e-Learning app development trends

e-Learning App in 2023: What is it?

e-Learning apps serve a large market that extends beyond schools and institutions. Their primary purpose is to make education simpler and more accessible. Almost anything can be considered education – employee training programmes, hobby courses, or one-on-one classes with private tutors.

Educational apps provide numerous advantages to both students and teachers. Students, for example, can use mobile e-Learning apps on various devices to access courses and training materials online at their leisure. Teachers can pre-record lectures and distribute them online, as well as review their students’ grades and progress.

The development of e-Learning apps is also advantageous from a financial aspect for all types of organisations. 

Companies may onboard new staff quicker by developing training on corporate platforms. Employees will spend less time looking for the best training tools and will learn faster. Plus, when a company displays interest in its employees’ professional development, it helps them feel appreciated. This results in enhanced productivity and employee retention.

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The e-Learning app industry has undergone significant transformations over the past few years, driven by technological advancements, and changing learner preferences. Here are some key trends that have influenced the e-Learning app landscape as of recent.

Rise of Personalised Learning with AI

Personalised learning has become a defining feature of modern e-Learning apps. Developers are employing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to tailor learning experiences to individual learner needs, preferences, and learning styles. This personalised approach ensures that learners receive targeted content, assessments, and feedback, improving their engagement and overall learning results.

Focus on Mobile Learning

Mobile devices have become a part of our everyday lives, so e-Learning app developers are catering to this trend by optimising their platforms for seamless mobile learning. Mobile-friendly apps provide convenient access to learning content, assessments, and support features, allowing learners to continue their learning journey at their own pace and from anywhere.

Increased Collaboration and Social Learning

e-Learning apps are encouraging collaboration and social learning among students. Features like discussion forums, online communities, and interactive group projects promote peer-to-peer learning, fostering a sense of community and engagement.

Data-Driven Analytics

e-Learning apps are leveraging data analytics to gain insights into learner behaviour, preferences, and performance. This data-driven approach enables personalised learning recommendations and course adjustments to optimise the learning experience.

Microlearning at the Center of Attention

Microlearning, which involves delivering short, focused learning modules, has gained popularity in recent years. This approach caters to modern learners’ preferences for bite-sized, digestible content, making learning more accessible and comfortable. 

A great example of an application that uses microlearning as a central approach is Duolingo. The platform offers short lessons that can be passed within just a couple of minutes.

Market Overview: 2023-2025

As we wrote earlier, the most crucial thing to understand about e-Learning apps is that they are not limited to educational establishments.

For example, it has been estimated that in 2023, 80% of businesses are using some type of online learning. Since the creation of online learning in 2000 it has grown 900% and is not planning on stopping. The worth of the e-Learning industry is projected to be $370 billion by 2026.

As a result, the need for e-Learning mobile app development is constantly increasing and is projected to continue in the next years.

e-Learning App Custom Development: Market and Target Audience

So, who are the biggest players in the field of e-Learning? Let’s find out.

Existing Market Players and Startups

Duolingo

Duolingo is a popular mobile e-Learning app for language learning that provides a fun and engaging method to learn new languages. It includes listening and speaking activities, making it an excellent choice for novices looking to improve their pronunciation. 

It teaches a diverse spectrum of languages, from Spanish to German to Japanese. However, because of its limited vocabulary and lack of thoroughness, it may not be a good match for users who want to speak foreign languages fluently.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a popular e-Learning app that covers a wide range of topics, including maths, history, and programming. It offers fascinating videos and tutorials that make studying interactive and enjoyable. 

It also offers quizzes and challenges to put users’ knowledge to the test, making it an excellent app for learners of all ages. But because it lacks a personalised curriculum and interaction with teachers or peers, it may not be appropriate for advanced learners.

SoloLearn

SoloLearn is a coding application that teaches a variety of languages, including Python, HTML, and Java. Its interactive and captivating structure makes learning to code easy and enjoyable. It features quizzes and challenges to help users examine their knowledge, as well as a community where users may connect with other coders. 

