Comments on: VLE commodification is complete as Blackboard starts supporting Moodle and Sakai

By: Wilbert

Wilbert — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:55:44 +0000

Hi Ian – I think I’d say that choices are made on smallish differences in price, and not so much functionality; the core feature set of VLEs is much the same. That does indeed mean that non-functional requirements such as community, brand, development vision and also just user interface preferences will become more important when choosing between them.

The interesting aspect of commodification, I think, is that it makes a technology predictable and thereby ripe for building new innovations on. With the new BB deal, the chance of functional differentiation of VLEs for differentiation’s sake has gone from moderate to slim, and that should mean that it will become a lot easier to build innovative tools and content that can be used in all of them. It may also mean that a core, internal innovation in one VLE will spread more quickly to the others.

You’re quite right that the measure of the deal is on its effect on innovation…

By: Ian Dolphin

Ian Dolphin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:30:19 +0000

Whilst I might agree that many institutions make their LMS/VLE choices around price and functionality, there’s been a marked tendency to consider other factors of late, including the community surrounding the software itself, trajectory, and capability to support innovation. This isn’t surprising – it’s a further sign of market maturity. If the commodification of the LMS/VLE means an increased focus on pushing the outer bounds of supporting academic practice online, and escaping self-imposed constraints, it is to be welcomed. The LMS/VLE will be around for many years – longer than I would care to predict – but already many are working at what augments and follows it. I suspect we should judge this development, ultimately, by its effect on innovation.

By: Sheila MacNeill

Sheila MacNeill — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:06:21 +0000

Hi Wilbert – great summary, thanks for doing that. Yes interesting times indeed and I hope that having people like Chuck on board will ensure that BB do work towards common interoperability and not just interoperability for themselves as you outline.

Sheila