12 Features a Good Elearning App Needs
Nowadays schools and businesses worldwide have started using elearning extensively. All to transfer knowledge and skills to their students and employees. This, coupled with technological advancements, has triggered further changes in this field. The latest one being the rise in the use of elearning applications.
Elearning apps are excellent forms of education. Especially since mobile devices now account for 51.65 percent of web page views globally. However, it’s necessary to understand there are “must-have” features for these applications. They’re the ones that ensure quality learning is delivered to the user.
1. Content Management and Delivery System
Different Content Formats
Micro-Learning
According to recent studies, people tend to lose concentration after only eight seconds. Taking this into consideration, you don’t want lengthy learning sessions on your app. As they are guaranteed to result in poorer learning outcomes.
Instead, you should infuse micro-learning in your app, as it has proven to be the most effective. This way, you provide smaller chunks of information on your app to ensure that users retain it better.
Support for Offline Content
Drip Feeding Content
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Monitor the progress of a learner.
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Ascertain the learner completed all prior sessions before moving on to advanced sections of the course.
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Plan course teaching weekly/monthly to keep learners engaged.
2. Personalized Learning
Mobile applications have become very personal tools. They allow users to leverage content and features based on their preferences. As a course provider, it helps if you consider this to ensure that you offer learners an excellent learning experience.
Apart from customized educational information, consider offering instructional techniques and methodologies. They will resonate better with each learner. Feedback systems, monitoring student learning patterns, and surveys are excellent ways to learn about your customers’ preferences.
Interaction-Based Intuitive Content
Interactive learning strategies with intuitive content deliver better learning experiences for learners. School syllabuses across the globe have emphasized interactive learning and intuitive content. But elearning applications continue to steal the day in this regard.
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All information on the application should be optimized for mobile. This way, it will be easier to read, view, and interact with.
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All information on the app should be intended for the target demographic.
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The content should be laden with correct numbers and figures to pique their interest.
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The information should allow learners of any level to get the knowledge they seek.
3. Tests, Exercises, and Quizzes
These are a must for any educational application. Consider integrating many quizzing options with leaderboards, timed tests, random queries, and hints when a learner gets stuck. But even with that said, your application should be compatible with these options.
Another thing you need to provide in this regard is optimized quiz layouts. Your exercises can include different formats, for instance, multi-choice queries and fill-in-the-gap tests. Moreover, the activities can involve the sorting and matching of compositions and surveys.
4. Push Notifications
Messages and emails have become synonymous with spam in today’s world. Push notifications can be available unobtrusively to a user on the notification tab of their smartphone. And so far, these features have proven to be an excellent way of connecting and engaging with users.
Push notifications are effective reminders once you set the parameters/conditions on when they should be sent. It means that, after a student meets a specific requirement, the assigned notification is sent to them. For elearning apps, push notifications can come in handy on different occasions, including:
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When a student finishes a course;
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When a student finishes a topic/daily session;
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When a student passes an exercise;
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When a student doesn’t use the app for two weeks;
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When another related course is available;
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When reminding the student to attempt an exercise;
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When sending congratulations;
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When there is a need to send reminders at specific times.
5. Games
When we talk about games in learning, we mean those that foster healthy competition in the educational process. Already, most elearning applications provide games to increase learner engagement and commitment.
Games have shown they increase the interest and motivation of the elearning app users. In turn, this makes them more competitive when it comes to grasping concepts provided during lessons.
Before integrating games into your application, you must gather information on user habits. Analytical tools prove useful as they allow you to understand your target audience better. Thus, this will enable you to implement games effectively.
Lastly, to ensure learners engage with your games, you need an excellent reward system. You can do that with scores, gifts, virtual currency, and other bonuses after they complete set milestones on the games.
6. CRM Integration
Managing relationships with users is essential for the success of your elearning application. By integrating all-in-one CRM into your app, you will be able to maintain a good relationship with your users. You’ll also ensure that both parties get the most out of the solution.
7. In-Application Messaging
Your users need to interact. This way, they can exchange ideas and cooperate on various learning activities. That will improve the overall learning process. So, as you think of rolling out your educational application, consider integrating an in-app chat feature in your tech stack. Doing this will allow for learner interaction, an essential part of education.
8. Several Payment Channels
If you expect to earn money from your courses, you should offer a convenient payment channel. Gather information on the payment systems available in the locations of your target demographic. That what you’ll ease the transactions as much as possible. Bank transfer, Payoneer, PayPal, TransferWise, Visa, and MasterCard are some payment methods you can consider partnering with.
Seeing as finances are quite sensitive, it would be best if you only cooperate with reliable payment gateways. After all, you do not want to ruin your reputation due to questionable or problem-filled transactions.
9. Real-Time Learning Support
One thing that makes the traditional classroom so effective is the live experience. That is, the teacher teaches students in real-time and receives answers to questions on the topic within the lesson. The same feature can be migrated to learning. All thanks to technological advancement and improved internet speeds.
With apps that support live video lessons, students can improve their knowledge and skills more effectively. To support real-time learning, you can include VR and in-app chat features. With them, learners can interact and cooperate live. Few apps in the elearning market utilize this capability efficiently. This could help yours stand out if it supported live sessions.
10. Social Media
Social media is not an aspect to ignore if you wish to venture into the elearning app market. Learners, who are your app’s target market, most likely use one or more social media platforms. It is, therefore, important to find a way of integrating popular social media within your app. Connections to apps like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp can help make your app be even easier to use. It will help students communicate and work together.
A good elearning application should have social media pages. Information on new courses or content can be posted on it. These pages can also be used to teach people how to use or get the most of your platform. Using social media not only benefits your app users but also helps you promote your app and bring in new learners.
11. Easy Login
Logins are used by computer and mobile apps, as well as sites. It’s a security measure to block unauthorized access to private information. Login details usually include a username and password. In designing your login feature, it’s important to make sure it is not too complicated. Users should be able to access their accounts in a few steps.
In case a user forgets their password, the process of recovering it shouldn’t be too long either. So, as much as you want your app to be secure, ensure you are not sacrificing usability. The learning market is very competitive. A simple difficulty such as complicated login or password recovery can stop users from revisiting your app.
12. Reliable Database
Creating a database for your app will increase its credibility. In addition, it will make it a popular choice for learners and educators. The database is where you store all materials related to the courses your app offers or supports. While you can’t create a rich database in a day, you can expand on it by adding and updating information often.
For a student, this database will be useful to find supplementary reading materials on topics covered in the course they are taking. It can also offer statistics, surveys, and figures that are of value to the learning process.
Apart from making sure your app’s database has the latest information, ensure it is well-designed. Information should be arranged in an easy-to-understand format. Furthermore, the database should open without a problem. Even when the user’s internet speed is slow.
Conclusion
As technology advances, learning will increasingly become digitalized in the coming years. More and more people are starting to have access to the internet and computers. People are also aware of the importance of continuous learning for career and business advancement. Many choose online learning over traditional classes because it’s more convenient and affordable.
These factors make elearning apps a lucrative business opportunity. However, the attractiveness of the market also translates into the increased competition. If you want your elearning app to stand out among others, and offer value to learners, keep these features in mind as you create your application.
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