However, because of the curriculum’s limited depth and absence of supporting videos or tutorials, advanced coders may feel underwhelmed.

Coursera

Coursera provides a large range of online courses from leading colleges across the world, making it a fantastic choice for users who want to learn flexibly and conveniently. Quizzes and course materials are included to let users test their knowledge and learn at their own speed. It also provides recognised accreditation to users who successfully complete a course. 

That said, some classes can be costly and necessitate the purchase of supplementary materials or textbooks. It may also offer limited interaction with teachers or peers.

Lumosity

Lumosity is a brain training application that provides a variety of games to help with cognitive performance. It offers a personalised training programme based on the users’ strengths and limitations, as well as progress tracking to help users measure their development. It is appropriate for all ages, making it an excellent app for people of all backgrounds. 

However, studies suggest that it has a limited impact on overall cognitive performance and may not be appropriate for users who want to train their brains more thoroughly.

Emerging Companies in 2023

LingoDeer for Business

LingoDeer for Business is a language-learning app specifically designed for professionals. It allows to elevate business communication skills by mastering industry-specific vocabulary and phrases, enhancing the ability to negotiate, network, and succeed in international business settings.

CookPad Academy

CookPad Academy is an e-Learning platform that offers a comprehensive range of cooking courses taught by renowned chefs. The app has many lessons to learn essential cooking techniques, explore diverse cuisines, and master the art of presentation.

Duolingo Math

Duolingo Math is an e-Learning app that teaches maths concepts in a fun and engaging way. It uses a variety of interactive exercises, games, and stories to help users learn and practice maths skills. Some of Duolingo Math’s key features are personalised learning, bite-sized lessons, gamification, adaptive difficulty, and multilingual support.

NextGen OCW

NextGen OCW is the next generation of MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW), a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity. The platform was launched to modernise OCW and make it even more accessible and useful to learners and educators around the world.

Here are some of the key features of NextGen OCW:

• The new OCW website is designed to be more user-friendly and accessible, with improved search and navigation features.
• The platform includes a number of new features to support educators, such as the ability to create and share custom learning playlists and to embed OCW resources in their own teaching materials.
• NextGen OCW is built on a new platform that will allow MIT to share more content in more ways in the years to come.
• NextGen OCW is committed to making sure that all learners have access to high-quality educational resources. The new OCW website is available in multiple languages, and NextGen OCW is working with partners to translate OCW resources into even more languages.

Working on a Great e-Learning App Idea

Define and Choose a Clear Niche

Nobody wants just to make another e-Learning application, similar to many existing ones on the market. Businesses want to make something one-of-a-kind. So you have to research the market and identify a niche in which you will operate to succeed.

Identify a Target Audience

This step will aid in the identification of your target audience and possible application users. Consider their key wants and desires, as well as their approximate age. It will aid in providing a more precise list of planned functionalities for future implementation.

Consider Market Trends

You should be familiar with the market’s current trends. However, remember that “trendy” does not necessarily imply “a perfect fit”. So, take trends with caution. They just might not fit into the concept of your solution.

Identify the Existing Process Need and Satisfy it

As previously stated, you must understand your target audience’s difficulties and demands. You must be certain about the pain or need that your product is addressing. It has to be a solution that solves the problem and needs of your clients and not just exists.

Identify Client Pain and Desire and Distinguish Them

To expand on the preceding point, your clients’ desires and pains are not the same thing. You must address the pain but remember to consider how your clients want their pain to be addressed.

Define the Change Scope: your Company or Industry as a whole

First, you must conduct a preliminary analysis to see whether your project has potential. You must:

• Conduct a physical survey;
• Analyse the unfavourable feedback of your competitors. This will assist you in identifying your “don’ts” and avoiding some errors;
• Make a breakdown of your business plan. What are your plans for monetisation? How long will the free trial last?

All of these tasks will help you see what you want to alter in the industry and, as a result, how you will change it.

