ANGEL Learning Inc., the developer of the system scheduled to gradually take over operations of Cal State Long Beach’s BeachBoard site — currently powered by Blackboard Academic Suite — beginning this summer, was recently acquired by Blackboard Inc.
BeachBoard is scheduled to convert to ANGEL Learning Management System completely by January 2010. Called BeachBoard 2.0, the new program is an attempt to improve online course management, according to Leslie Kennedy, director of Instructional Technology Support Services at CSULB.
Blackboard announced the $95 million purchase of ANGEL on May 6 and completed the acquisition Monday, according to a Blackboard press release.
“This was a surprise to us,” Kennedy said about the purchase.
According to Kennedy, the future of ANGEL will be announced later this week at the ANGEL User Conference in Chicago. Kennedy said that little information is available at this point and that previous plans to begin the implementation of ANGEL for the summer have not been stalled.
“We’re still moving forward,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said that the goal is to “make sure we make the best decisions for the university.” She also said that she hopes the ANGEL features that were important to CSULB in selecting the system will be important to Blackboard as well.
“We remain committed to having a high-quality learning management system that best meets the needs of our students, faculty and staff,” Kennedy said.
According to the Blackboard website, the company will honor current contracts and “maintain standard pricing consistent with historical practice.”
The website also said that ANGEL will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Blackboard.
According to Don Gardner, associate vice president for academic technology, lawyers are currently reviewing the contract “to see what the nature of [Blackboard’s] commitment to us is and what is our commitment to them.”
The ANGEL contract will cost about the same as the soon-expiring contract with Blackboard ⎯ approximately $300,000 to $400,000 a year. Kennedy said the ANGEL contract would last for a few years.