Charles Severance helped start Sakai, an open-source alternative to Blackboard’s course-management software. In a surprising move, Blackboard hired Mr. Severance this Spring to lead its bid to support the open-source software. The Tech Therapy team talks to this open-source pioneer about how it happened and the future of open source in higher education.

Links discussed in this episode:  Blackboard Buys 2 Leading Supporters of Open-Source Competitor Moodle

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Each month, The Chronicle’s Tech Therapy podcast offers analysis of and advice on what the latest gadgets and buzzwords mean for professors, administrators, and students. Join hosts Jeff Young, The Chronicle’s technology editor, and Warren Arbogast, a technology consultant who works with colleges, for a lively discussion—as well as interviews with leading thinkers in technology.