Engage Consultants or Hire them

Seek expert counsel from more experienced colleagues or a team with business experience in this industry. They can be hired from outside of your company, as well as found among your colleagues.

Envisage your Future User Journey

This is critical for businesses because one of the cornerstones to a company’s success is constant learning. Developing a structured user journey and appealing interface for an employee entails developing a development plan based on the business strategy. It aids in connecting a team member’s personal development goals with the aims of a company, encouraging leadership and drive.

Edtech apps that aid in the planning of the learning journey can also track the employee’s progress over time, offer various prizes and encouraging messages, and select relevant information to boost engagement. Virtual coworking and content co-creation venues where teams can collaborate online are fantastic ideas for such solutions.

Main e-Learning App Features

Assume you’ve decided on the type of software you’d like. Developing an MVP before developing full-featured software is a sound strategy.

The MVP (minimum viable product) is a simplified version of the program with only the most important functionality and simple interface. It’s less expensive than a full-fledged app, and it helps businesses determine if their idea is genuinely practical while spending the least amount of money. They can collect input from the early adopters and change features as needed.

You can learn more about our MVP developing services here. 

Here are some important features you should consider for your application and possibly your MVP.

Student Personal Account Vs Teacher Account

You must allow people to register in your e-Learning app. The user needs to be able to enter personal information, add payment cards, and so on.

It is also a good idea to create separate interfaces for teachers and students, as the feature sets they use will differ. Teachers, for example, should be able to keep track of their students, payments, progress with each of them, and so on. At the same time, students should have a clear schedule for both classes and fees.

Search Bar and Filters

This feature will be required by many sorts of apps for a variety of reasons. Tutoring apps cannot function without it; otherwise, how will a user locate an instructor on the app? The same is true for asynchronous learning platforms: users must be able to locate a required course. Add the option to use keywords or set filters to narrow down the search results to improve your app search.

Course System

When developing e-Learning applications, the course system is most likely the most essential element. A system like this manages the entire learning process. Typically, online learning materials are provided to virtual classrooms via interactive courses.

These are then integrated into a mobile environment for learning. The primary purpose of the course system is to simplify the process for teachers in order to create more convenient materials for learning.

Having said that, keep in mind that ease of use is a critical factor for teachers when selecting an application to work with.

Online Testing System

The application should assist its users in running tests, preferably with anti-cheating methods. For example, you can make it hard to stop the programme while a test is still running, create time limits for when a student must complete a test, and so on.

Communication: Chat, Online Class, Video Calls

When it comes to mobile e-Learning apps, quality chats and video conversations are crucial since they substitute face-to-face communication. As a result, you must establish a solid technical foundation for video conversations, making them accessible, comprehensible, and simple to use on any device.

Certification System

Another crucial feature to consider when developing an e-Learning app is the ability to give certificates verifying that a specific learner completed a specific course. This system should be safeguarded so that obtaining a certificate without first passing a test is impossible.

Rating and Estimation System

When developing an e-Learning application, you must pay close attention to the estimation mechanism. Teachers should be able to follow unambiguous acceptance, passing, and estimation standards. It is also a good idea to include deadlines in this part of your e-Learning application.

Reminders & Notification System

Deadlines are inextricably linked to the learning process. They are also frequently difficult to track. 

To mitigate that, you can send notifications about forthcoming deadlines, payments due, tests your users must complete, and so on.

Homework

Your application should make it easier for students to turn in their homework. At the same time, teachers should be able to grade them, assign new ones, establish deadlines, and so on. So, spend your time developing a thorough homework strategy.

Payment Gateways

Payment options are vital for consumers of any e-Learning programme. For example, a custom learning management system may allow students to pay for a school lunch without moving to another piece of software. In the case of tutoring apps, a simple payment integration eliminates the need for teachers to build links or submit invoices directly in order to receive payment. 

