The world is experiencing a paradigm shift when it comes to the way we obtain information. Do you remember the last time you went to the library? Only a few decades ago, it was the only way to find necessary information of any kind. Nowadays everyone just goes online and this trend is likely to keep on increasing. Most people resolve disputes with the motto “just Google it”. And it has never been easier to access all the knowledge in the world instantly.
2020 has made obtaining information online almost a necessity with most schools and businesses being closed because of the quarantine. Those educational institutions who were quick enough already launched their online educational courses through web portals or mobile apps. Development teams with a focus on Educational apps like Diversido are not only helping with the coding but give advice on how a tool like a portal or an app might improve your processes and boost productivity.
- What options the market suggests for now
- Things to consider before creating an e-learning mobile app
What options the market suggests for now
Education has never been easier to access. The availability of apps is one of the reasons that have led the charge in obtaining useful skill sets quickly and conveniently. According to the market analysis, the global education apps market is expected to grow by $46.88 billion from 2020 to 2024. So, the demand for e-learning apps will only continue to grow.
Before creating an e-learning app, let’s get familiar with the options. E-learning apps divide into 2 types: students-oriented and educators-oriented.
Students-oriented applications
- Learning apps — anything that allows students to learn something, from languages to playing musical instruments.
- Applications for children — the ones where a kid can learn the alphabet, colors, etc. If he or she studies at school, there also are some apps for learning geography, languages, and so on.
- Preparing for exams — the ones that will be great for college students and a helping hand in passing exams.
- Additional educational information — the ones that are used mostly by those who are already a specialist in some field and want to keep on improving skills.
Educators-oriented applications
- Planning applications — the ones that gather information about the classes, making it easier for a teacher to look through the previous classes and start planning the next one.
- Apps for better schedule management — the ones that allow teachers to make every minute effective.
- Apps for gradings — the ones that allow calculating the gradings easier or other practical features.
Things to consider before creating an e-learning mobile app
The educational system is transferring from the traditional classroom approach to one that is more and more reliant on the web. Most apps today have to be user-friendly and convenient to use. According to the US statistics, most people have more than 20 apps on their phones, most of which they consider unimportant and, therefore, don’t use. But e-learning mobile apps are designed with the instinctive purpose of helping people to develop skill sets that help them reach their goals at their pace and be able to access all the information they need much faster and easier. So what are the main features that have to be considered when creating an app?
UI
Convenience is a must-have for an e-learning app. Nobody likes dealing with constant technical bugs or spending too much time figuring out how it all works. It has to be easy to search through the previous courses or newer ones and have only the necessary buttons. So, one of the keys to a successful app is intuitive UI.
Notifications
When the system sends course-related notifications to a user’s email address, it most likely goes to either spam or is lost among hundreds of other letters. However, mobile app notifications are an excellent opportunity to keep the students engaged. You can suggest similar courses, keep track of the progress, congratulate them when they pass or invite them to discuss the subject they may be interested in.
In-App Messenger
Isolated studying may lead to losing interest or motivation. That’s why it’s a significant benefit if an app has tests and studying materials and an in-built messenger. It will help the students to interact with the educator, discuss the studying material or do group tasks.
Offline studying option
Having the opportunity to pass the course on mobile is convenient because you don’t have to be at a set place on a set time. However, sometimes a person can’t reach an Internet connection, for instance, being on a plane or in a subway. Yet, it can be precisely the time a student can spend learning. That’s why the option of downloading course material is so important.
Different content formats
Sometimes using only one type of media content may be ineffective or even dull. Students often understand the material faster and better by watching a few-minute video. Meanwhile, reading numerous pages of text can be both time-consuming and ineffective. Interactive learning is always a good idea: using games for learning, video content, and other activities can help students stay engaged.
Progress syncing
Last but not least, it’s a must-have for an e-learning app to have progress syncing features. When students often don’t complete a course at once. So, the option to return to the exact point where they left off is a must. If it’s not happening and their progress is lost, it isn’t very pleasant, and they most likely stop utilizing this app.
Conclusion
To sum it up, it’s not surprising that e-learning apps’ popularity is derived from their convenience. They give students access to the study materials even if there’s a weak connection or no Internet at all. When creating an app, it’s essential to determine the basics, such as the target audience and the needs of its representatives. Then, you should consider more practical issues, like making the user interface intuitive, allowing offline learning and in-app communications, diversifying the content, and so on.
Education has never been easier than nowadays. So why don’t we use every opportunity to broaden our horizons?