Every year the education system is accompanied by new requirements for teaching methods, taking a course on increasing material memorability and its practical application to modern realities. The use of ambitious educational application software has caused a technological revolution in schools and universities, which has also impacted the quality of students' knowledge. But to become a unicorn in such a competitive and flexible IT environment, developers will have to create a tool with great functionality in a short time. This article will talk about how to do it.
Typically, individual user preferences merge to dictate demand in the technology marketplace. And this is good news because the government can only regulate the information component of the application in the legal field and influence the educational system through the initiatives and needs of new generations. Nevertheless, the process of implementing any changes depends not only on the students' activity but also on the socio-economic and political state of the country, as well as the population employment in certain areas. For example, two years ago, e-learning platforms grew in popularity when many organizations were closed due to severe quarantine restrictions, so many employees and students had to study remotely. So to understand how successful are the approaches you want to implement, start with the most straightforward thing – do your statistical research. And here we can help you a little bit.
Some E-learning market statistics
The e-learning software market size is hovering around $315 billion as of 2021. It is projected that its CAGR will be 22% by 2028. That's quite a lot, especially considering the expansion of high-speed Internet access worldwide. Mobile studying opportunities will also increase along with the growth rate by 25%.
The Covid-19 pandemic was one of the factors that positively impacted the accelerated growth of the industry. As a result, 40% of Fortune 500 companies immediately implemented new solutions into the daily activities of their employees to eliminate barriers related to learning, onboarding, communication, performance monitoring, and professional development. At the same time, 93% of entrepreneurs planned to switch to online portals shortly. Interestingly, gaining additional knowledge was also the main incentive to increase employee productivity by 25%. Moreover, in 2020, more than 50% of students preferred online studying, with a growing number of surveyed wanting to learn at their own pace.
The cost of e-learning app development can not be cheap because it requires highly skilled personnel and enormous computing power. Nevertheless, it depends directly on the conditions created by the state for entrepreneurs in IT. So the U.S. government passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated 65 billion dollars to provide the population with high-speed Internet. At the same time, IT industry giants such as Microsoft or IBM Corporation, through cloud technology, supported the initiative, guaranteeing an increase in the quality of e-learning.
Although the online studying industry has grown by more than 900% since the early 2000s, the explosion of mass consciousness is still going on: new, more powerful platforms with unique functionality based on AI, VR, and AR are constantly being created. To keep up with them, the entrepreneur should focus on technology and various solutions. So before we create an educational app, let's talk about their types.
Benefits of Using Mobile Apps in Education Sector
What types of educational applications are there?
An online studying app is a mobile software designed for distance learning for people of a wide range of age groups. Examples of such portals vary depending on the occupation, availability of game elements, and individual functionality. This can create a qualitatively new user experience and significantly advance students' knowledge.
Education mobile app development is very versatile and includes five main types of solutions, depending on the target audience and feature set.
- Apps for Kids
In the early stages of a child's development, it is essential to practice various exercises on finger motor skills, developing quick reactions, concentrating, differentiating pictures and objects, etc. Therefore, educational programs have become a kind of wand for busy parents and teachers: education apps for kids are safe, valuable, and interesting because they contain playful elements.
- Exam apps
Such a product has become one of the most popular high school students waiting to take their exams. A series of chapter tests allows you to prepare for and analyze your progress effectively.
- Online courses
Online course platforms have become a trend of the last decade because their main advantage is flexible scheduling and lower overall training costs. They are also related to career and personal development because they improve your soft and hard skills.
- Studying languages
Language learning platforms are now more popular than ever because they allow people to learn the language and culture of various countries while just sitting in their cozy chairs. There is even more choice for the client: plenty of topics, languages, and teachers save the trouble of finding the right one. You can learn even the rarest and most exotic languages online, even if no one where you are staying speaks them.
- Applications for students and tutors
The introduction of new solutions broadens the scope of traditional teaching methods. After all, the successful educational app engages students in the educational process, motivating them to learn more. Teachers, in turn, get rid of sleepless nights and extended hours spent checking workbooks. In addition, it has become customary to divide the material into that on the Internet and that one in books on distance learning. Apps are also convenient because they allow you to automatically inform all students about schedule changes, mark attendance, and improve communication with the school.
We have figured out what educational application is and what kinds are there, but let's understand the essential functions that a modern user wants to see.
