Steps To Create An eLearning Platform
Technology has transformed every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. With the increase in the use of electronic gadgets, the integration of technology into education has become vital. eLearning is replacing the traditional way of teaching and has proven to successfully deliver education to students innovatively and more efficiently. In 2025, the global eLearning market is expected to reach US $325 billion, and large institutions have already started to move to take advantage of this growth scenario.
If you are also looking for different ways to tap into this business, you are at the right place. This article explores the benefits and features of an eLearning platform and how you can create one for your business.
What Is An eLearning Platform?
An eLearning platform is a virtual space or portal that provides students with educational content, resources, and opportunities to interact with peers. The standout feature of these platforms is their freedom and flexibility. Students can learn from the comfort of their homes, and individuals can customize their learning programs to fit their preferences and schedules.
Benefits Of Investing In eLearning Platforms
Online eLearning platforms are gaining popularity, and many global companies use them to offer their clients online training. Here are some benefits of eLearning platforms:
- Cost-effectiveness
One key advantage of eLearning platforms is their cost-effectiveness. These platforms can significantly boost earnings by offering courses at reasonable rates and allowing instructors to sell their recorded courses multiple times. Additionally, eliminating physical infrastructure and travel requirements can substantially reduce overhead costs. - Control of content
The course tutor can update, modify, or tailor the content to meet the audience’s needs and preferences. - High retention
eLearning platforms offer periodic courses and personalized courses to each student, which is a significant reason behind the high retention of users for eLearning platforms. - Time efficiency
Online platforms can save time from physical commuting or being restricted to rigid class schedules. - Wider audience
One of the significant benefits of online eLearning platforms is that they allow you to reach a global audience without being restricted to any specific physical location.
Types Of eLearning Platforms
Let us explore the different types of eLearning platforms.
MOOCs
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) allow students to attend lectures, readings, and take assignments from different global environments. These platforms incorporate features like forums or social media dialogues to provide interactive communication between students, professors, and teaching assistants.
Course Marketplaces
A course marketplace is an online platform where educators and institutions can create, publish, and sell educational courses which learners can browse, purchase, and enroll in. These marketplaces act as intermediaries, connecting course creators with potential students and providing the infrastructure for course delivery, including hosting, payment processing, and marketing support.
Virtual Learning Environments
Virtual Learning environments, or VLEs, refer to a digital space where tutors can teach students using different interactive methods, such as video presentations, audio recordings, virtual classes, or other digital means.
Learning Management Systems
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software tool that allows you to create, deliver, and asses training courses. These courses are accessible offline from mobile phones with downloaded content.
Computer-Managed Assisted Learning Platforms
These platforms are personalized based on computer logarithms for each user. They can modify the information depending on the learner’s performance.
Podcasts
Podcast platforms provide audio-based courses. They are famous for delivering educational content, interviews, and narrating stories.
Webinar Platforms
Webinar platforms allow people worldwide to collaborate in a virtual classroom to share content.
Essential Features
Whether you are creating an eLearning platform for an academic institution, corporate organization, or personal skill improvement, its success depends on its ability to offer an engaging and interactive environment to its audience. To meet this need, this platform must incorporate these features:
- User registration
The account registration and profile creation process must be easy and quick for users. They can also edit their personal information, such as name, phone number, or email ID, and make different changes to their content. - Content delivery
eLearning platforms must integrate multimedia content such as video, audio, and interactive simulations to deliver successful and engaging content. - Progress tracking
It is an essential tool for students and teachers. It allows them to assess and analyze their performance. - Collaboration tools
This tool allows teachers and students to interact with each other interactively and engagingly. - Notification system
The notification system feature on eLearning provides notifications for new content, updates, and important deadlines. It alerts users when new content is added to the platform. - Security and privacy
Ensuring the security and privacy of user data and compliance with data protection laws is essential. Access control is necessary to manage who can create, edit, and view the content. - Content search and navigation
Intuitive menus make it easy for users to search and navigate different content and resources. - Integration capabilities
It allows you to integrate your platform with other programs, such as analytical tools and Learning Management Systems.
Steps To Build An eLearning Platform
Step 1: Define Your Niche
Defining your niche before starting an online tutoring platform will give you a competitive edge. Tutors can choose from different niches according to the demographic of the users. For instance, they can choose from personal health development, technology, and educational background depending on the preferences and choices of their audiences.
Step 2: Choose A Business Model
Next, you will choose a business model within which to create your eLearning platform. There are different business models you can choose:
- Subscription model
Users pay a recurring amount (monthly or yearly) to get access to the online courses on your platform. - Pay-per-course
Users pay according to the individual course and can access these courses for two to three years. - Free model
Customers have access to the introductory course and features of your eLearning platform.
Step 3: Choose A Development Approach
For creating your eLearning platform, there are two popular development approaches. A ready-made app is a web and mobile application with pre-built features, designs, and functionalities. It is readily available and can be quickly implemented without extensive customization. A ready-made solution can save valuable development time, making the platform available to users within weeks to months. This approach is also safe, as other applications have already tested and refined the solution. On the other hand, custom development involves building a platform from scratch to meet a business’s specific needs. This method offers maximum flexibility and control over the platform’s features, design, and functionality. However, custom development is time-intensive, starting with comprehensive planning, analysis, and design phases and then development, testing, and deployment.
Step 4: Implement Exciting Features
Implement all the standard features, included in any eLearning platform, such as interactive quizzes and personalized content resources. To build your competitive edge, include unique and exciting features also. Some examples of interesting features include:
- Course creation tools
Integrate advanced features for tutors so they can create their courses quickly and effectively. - Quiz-based games
Create small, handy games about popular subjects on your platform to make learning more interactive and productive for students. - Community forums
Build community forums similar where people can discuss their learning and subjects and seek advice from others.
Step 5: Engage Expert Educators
Lastly, engage highly skilled, qualified experts in different fields so they can interact with the audience and increase engagement on your platform. Ensure you choose your initial course instructors wisely, as most users will use your platform because of them.
Step 6: Choose The Right Development Company
Selecting the right development company is essential for better functionalities and User Experience. A few factors to consider before choosing a development company include experience, expertise, communication, and flexibility.
Step 7: Test And Debug
Testing and debugging are essential for successfully creating the platform. After developing its core features, the platform must undergo extensive research to identify or fix any bugs or other issues.
Step 8: Deploy And Launch
This step ensures the platform’s functional operation and makes it accessible to users. Proper planning, which considers learning flexibility, device accessibility, and content selection, is essential for the successful launch of an app. Deployment ensures that users can access the platform and its content easily.
Step 9: Provide Ongoing Support And Maintenance
The last logical step in every eLearning platform development is monitoring your user journey, collecting feedback, and improving the platform over time.
Conclusion
The market for eLearning platforms is growing, and investing in this business has various benefits, such as customer retention, cost-effectiveness, and time efficiency. Integrating your platform with essential features is crucial for successfully developing an eLearning platform. To develop an eLearning platform, you can hire an eLearning app development company and expand your business’s reach.