IBL News

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  • Class.com Completes the Acquisition of Blackboard Collaborate

    Class.com Completes the Acquisition of Blackboard Collaborate

    IBL News | New York

    Class.com will be the new proprietor of Blackboard Collaborate, once the transaction process is completed this week.

    Class Technologies (Class.com) acquired the virtual conferencing tool from Anthololgy, paying $210 million last May.

    The tool will be renamed Class Collaborate. About 1,750 educational institutions and organizations were using it as Blackboard’s clients.

    Michael Chasen, co-founder and CEO of Class and former CEO of Blackboard, announced that the tool will be changing with new features. “Educators and learners expect innovative and advanced solutions that enhance the online and hybrid learning experience,” he said.

     

    “The long-term vision is to bring together the best of both products to develop a learning platform that can support the various ways in which institutions want to engage in synchronous learning now and into the future,” the company added in a PR release.

    Under the transaction, Class will be the preferred virtual meeting technology partner for Blackboard. “The two teams are working closely together on joint go-to-market initiatives, including a large presence at the upcoming Anthology Together conference in Orlando, Florida.”

    Class is a heavily funded company after attracting $160 million within a year. It raised a combination of equity and debt from investors such as SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Insight Partners, Salesforce Ventures, Owl Ventures, Emergence Capital, Educational Testing Services (ETS), Arizona State University (ASU), Maven Ventures, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Fund, SWaN & Legend, Chimera Investment, Sound Ventures, Catalysis Capital Management, Guy Oseary, Bill Tai, and Super Bowl champion and entrepreneur Tom Brady.

     

     

  • Degreed Buys Its Former CEO’s New Company and Puts Him to Lead a New Strategy

    Degreed Buys Its Former CEO’s New Company and Puts Him to Lead a New Strategy

    IBL News | New York

    Degreed.com announced this month the acquisition of the talent academy platform, Learn In,  and the return of Co-Founder David Blake as CEO. The transactional amount of this acquisition — the fourth of Degreed — was not disclosed.

    Interestingly, David Blake was the Co-Founder and CEO of Learn In. According to the company, “Blake’s plans for the future of Degreed were divergent with the current direction, so an amicable decision was made that he return to the company as CEO and execute that vision.”

    Dan Levin, who has been Degree’s CEO since April 2021, will step down, apparently in an “amicable” transition of power.

    “Just as Degreed created the LXP market, Learn In has begun for talent academies,” said David Blake, the new CEO of Degreed. “Now together, we have the product and technology to help our customers deliver business capabilities at scale with continued innovation in the learning and skills space.”

    Learn In helps companies establish internal talent academies, supplementing the features of Degreed LXP (Learning Experience Platform), including a prepaid learning stipend card, a skills marketplace, a custom program builder, a tuition benefits manager, and dedicated coaching.

    “As Degreed and Learn In come together, it will offer a more integrated opportunity for organizations like ours to engage employees and build a broader range of skills—from curious, ‘in-the-moment’ learning through to deeper reskilling and credentials,” said Gina Jeneroux, Chief Learning Officer at BMO Financial Group.

    According to TechCrunch, “Blake said that he disclosed all conflicts and recused himself from representing Degreed during the negotiation process. He solely represented himself as the CEO of Learn In, while Degreed’s board of directors represented the other side. Even still, it’s hard to completely extract bias from any financial deal, particularly one as tangly as this — the two companies have shared investors including GSV, Firework Ventures and Album VC.”

    Degreed raised $32 million in June 2020 in a  round led by Owl Ventures. Its total capital raised to date is $182 million. Learn In launched in April 2020 with $3 million in seed financing and attracted $13 million in April 2022.

  • 2U Inc. Receives an Offer of $1 Billion with a Premium of 50%

    2U Inc. Receives an Offer of $1 Billion with a Premium of 50%

    IBL News | New York

    Indian virtual education conglomerate Byju’s submitted a buyout offer worth $1 billion in a cash deal, or about $15 per share, to 2U (NASDAQ: TWOU), according to Bloomberg. As a result, shares of 2U Inc. went up 17.42% to $10.92. This is not the first time rumors surfaced regarding a 2U buyout.

    The offer, made to 2U’s board last week, represents a 61% premium to 2U’s closing price of $9.30 on the Nasdaq on Tuesday, June 21. It gives the Lanham, Maryland-based and edX owner company an enterprise value of about $2 billion, despite having a current market cap of $841 million, and about $1 billion in debt and other liabilities.

    According to Bloomberg, the talks with 2U could still fall apart, and a deal may not materialize. 2U’s board has not taken a position yet.