As a result, ensure that secure payment methods (such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others) are integrated into your e-Learning mobile application to make payments both convenient and secure.

e-Learning App Features That Are Trendy in 2023

As the e-Learning market changes, new trends continue to influence the e-Learning app development sector as a whole. So it’s worth discussing some of the critical e-Learning app development trends that have been prominent in 2023. Let’s take a look.

AI-Based Features

One of the top e-Learning app development trends is the use of AI and machine learning (ML) to make learning smarter and more productive. Using deep learning, educators can train apps to track a learner’s learning pattern, and then have an ML algorithm personalise the learning process for them. Among the most utilised ways of AI usage are 

• Personalised learning paths. AI algorithms can analyse a learner’s data to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and then create a personalised learning path that is tailored to their individual needs.
• Real-time feedback. AI can provide learners with real-time feedback on their progress, which can help them to identify and correct mistakes immediately.
• Adaptive learning experiences. AI can create adaptive learning experiences that adjust to the learner’s pace and understanding.

Among the applications, that actively using such AI features are Duolingo, Thinkster, Querium, and Alta by Knewton.

Another branch of AI features is language mdels.

One of the most well-known and widely used language models is ChatGPT. It has great potential to revolutionise e-Learning and is already on its way to do so. Here are some of the reasons why language models are being used in e-Learning apps:

• Language models can be used to personalise the learning experience by adapting to the needs of individual learners. For example, they can provide different explanations or examples based on the learner’s level of understanding.
• The immediate feedback on the progress provided by language models can be used to help learners identify and correct mistakes, as well as to track their progress over time.
• Language models in form of chat bot can hold conversations with learners, which can make the learning experience more engaging and interactive. This is particularly beneficial for learners who prefer to learn through dialogue.
• The technology can be used to make e-Learning content more accessible to learners with disabilities. For example, ChatGPT can be used to provide transcripts of audio and video content and to translate content into different languages.
• Language models can be used to create personalised learning content, such as practice questions, quizzes, and more. This can save educators time and effort, and ensure that learners have access to high-quality content.

Gamification

Gamifying everything in the app is one of the most interesting ways of presenting instructional content. Gamification is used to make the user experience more enjoyable and rewarding, whether online or in the traditional learning process. Puzzles, quizzes, and other forms of gamification are common.

Read this article in our blog to learn more about different types of gamification. 

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are two technologies that are increasing the interactivity of the learning experience. These aren’t just limited to typical screens: educators are now generating virtual content for learners using other technologies such as IoT and 3D. These tactics provide learners with a more vivid and realistic user experience, making memorisation easier for them.

The AR technology can be used for safety training, medical trainig, language learning, environment learning and many more. Among the applications, that have implemented AR features are Sandbox AR, Timepod Adventures, JigSpace, Adobe Aero, Complete Anatome, and more.

Upskilling and Reskilling

To solve skill shortfalls, more and more organisations are focusing on upskilling and reskilling their employees. 

Upskilling refers to the process of acquiring new skills or enhancing existing skills to improve one’s performance in their current job role. Reskilling, on the other hand, refers to the process of acquiring new skills to transition into a different job role or career. This may be necessary due to changes in technology, industry trends, or personal career goals. 

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create an e-Learning App

Now it’s time to sum up the information and gather a guide on how to create an e-Learning app.

Step 1. Identify the Product’s Technical Requirements

You must properly communicate your challenges and vision so that your e-Learning mobile app development team understands what needs to be done. Without specific requirements, your team will be unable to design successful e-Learning software.

Typically, the requirements document includes elements such as project overview, your needs and goals, the audience you want to target, your desired feature set, recommendations, references, prohibitions, and so on.

Step 2. Find Reliable Partners to Build an Application

Your business’s success is greatly reliant on the people you choose to collaborate with. So, take your time in locating a reputable source in order to successfully develop an e-Learning app.

Your partner should be able to quickly form and scale your dedicated team. And when it comes to e-Learning mobile app development teams, they must be powerful and experienced. You will undoubtedly require professionals such as business analysts, designers, developers, DevOps experts, QAs, and so on.