Features worth including in your app
As social distancing has become the new norm, the demand for online studying portals increases every year. And although their functionality is similar in many ways, only some can succeed against the competition. A successful e-learning mobile application primarily combines all the valuable features required for use by a specific segment of the target audience and is distinguished by its excellent performance. So here are the top ten qualities you should include in your app to gain users' attention and provide the best possible experience.
- Screen Sharing
Sharing the screen allows the teacher and the student to view instructional materials simultaneously, which increases the latter's perseverance and makes communication more effective. Instead of mailing out the necessary files to all participants, it takes one click to point out the details on your screen in real-time.
- Session Recording
E-learning app development is impossible without creating a conference recording function. Each meeting member can fill in gaps in the information field or confirm/refute any thoughts. In addition, such materials can be a helpful supplement when preparing for exams. Therefore, by adding this feature, you can maximize audience engagement.
- File-Share
Students won't have to worry about searching or emailing files because the portal can provide quick access to all the files they need. In addition, data redundancy will prevent possible data losses.
- In-Session Chats
Implement in-session chats to help students and teachers communicate during the learning process. This feature encourages collaborative work and leads to a deep understanding of the core material.
- Non-verbal Feedback
Online communication often excludes nonverbal interventions – this hurts the understanding of information and the process of communication between students. After all, sometimes simple or inconspicuous signals can communicate needs or express a position while remaining neutral.
- Polls
The benefits of e-learning platforms with surveys are invaluable because it is a powerful tool for instantly understanding students' level of knowledge. Still, it is also an essential method of sharing your ideas with the community.
- Breakout Rooms
To successfully control tasks and ensure that students are oriented in a virtual environment is worth applying breakout rooms. This feature also allows instructors to communicate with students in small groups.
- Offline Schooling
A poor Internet connection sometimes becomes a barrier to gaining essential skills and knowledge. That's why at least part of the application's work in offline mode will allow it to hold a high level of user attraction and retention. Moreover, for entrepreneurs, the availability of offline functionality means a victory over competitors. For example, back in 2016, Netflix introduced the ability to store data locally and access content even without quality Internet.
- Mock Test and Practical Exams
Evaluating student success is an integral part of the studying process methodology. So implementing this feature will help teachers understand how effective their work has been, and students will quickly see their scores.
- Gamification
Educational game apps have become a trend in today's world: these elements make the experience more engaging and interactive while offering real-time feedback. But unfortunately, introducing such practices also creates an addiction to learning.
While developing a successful educational application, you should consider the need for certain technologies for a specific audience segment. For example, if we are talking about children, the training should be based on an abundance of game practices, while for adults, it will be helpful to use non-verbal cues.Pushing the E-Learning Envelope: Essential Features of Educational App
Questions to be answered before development
When it comes to educational app development, start by focusing on realistic business goals. Indeed, mobile versions of a website or PWA can be a more cost-effective way to get key messages across to an audience. Therefore, they must be fast, maintain a valuable connection with their users, and have maximum performance and unique additional functionality. To avoid being disappointed in your brainchild, you should answer a few critical questions to succeed in business.
- How can I be sure of the success of my application?
In management, the concepts of Proof of Concept (POC), Prototype, or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) are essential methods for testing the viability of a product. If you want to increase the probability of project success, use these indicators to avoid common misconceptions. Implementing a POC is the fastest way to check whether your proposal will interest users, but prototyping will create an understanding of the design and its interaction with users (UX). The MVP will show the minimum helpful form of the application, which can be supplemented with other functionality after the release and testing.
- How will your app make money?
The best way to monetize an application is to make a positive user experience without compromising quality or usability. In addition, the most common strategies to increase the chances of success are advertising, in-app purchases, renewal of subscriptions for a fee, freemium, etc.
- Should I choose PWA, Native, or Hybrid development?
PWAs combine the best mobile apps and websites: they have shorter development times and are inexpensive compared to other options.
A native application is software made for a specific mobile operating system. The main advantage is a perfect user interface, and the main problem – is the inability to work on devices with other system requirements.
Hybrid applications provide good interaction with the visitor because they provide high performance.
Depending on your needs, budget, and time to market will depend on the choice of application type. Therefore, to make educational applications successful, create a product that will combine appropriate functionality and become an indispensable tool, etc.