    After having secured $2.4 billion for international expansion, Byju’s is trying to make a big acquisition. The Indian company — which has a valuation of $22 billion and 115 million students using its platform — is also bidding for Chegg Inc.

    With the shares of 2U having declined 80% since a peak of $55.55 in early 2021, assets acquisition looks attractive in the market, said the experts.

    2U paid $800 million to acquire edX in July 2021.

    • News about 2U on IBL News

  • Amgen Foundation Will Invest $30M on Open edX-Based LabXchange Platform

    Amgen Foundation Will Invest $30M on Open edX-Based LabXchange Platform

    IBL News | New York

    The Amgen Foundation announced this month that it will double its investment in Harvard University’s online science education platform LabXchange.org donating an additional $30 million.

    As a lead sponsor and co-founder of LabXchange, the pharmaceutical company donated $13 million for the launch of the project in January 2020. The advertised goal was to build a library of learning experiences in science to complement in-person education and inspire the next generation of scientists.

    The award-winning platform was based on the vision of the late Harvard Professor and scientist Robert Lue, who sought to make science education accessible to everyone.

    This Open edX software-based platform currently contains 16,000 learning resources at no cost, including curated and personalized online lab experiments, interactive lessons, and videos. Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost of Advances in Learning (VPAL) manages the project.

    “To date, we’ve reached 20 million users in 230 countries and territories around the world,” said Gaurav Vazirani, Managing Director at LabXchange. “To fully realize our vision, we aim to grow our global science classroom from 20 million people to 50 million by 2025.”

    “By overcoming barriers of cost and geographical location, LabXchange is helping to level the playing field, so learners of all ages everywhere have access to world-class science education,” added Judy Brown, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Amgen and Chairman for the Amgen Foundation.

    According to the Foundation, “the additional funding contribution will allow LabXchange to expand and deepen collaborations with STEM organizations worldwide, and pursue opportunities to serve more learners, particularly in communities that are underserved.”

    In addition, over the next three years, the platform will develop more data science, biotechnology, and environmental content, translate content into 30 languages, launch a new teacher ambassador network, and increase content for middle schoolers.

    • News about LabXchange at IBL News

  • Web3 Learning and Talent UK’s Neol Attracts $5.2 Million from Investors

    Web3 Learning and Talent UK’s Neol Attracts $5.2 Million from Investors

    IBL News | New York

    The Web3 phenomenon, featured as the next big wave in crypto is gaining traction.  Experts say that marketers will use public, virtual wallet information to target users. NFTs, governed by smart contracts, will reward users registered with a credential of their choice for engaging with ads — with token drops or other on-chain benefits.

    As this new marketing ecosystem begins to pop up, some start-ups are reshaping the Web3 networks with user experience as a central tenet.

    Last week, London-based Neol announced it raised $5.2 million in a seed round to build out a Web3-enabled, decentralized, and tokenized cohort-powered learning and talent platform. [Neol’s founders, in the picture above].

    It’s similar to On Deck, although instead of targeting founders and start-up operators, it will be aiming mostly at design and creative freelance professionals. For example, if a global fashion brand wants to reimagine its packaging or supply chain to be more sustainable, it can put the call out to Neol’s community for solutions.

    A decentralized and tokenized platform community of members build their own cohorts and create a token or a kind of Neol currency, sharing this way the wealth vision that’s core to Web3 companies.

    It’s like a tokenized, Web3 university with teachers that are rewarded financially, beyond their salary, for building a richer learners community rather than just supporting the school’s brand.

    Similarly, it might happen in the e-learning environment for freelancers. This market is expected to grow roughly 24% annually until 2028.

    Neol’s financing round was led by Kyu Collective Japan’s ad agency and VC firm Global Ventures. Other participating investors were Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, LearnStart, FJ Labs, and Paribu Ventures.

    Neol claims to have run eight cohorts with over 600 learners and 200 customers.

  • German Learning Platform CoachHub Raises Another $200 Million

    German Learning Platform CoachHub Raises Another $200 Million

    IBL News | New York

    Berlin-based 1:1 coaching platform CoachHub closed this month a $200 million Series C funding with the goal of fueling its global expansion, particularly in the United States.

    The round, led by Sofina and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, followed an $80 million funding eight months ago. To date, this three-year-old company has raised $330 million.

    Existing investors, including Molten Ventures, Speedinvest, HV Capital, Signals Venture Capital, and Silicon Valley Bank/SVB Capital, also participated in the round.

    With a workforce of 850 employees, CoachHub “aims to provide a tailored coaching experience to employees at all levels to help advance their careers,” stated Yanni Pipilis, Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers.

    Research company Gartner said that the corporate digital coaching segment is expected to grow by up to 100 times by the end of the decade.

