eLearning platforms are applications that educational centers and organisations use as tools today. You may ask me the reason behind this roaring success of eLearning platforms.
It is because nowadays, education requires modernization more than ever. And, above all, educational institutes need to adapt to the needs of today’s market. To keep up with these requirements, more educational technology is needed, with perfectly blended flexibility and accessibility.
With the current pandemic situation, one of the things that has suffered the most is children’s education. There was no streamlined way of conducting online quality- and result-bearing classes with schools and colleges being shut.
Today, we are bound to manage more information and more resources in a shorter span of time; therefore, eLearning platforms provide us with the right amount of help.
But, before you hire an app developer for your eLearning app development, let us discuss how it will lead you towards profit.
What are eLearning Platforms?
The learning platforms or Learning Management Systems (LMS) are virtual learning spaces created to facilitate distance learning, both for companies and educational centers.
On these learning platforms, “virtual classrooms” are created where teachers and students interact. In the same way, evaluations, file sharing, participation in forums, chats, and a wide range of additional tools are carried out.
There are numerous benefits with eLearning apps, and one article might not be enough to highlight them all. So, I decided to go with the most important benefits of eLearning software selectively. The following benefits are the ones that distinguish eLearning from other learning methodologies.
These are the 10 most important advantages of eLearning:
- Online learning is at your own pace
- eLearning is student-centered
- eLearning is profitable
- Individual learning styles
- Customizable learning environments
- eLearning fully utilizes analytics
- Online learning could solve the teacher shortage
- eLearning is respectful of the environment
- No need for textbooks
- Online learning saves time
1. Online learning is at your own pace.
Students studying online can plan their schedules without making personal sacrifices to meet the class attendance requirements of traditional professors and universities.
Development stats and research show that self-paced learning leads to higher student satisfaction and reduces stress, resulting in better learning outcomes for everyone involved.
Some of the benefits of self-paced learning are better efficiency, increased effectiveness, better convenience, enhanced scalability, and promotion of reusability.
2. eLearning is student-centered.
Student-Centered Learning (SCL), also known as Student-Centered Education, is a modern learning method that aims to put students at the center of attention rather than teachers.
I mentioned this as an advantage of eLearning because student-centered learning goes hand in hand with eLearning. Online learning is primarily student-centered because of the easy implementation of student discussion forums.
In fact, an eLearning app development company comes up with ideas that largely revolve around student-centric UIs.
3. eLearning is profitable.
With the help of simplified logistics and reduced travel costs (in addition to other factors), learning institutions that use eLearning were able to save between 50% and 70% on overall training costs.
Wondering how exactly this can happen?
Let’s put on the table some real-life examples of eLearning.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC) has set an inspirational example of cost-effectiveness. UNC claims they managed to save $5,000,000 in 2010 by focusing on eLearning rather than traditional classroom learning.
In addition, they saw a greater number of total students in their colleges. These savings allowed them not to have to make investments in building premises in order to facilitate learning.
4. Individual learning styles are encouraged by eLearning.
eLearning takes into account the differences of individual students, and allows them to grow at their own pace following their individual learning styles.
Simply put, students are always required to pass certain unwanted courses in a curriculum. You will agree that all students have different learning styles, and only having a single solution that fits all students at once is a waste of energy, money, and time.
By seeing it this way, individualistic learning methods have become the biggest advantage of eLearning mobile applications.
For example, Adaptive eLearning has the potential to be the most individualistic learning method ever created, which is why it is seen as one of the most innovative types of eLearning.
In short, adaptive eLearning materials are designed to change and adapt automatically according to each individual student’s knowledge, skills, and needs.
5. Customizable learning environments.
The researchers found that employees who worked in environments without photos, plants, souvenirs, and more were 15% less productive than those who worked with such “distractions.”
This also applies to the educational context: “students who do not have a desirable learning environment will feel its effects on their learning performance and mental health.”
This is where the problem arises. In traditional classrooms, the learning environment is predetermined, and it is obvious that every human has different adaptation skills based on a different environment.
On the other hand, while studying online, students can take full control of their learning environment. There are students who feel as if a plant-filled environment can improve their learning methods.
Likewise, those students who feel best in a minimalist, distraction-free learning environment can reap the benefits of such an eLearning environment.
6. eLearning makes full use of analytics.
As we know, data is the new oil of the digital industry, and eLearning apps make use of student data far more effectively than any other form of learning.
eLearning analytics helps in the extraction of valuable information from online learning app database management systems. It is seen as one of the greatest benefits of eLearning apps.
With student data obtained through eLearning application’s inbuilt analytics tool, educational institutions can improve their teaching methods, the material they provide, and drive learning outcomes in a number of ways.
For example, if we have data on student dropout rates, we can identify potential obstacles in our learning materials and remove them. Afterward, we can gather new data and analyze the changes according to the result they give.
7. Online learning is a step towards solving the teacher shortage.
In 2019, educational economists at the Economic Policy Institute wrote in their report that the shortage of experienced teachers is “real, large, growing, and worse than we thought.”
Furthermore, the Learning Policy Institute or LPI has also identified the problem of teacher shortage on numerous occasions. LPI has described it as “one of the most pressing problems facing policy makers.”
For sure, the problem of teacher shortage will be difficult to solve, but the benefits of eLearning to combat the teacher shortage could be vastly underestimated.
To clarify, let’s make a comparison.
Regular universities average 16.5 students per staff member, while eLearning courses compiled by one or two qualified and experienced teachers can serve thousands, if not millions, of students.
eLearning could potentially eliminate the need to retain the massive 3 million strong teaching workforce that is used in the U.S. today. Instead of focusing our efforts on hiring more teachers, we should pay attention to helping the highest-quality teachers deliver their guidance to a wider range of students through eLearning applications..
8. eLearning is respectful of the environment.
Studies show that distance education courses consume 90% less energy and emit 85% less carbon dioxide than traditional university classrooms.
As you know, education through eLearning mobile apps is a paperless learning method; therefore, it does not contribute to any environmental problems.
For example, it is unnecessary to cut down trees to make paper or create pulp and paper production factories that are known to cause air pollution in surrounding areas.
9. Say bye to textbooks.
“The total value of the textbook industry is $7 to $10 billion, and the average college student spends about $1,200 per year on textbooks alone.”
There are many students who cannot afford textbooks, so they finance their books with their student loans. There have been studies that have shown that students who graduate using student loans have been known to experience depression more often.
A great advantage of eLearning mobile applications is that it requires almost zero textbooks from the students. All learning materials are accessible online without restrictions.
10. Online learning saves time.
Online learning reduces learning time by 25 to 60% compared to traditional learning in the classroom. Coupled with the benefits of self-paced eLearning, this results in a highly efficient learning solution for both students and teachers.
In traditional school/college/organisational learning, making changes to the existing curriculum is a long and complicated process that is often avoided due to the complexities it brings about.
However, when studying with an eLearning app, lessons can be delivered and updated quickly within the duration of a few days. When used in combination with data-driven eLearning analytics, these changes to the learning materials become evidence-based instead of just being a hypothetical theory.
Where to go next?
“eLearning app development: A revolution in the education industry?”
Well, after seeing the marvels an eLearning app can do, the answer to this question is yes. Indeed, eLearning app development is a revolution in the education industry.
If you are also willing to invest in an eLearning app, the next step is to get in touch with the top mobile app development company in India and get your job done. Come up with an eLearning solution that is unique in every way.
If you want me to write about the features and cost of an eLearning mobile app, then comment below.
