There’s a time when making students sit in the four walls of the classroom to listen to their teachers, memorizing the assignments, and speaking the answers was essential. The recent pandemic has bid goodbye to this old-aged classroom setting with online classes, which we all have recently experienced.
The important factor in online classes or e-learning apps is engagement because of the relevance they hold which drives out resistance. The learning apps have proven that when kids are super engaged in a video game, they are super engaged in education learning. Here, technology becomes the silver bullet that has inspired students for learning, reduced teachers’ burden and other activities.
Now, e-learning apps are not an afterthought or add-on. Instead, they are becoming a part of the curriculum. Educational organizations are stepping up to the plate to create e-learning apps powered by advanced technologies, models, and new designs that motivate students to learn, improve their performance, and can change their behavior.
However, building e-learning app development is not a game of an average Joe. It’s not a casual joy ride on a Sunday afternoon on the cruise. The e-learning apps need to be developed and designed masterfully with careful planning and implementation, which helps in engineering engaging experiences. We have enlisted the essential features that e-learning apps must have to meet the minimum requirements of the students and engage them with the advanced set of features.
What Are The Features That E-Learning Apps Must Have At The Minimum?
1. Effortless onboarding
The easy signup and login process allow users to start using the app without much ado. Registration and authentication are essential for teachers and students to keep unwanted people out of the room. After registration, the login is kept effortless for easy starting such as Google accounts, social accounts, or phone number and password mechanism.
Nowadays, AI-based login is getting popular due to the high security and convenience they offer. They enable sign-in with fingerprint detection, face recognition, or retina display, which enables a simplified and secured onboarding process.
2. Seamless navigation
The lousy or slow-performing interface won’t work with e-learning apps. The UI must be user-friendly and intuitive, which makes features easily and quickly accessible by everyone using the app. The proper alignment of the custom dashboard, panel, and several courses is all-important to not muddy the water.
The multiple courses available on E-learning must be searchable through categorization, in-app search integration, filtering, sorting, and recommendations. When the student selects a course, the app must showcase a summary of the course, and a list of content so that the users will get an idea of whether it’s the one they are searching for or not.
3. Excellent content management system
Managing and updating the content on E-learning apps is vital to keep the users engaged. Incorporating different content formats such as text, video, podcasts, and others helps delivering education effectively. Also, the short learning sessions result in good learning outcomes. Introduce micro-learning in the app to make the content effective.
The support for offline content allows students to download the course and read the content according to their availability without needing any network connection. Segregate the content in different sessions so that students’ progress is tracked and ensure that they are moving ahead only after completing the initial sessions.
4. Personalize the content for better experiences
The education system is moving to e-learning apps to make learning intuitive and interesting. If e-learning apps miss this element, the students start showing reluctance toward e-learning apps. Personalizing the app content renders the best experience for the students.
Making the app content interactive by optimizing it for mobile is the easier way to view, read, and learn the content. The information must in sync with the target audience to make them interested in the app learning.
5. Render live experiences with real-time learning
Traditionally, people think there is no alternative to a live classroom experience. The real-time, face-to-face teacher and student interaction are incompatible. Thanks to technological progress and internet connections, the e-learning apps facilitate live class experiences better than offline classroom teaching.
Recent research has proven that virtual reality-based e-learning apps can teach soft skills better. VR learners can learn four times faster, four times more focused, 275% more confident to apply skills, 3.75% more connected to the classroom. Utilizing this capability, the digital learning needs better served.
6. Reshape learning approach with augmented reality
AR technology has an answer to the modern e-learning apps to make the content consumable and enjoyable. Rendering the immersive 3D world on the 2D objects through mobile engages the students and spruce up their interest. The combination of rich visuals and speech technology makes the learning system practical and effective. Besides, the AR material is easily accessible that enable studying anytime, anywhere.
Introducing the AR, AI, and VR features in the app surely make e-learning app get ahead of the pack, but they come at cost. It’s necessary to get an estimate for e-learning app development and then decide if these features integration suits your budget or not. You can get connected with a reliable app development company to know the e-learning app development cost according to your project needs.
7. Gamify the learning to make it more intuitive
Games are gaining traction in e-learning apps due to the engagement factor it increases. It makes the learning immersive and motivates the students to keep learning without requiring them to compete with anyone. Various types of gamification elements included such as external tangible rewards, internal rewards like- badges, levels, leaderboards, and points, and a kudos system given to the students once they reach the milestone.
Integrating analytics tools helps finding students’ engagement levels in the games so that games are improved or replaced with others that keep students reading.
8. Stay connected with push notifications
The push notifications on mobile phones are less often ignored by the students as compared to other messages or spammed emails. They can effectively remind the students of any updates, new course introductions, suggestions for related courses, appreciation for completing the courses and others. It helps in staying connected and keeping students engaged.
The in-app messaging allows users to interact, share ideas, and cooperate on different learning aspects that fulfill the purpose of learning apps.
9. Compliance with regulations
Every business needs to comply with pre-defined regulations and meet industry standards to operate seamlessly. The e-learning apps in the education industry are no different. SCORM and xAPI are two regulations that act as a de facto standard for e-learning apps.
SCROM- abbreviated as Shareable Content Object Reference Model has five protocols and five versions which require the e-learning apps to comply with at least one of them. xAPI- experience API sets a data standard for online and offline experiences. It auto-collect experiences data and then reports learning actions to incorporate into the app to improve students’ learning experiences.
10. Resolve the problems instantly with AI bots
In-app messaging is a good way to improve interactions. But no human can compete with personalized interactions that AI bots handle by connecting the dots. The students need to write the questions, and get answers off the bat. Besides, the bots work round the clock and work more efficiently day after another as they keep on learning from the interactions.
The improved experience and enhanced app performance are the by-products of AI bot integration.
The final words
Undoubtedly, post-pandemic e-learning apps have gained wide acceptance across the globe. The educational institutions that have built apps reaped the benefits. The rest are interested in e-learning app development to follow the latest trends and edge out the competition. The basic features can help the institution to survive in the digital learning era, and the advanced technology leverage allows them to evolve and get to the top quickly.
Hold on! Don’t incorporate all the features at once. Instead, build an MVP to test the e-learning app idea and then gradually enhance the app with emerging technology integration to thrive in the market. At first, check the pulse of the market and target audience, then roll the app development ball over.
Hello Calvin! Thank you for a helpful guide for developers who are looking to create a successful e-learning platform. It outlines key features such as gamification and personalized learning that are essential for creating engaging and effective e-learning experiences. In order to further expand on the topic of e-learning app development, I would recommend reading the article by Cleveroad: https://www.cleveroad.com/blog/e-learning-application-development/. This comprehensive guide covers everything from the types of e-learning apps available to the features and technologies needed for successful development.