    “We believe 1:1 coaching will continue to be one of the most effective ways of enhancing the socio-emotional and leadership skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving workplace,” said Harold Boël, CEO at Sofina.

    CoachHub matches learners to a pool of 3,500 certified business coaches in 60 languages and 90 countries. The company employs 150 product engineers along with a team of 30 leading behavioral scientists.

    “The app couples human intelligence with AI technology to pair employees with their ideal coaches and curate a library of content that enhances their learning journey,” the company pointed out.

    The firm claims that it is currently serving 500 customers, including household names like Coca-Cola, Danone, Toyota, LVMH, L’Oréal, Credit Suisse, and Twitter.

  • Open edX & Learning Platforms Newsletter | May – June 2022: 2U, Coursera, Moodle, Degreed, Cornerstone, Canvas LMS, Class.com…

    Open edX & Learning Platforms Newsletter | May – June 2022: 2U, Coursera, Moodle, Degreed, Cornerstone, Canvas LMS, Class.com…

    [ Newsletter format  |  Click here to subscribe ]

    MAY – JUNE 2022 – NEWSLETTER #45  |  Breaking news at IBL News  |  Noticias en Español

     

    Open edX

    • NASA Launches a Community and Education Initiative to Accelerate Open Science

    • The 2023 Open edX Conference will take place at MIT in Cambridge, MA

    • Three Spanish Universities Will Fund the Transformation of Open edX into an On-Campus LMS

    • Ukrainian Raccoon Gang Showed Up on the 2022 Open edX Conference

    • Developers Gathered at the Annual Reunion of the Open edX Software

     

    edX Platform

    • 2U / edX Creates Two University Advisory Councils Following the Former Partners’ Board

    • 2U/edX Increases Revenues and Losses While It Transitions Into edX

    • “edX is to 2U What Google is to Alphabet,” Says the Founder of edX

    • Over 300 Students Will Graduate from BU Questrom’s Online MBA

     

    Coursera

    • Business Skills Rise, But Technology Proficiency Drops Significantly In the US

    • Coursera Announces New Features, Tools, and Learning Initiatives

    • Coursera Launches a Collection of Short Videos and Lessons Intended for Skills Development

    • Coursera Increased Its Net Loss in the First Quarter of 2022

     

    Learning Platforms: Functionalities

    • Moodle Commercial Provider Open LMS Integrates Zoom-Built In Tool Class.com

    • AI-Powered Platforms that Detect Plagiarized Content Online Attract Investors

    • Degreed Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary, Claiming to Be the First LXP

     

    Learning Platforms: Acquisitions and Results

    • Cornerstone Pays $200 Million in Cash to Skillsoft for the SumTotal Learning Platform

    • Cornerstone Completed Its Acquisition of the EdCast LXP Platform

    • McGraw Hill Says that Its Annual Digital Billings Exceed $1 Billion

    • Canvas LMS Continues Its Growth, Reporting an Increase of 21% in Its Quarter Revenue

    • Class.com Acquires Blackboard’s Collaborate Virtual Video Tool

     

    2022 Events | All of the Key Conferences Listed!

    • Education Calendar 2022  – JUNE | JULY |  AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | Conferences in Latin America & Spain

     

    This newsletter was created in collaboration with IBL Education, a New York City-based company specializing in AI-driven, skills learning platforms. We also film and produce courses for universities and business organizations. Read the latest IBL Newsletter   |  Archive of Open edX Newsletters

  • Online Learning Newsletter | May – June 2022: Andreessen Horowitz, Metaverse, UC San Diego, 1EdTech Consortium, Universities…

    Online Learning Newsletter | May – June 2022: Andreessen Horowitz, Metaverse, UC San Diego, 1EdTech Consortium, Universities…

    [ Newsletter format  |  Click here to subscribe ]

    MAY – JUNE 2022 – NEWSLETTER #51  |  Breaking news at IBL News  |  Noticias en Español

     

    Trends

    • Andreessen Horowitz Creates with Columbia and Stanford a Research Lab on Crypto and Web3

    • Americans Support Student Loan Forgiveness Up to $10,000

    • The New York Times Against Canceling Student Debt, which Reached $1.7 Trillion

    • A Report Shows that Businesses Must Dramatically Improve their Open Source Software Security

    • The Some College No Credential Population Rose to 39 Million in the U.S.

