller @JMarkPowell to explore timeless American stories still shaping politics today. LIKE, FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE!

Anthology’s Chapter 11 filing isn’t just about one company — it’s about how private equity debt cycles reshape the EdTech landscape. For months, the storyline has moved from product integration challenges → to distressed-debt investors Nexus and Oaktree taking control → to a

For years, Moodle was in danger of sliding into irrelevance—reassuring its base while losing ground in LMS evaluations. See the new On EdTech post by @morganmundum At this year’s MoodleMoot Global, however, the message was different: Moodle is finally willing to “break eggs.”

Stale Inputs, Lasting Consequences: OBBBA's Accountability Math - An outlier year set the assumptions, but Do No Harm implementation will be applied to cohorts shaped by a very different economy Higher ed leaders are about to be judged by accountability metrics built on stale

The higher ed debate is too often framed around single issues—loan limits, accountability, or Pell changes. But the real story with the new law is the combination. Loan caps that eliminate unlimited Grad PLUS borrowing, “Do No Harm” accountability tied to program earnings, and

Breaking points. Reckonings. A year‑end jolt of truth and resilience featuring Aymie A. Daniels & Dr. Cristi Bundukamara SHAKE IT OFF WITH MERT & LUCAS, LIVE! Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 | 7–9 PM EST | AM970 Radio | Streaming everywhere! @am970TheAnswer @cristibundukama

Webinars are back—and better than ever! We're kicking things off with a webinar featuring @PhilOnEdTech diving into the future of the #LMS market in 2025. You won't want to miss this one: https://t.co/LXaDpaCC1F

What’s actually in the 1,124 public comments on OBBBA rulemaking? I pulled every comment (including PDF attachments) to map the themes around Institutional Accountability (“Do No Harm” / Earnings Premium) and new student loan limits. Two takeaways to watch: • The Do No Harm