It is also a good idea to review the vendor’s technology portfolio as well as testimonials from prior customers. Such information can be found in special company directories (for example, Clutch, the Manifest, GoodFirms, and others).

Have a look at our list of best custom Edtech development companies.

Step 3. Start the Discovery Stage

At this stage, experts thoroughly investigate the market, do competitive analysis, and analyse your target audience. It is also crucial at this stage to determine business, user, and discovery goals, as well as construct user stories and customer journey maps. All of these actions aid in gathering information about the product, the market in which it will operate, the target audience, and so on.

You can read more about the discovery phase in another article from our blog.

Step 4. Define MVP Functions

MVP allows you to test your idea before it is fully created. It allows for simple product modification, with features being quickly added and eliminated based on how clients react to the MVP. Consider which features you should test initially and then scale according to the results and feedback received.

Step 5. Prepare the UX/UI Design

Make sure your UX design goals are clear before beginning this phase. The following are the primary activities performed at this stage:

• ideas sketching; 
• prototypes development; 
• user input gathering;
• design decision-making.

The roadmap is prepared to begin the UX design process based on the application’s concept and design. The information architecture and wireframes are also generated during this stage.

Step 6. Perform User Testing Based on a Prototype

The testing step allows the prototype to be perfected. There are three critical stages of testing: focus group interviews, assessment research, and usability reports.

Step 7. Kick Off the Development Process

Technical Documentation

During this stage, all necessary information from the client is gathered in order to develop a product that meets the client’s expectations and requirements. Technical documentation and technical stacks should be created by the team.

The team should also establish the needs for functionality (admin panel requirements) and user roles (admin and super admin) at this point. The estimation and scope of work should also be finalised by the team.

You’ll typically need Swift professionals for iOS apps, Kotlin specialists for Android apps, and React Native developers for cross-platform applications.

Development

Frontend developers are in charge of the application’s client side. API and database development are the responsibility of backend developers.

When it comes to mobile app development, however, there is usually no clear distinction between frontend and backend. So, in essence, all you need is a qualified mobile app developer. But do not forget that your participation and communication in the development process is very important.

Testing

All provided code is tested by QA engineers manually and automatically, with automated tests being written and launched for developed components. The most optimal way is to perform testing not in parallel with development, but after finishing it.

Deployment & Integration

The tested version of the product is sent to users for beta testing once the QA team has completed development and regression testing.

Maintenance

The maintenance stage follows the deployment of an app in the production environment. If an issue arises that needs to be resolved, or if something needs to be enhanced, the development team is in charge of all of these actions at this stage.

Launch

The market is ready to view your application now! To ensure that clients receive the product favourably, the product launch procedure should be carried out methodically. The following are the critical steps in the product launch process:

• Target audience identification;
• Distinctive product packaging creation;
• Tagline and timeline creation;
• Competitor analysis;
• Application development;
• Users onboarding;
• Advertising.

Following these steps you are likely to succeed in developing your product.

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Bamboo Agile’s e-Learning App Development Expertise

MasteryPrep

MasteryPrep, a service for developing educational tests and assessments, wanted to create a QTI player (QTI being a format which is extensively used by EdTech businesses).

Bamboo Agile has developed a WCAG-compliant player for showing and completing QTI-format tests to share learner assessment data. The player is a PWA that supports many custom sorts of test questions and is designed to facilitate adaptive testing.

Znaj

Znaj is a single platform of electronic educational services that strives to improve the effectiveness of the educational process.

The platform was designed to simplify organisational challenges while emphasising the significance of great learning outcomes. The system helps automate mundane chores, assisting staff in organising the teaching process, parents in tracking their children’s development, and students in focusing on learning. As a virtual learning environment, the platform includes features that are arranged in accordance with modern school needs from an online gradebook and class register to an electronic document management system that connects all educational participants.

It also features a first-of-a-kind integrated iPay online payment system. It provides a simple way to pay for major school-related expenses such as meals, printed textbooks, extracurricular activities, and other fees.