    • The Metaverse Virtual-Reality Technology Might Contribute $3 Trillion to GDP

    • Data Shows that Remote Work Is Disappearing: Less than 10% Work at Home

     

    Universities

    • UC San Diego Reaches $3 Billion in Its Fundraising Campaign

    • The University of Phoenix President Resigned Amid an Inquiry

    • An Op-Ed Calls to Rename George Washington University for Its “Systemic Racism”

    • Boston University and Other Colleges Raise Tuition Price, Attributing It to Inflation

    • Bentley University Becomes One of the First Colleges Accepting Crypto for Tuition Payments

    • ASU Creates a Certified Program for Churches Facing Declining Membership

     

    Harvard, MIT, Stanford

    • MIT, Cambridge, and Stanford Are the World’s Best Universities, According to the QS Ranking

    • Harvard University’s President Will Step Down in June 2023

    • Harvard University Endowment Saw a Decline of 43% in Its Stock Portfolio in 2022

    • Stanford Will Launch a Summer Program for High-Growth Start-Ups

    • Sanjay Sarma, Director at MIT Open Learning and Digital Learning, Steps Down

     

    Policy

    • “Arming Our Teachers It’s Just Ludicrous,” Says Education Secretary Cardona

    • The Biden-Harris Administration Will Forgive $5.8B in Federal Loans to Students of Corinthian Colleges

    • The FBI Alerts that U.S. Academic Access Credentials Are on Sale on the Dark Web

    • A San Antonio School District Will Allow Qualified Teachers to Carry a Firearm

    • Advanced Technology Will Boost the Global Market to One Trillion by 2030

     

    Initiatives

    • Georgia State University Study Showed that Chatbots Helped Students

    • IMS Global Rebrands As 1EdTech Consortium

    • MIT Sloan CIO Symposium Selects Key Leaders and Features Innovative Start-Ups

    • The Obamas and Airbnb’s CEO Launch a $100M Scholarship Fund for Public Service

    • IBM Signed a Multi-Year Collaboration Agreement with Amazon Web Services

     

    2022 Events | All of the Key Conferences Listed!

    • Education Calendar 2022  – JUNE | JULY |  AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | Conferences in Latin America & Spain

     

     

     

    This newsletter was created in collaboration with IBL Education, a New York City-based company specializing in AI-driven, skills open source learning platforms. We also film and produce courses for universities and business organizations. Read the latest IBL Newsletter   |  Archive of Open edX Newsletters

     

  • Americans Support Student Loan Forgiveness Up to $10,000

    Americans Support Student Loan Forgiveness Up to $10,000

    IBL News | New York

    An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the government should prioritize making college more affordable over forgiving existing student loans, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.

    Meanwhile, a narrow majority of Americans support forgiving up to $10,000 in federal student loans. But support wanes for a larger amount.

    In detail, the main findings point out to the following:

    • A majority (55%) of Americans support forgiving up to $10,000 of a person’s student loan debt.
    • Fewer Americans support forgiving up to $50,000 (47%) in student loans and forgiving all student loan debt (41%).
    • Roughly four in ten Americans support extending the current federal loan pause without forgiving any loan debt (42%) and ending the loan pause now without forgiving any loan debt (41%).
    • A wide majority of those with student loans support each of the three proposals asked about: forgiving $10,000 of student debt (84%), $50,000 of student debt (78%), and all student debt (68%).

    Americans and those with student loans alike prefer the government to make college cheaper than forgive student loans, according to the poll.

    Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) say that if the government does forgive some student loan debt, it should be for graduate and undergraduate debt, as opposed to just undergraduate debt (30%).

    A majority of Americans with student loan debt say they have not made any payments since the pause began. Instead, most say they have taken this opportunity to catch a financial break.

    Nearly half (47%) of Americans with student loan debt say that the federal student loan pause has improved their mental health.

    This poll — conducted over 1,022 Americans between June 3 and 5, 2022, with an oversample of more than 400 student loan borrowers — took place as President Biden plans an announcement on federal student loan forgiveness.

  • NASA Launches a Community and Education Initiative to Accelerate Open Science

    NASA Launches a Community and Education Initiative to Accelerate Open Science

    IBL News | New York

    NASA introduced its Open-Source Science initiative (OSSI) last month, which intends to build an open science community over the next decade and share software, data, and knowledge (algorithms, papers, documents, ancillary information) in the scientific process.

    One of the key components of the program is TOPS (Transform to Open Science), which provides visibility, advocacy, and community resources.

    “From 2022 to 2027, TOPS will accelerate the engagement of the scientific community in open science practices through events and activities,” explained NASA.

    Next year will be designated as the “Year of Open Science.” The goal will be to “spark change and inspire open science engagement through events and activities that will shift the current paradigm.”

    One of the projects will be an Open Science online learning platform, which will deliver courses about this subject for internal and public use. The launch of the first learning modules is scheduled for October 2022.

    [Disclosure: IBL Education, the parent company of this news service, has been selected to develop that educational platform using Open edX technology after an RFP process.] 

     

    Video: Keynote from Prof. Lorena Barba on Open Science