February 4, 2021

9 Questions to Help You Choose the Right Online Program Model

This content was previously published by Blackboard, now part of Anthology. Product and/or solution names may have changed.

Now that the market for online learning is more mature and its value clear, institutions are faced with choosing the best path forward to develop and grow their online learning programs. For some, it means figuring out where to start: build in-house, outsource, or a mix of both. For others, it means rethinking their investments into Online Program Managers (OPMs) and looking for a solution with more flexibility and options. 

Online Program Delivery Models: In-house, revenue-share or fee-for-service 

When considering building your online programs fully in-house, remember that developing and growing online programs takes specialized skills that may not be readily available at your institution. Working with a partner can help you stand up or grow a program more quickly than you could on your own. 

If you choose to seek outside support for online program development, you need to find the right partner. While there is a variety of options in the market today, there are two primary models online program providers typically utilize: revenue-share and fee-for-service. 

Traditional Online Program Managers (OPMs) utilize a revenue-share model where the OPMs take a percentage (typically between 40-60%) of all incoming tuition dollars from an online program while maintaining control over out-of-the-box content and media. 

The fee-for-service model, also called Online Program Experience (OPX), utilizes an approach that may require more up-front investment but allows for more flexibility, transparency and ownership over your online program strategy and approach. Using this model, schools can deliver the services where they’re skilled and lean on a best-in-class partner for the areas they need additional support.  

Wherever your institution or school is in your online program journey, it’s important to do your research, understand your specific objectives and needs, and ultimately, know your options. 

Online Program Development Checklist 

When choosing what’s right for your school, use this online program checklist as a helpful guide to ask yourself the right questions in determining your path forward:  

Get the Guide to Choosing the Right Online Program Partner for key insights and actions on delivering quality online programs.  

1. What level of experience with online teaching does your faculty have?  

Faculty who are both new and experienced in the online learning space can benefit from expertise and best practices. Look for a partner with long-term experience in higher education who provides support and resources to faculty and administrators.  

2. How important is owning and controlling online program content for your institution?  

If owning and controlling content is not the priority, look for a ready out-of-the-box approach. If a unique online experience and brand alignment are the priorities, look for a provider who offers full ownership of course content and intellectual property.  

3. Does your institution still want to keep and control parts of its existing online programs?  

Some institutions don’t need to start from scratch. If that’s the case, an unbundled solution puts you under contract only for things you need help on. It also provides guidance, support, research, training, management and the technical know-how when you need it.  

4. What kind of budget are you working with?  

If budgets are tight, OPMs are an attractive option, with no up-front investment. However, you’ll need to consider the long-term impact of that kind of partnership: revenue will eventually plateau because the majority of tuition dollars will go to the OPM.  

A fee-for-service solution model offers flexible payment plans and works around your specific needs, including researching a strategy for growing enrollments, helping faculty adapt their courses to meet online best practices, and choosing a technology platform.  

5. How much can your staffing resources take on?  

When your staff is stretched thin already, look for a provider with dedicated program and client experience managers who will walk you through each step of the process and be there to answer questions along the way. Outsourced partners can bring different skillsets to the table that institutional staff don’t have.  

6. Has your institution had bad experiences with online program providers in the past?  

That doesn’t mean you should never use one again. But make sure the provider is backed by research and sets expectations about your return on investment, so you know exactly what to expect. Transparency is key.  

7. Does your institution have any customized content needs?  

Choose a partner that lets you build online courses tailored to meet your instructors’ needs, helping them produce more engaging and interactive content.  

8. Would your staff members eventually want to manage the system themselves?  

In your evaluation process, ask providers about the level of involvement required from your staff, and if they can sustain and manage the process if they prefer. Many fee-for-service models can provide a capacity-building and teach-to-swim approach so you aren’t outsourcing services in perpetuity.  

9. How do you make the business case and administrative buy-in for marketing, enrollment or virtual student support services?  

For institutions not yet ready to make the big investment, ask the provider if they can share research and data that will help ensure smart decisions and investments—including program viability, landscape analysis, and a go-to-market plan—that show how these efforts, when done well, can help grow enrollment.  

Get the guide to online program service models 

Whether you’ve been delivering online programs for over a decade or just dipping your toe in the online program waters, knowing your institution’s objectives and needs will be an important step in your online program delivery journey. To learn more about choosing the right online program model, including key factors to consider in the decision-making process, download our guidebook, OPM or Fee-for-Service Solution? A Guide to Choosing the Right Online Program Partner 

GET THE GUIDE

Headshot of Jessica Sheehan

Jessica Sheehan

Senior Director, Strategic Consulting
Anthology