BeED

BeED LMS is an elaborate learning management system designed to turn traditional learning and teaching into active collaboration among institutions, educators, parents, and students.

It assists educational institutions in evaluating rather than simply grading students’ work. BeED also fosters trust and transparency in education by encouraging learners to be actively involved in the learning process and to appreciate parental involvement.

The custom EdTech software has such massive features as a diary, curriculum builder, content builder, and timetabler.

Costs of e-Learning App Development

The cost of developing an e-Learning application can vary greatly based on the project’s complexity and the level of expertise required. Before committing to a budget or timetable for constructing an e-Learning application for your firm, carefully analyse your choices. Here are some things to think about before hiring an e-Learning app development company.

Development Team

There are multiple options for hiring a development team, however, the most popular ones are in-house and outsourcing teams. 

In-house Development Team

An in-house development team is a group of developers who are directly employed by the company that owns the product. These employees work on-site at the company’s office, and they are typically responsible for all aspects of the development process, from design and coding to testing and deployment. Pros of in-house teams are internal expertise, quick bug fixes after release, team engagement, and transparent communication.

Outsourcing Development Team

An outsourcing development team is a group of external contractors who are hired by the client company to develop an app or product. These contractors typically work remotely, and they may be located in a different country. Pros of outsourced teams are reduced costs, less effort spent finding, hiring, and managing employees, quick start of work, no resource “drawdowns” for the project, and an international talent pool.

Operating Platform

The operating system determines the software you choose to construct your apps as well as the cost of development. Windows and Mac OS X are the most prevalent operating systems for e-Learning platforms on computers, with Linux gaining increasing prominence in recent years. For mobiles, there are a few popular operating systems, too, namely Android and iOS. 

App Size

The number of pages and features in an app determines its size. Apps are usually classified into one of three types according to the number of key feature pages: small, medium, and large. The larger the software, the more time it takes for developers to finish it. Thus, more features result in higher costs. 

App Complexity

The application’s complexity also has a significant impact on its development time. Depending on the type and complexity of the app, the corporation may need to invest anywhere from 80 to over 700 hours in its development – and that’s just for the basic coding. Software with a complicated backend and numerous integrations may necessitate over 1500 hours of development work, as well as a much larger team of specialists.

Features

It’s obvious that any feature you add to your application requires time and effort to develop it. So the maths here is simple: the more you add, the more you pay. 

But keep in mind that there is a basic set of features that every e-Learning application on the market has, and there is an advanced set of features that can help you to stand out from competitors and gain more popularity than them. You need to estimate the market, monitor your competitors, and wisely approach this issue.

Summing Up

The cost of a custom e-Learning app will vary depending on the app’s size and complexity, number of features, and development team. According to Clutch, the average cost of a custom app is less than $200,000.

But do not forget that if you choose outsourced development, the price is highly dependent on the developer’s rates. The highest developers’ rates are in the USA, Canada, and Australia – $100-$149 per hour. 

The cheapest option is to hire an outsourcing team from India, however, the quality of the final product is questionable. In terms of the price/quality ratio, your best choice is Eastern Europe, where rates are about $25-$99 per hour, depending on the country.

The cost is also heavily dependent on your requirements and development time. Keep in mind that the pricing has an impact on how well your solution works. If you thoroughly study what you need the software to do, you can save a lot of money.

In case you have a vision for your e-Learning application, feel free to use our project estimator to get a clearer picture of possible app costs.

Conclusion

Creating an effective e-Learning application necessitates a well-thought-out approach that considers both user demands and company objectives. By focusing on providing a high-quality product with interactive material and user-friendly features, you can create a pleasant learning experience for your employees or students, motivating them to become lifelong learners.

Bamboo Agile is a group of specialists who share your desire to learn new things. Our developers have the necessary expertise and skill sets to construct a compelling e-Learning application for your organisation, paving the way for corporate innovation and growth. Contact us to discuss the details of your e-Learning app idea and create a top-notch solution!