Online learning platforms act as an intermediary between a student and a teacher in distance learning via the Internet. These platforms automate and optimize the process of education, which reduces the cost of it, and the burden on the teacher, and makes learning easier and more efficient. In this article, we will consider who can benefit from an e-learning software development company.
What is an online learning platform?
An online learning platform is an information space hosted on the Internet that acts as an intermediary between a student and a teacher. This is the converging point that allows you to maximize the effectiveness of learning via the Internet.
The platform is at the same time a way of communication between a student and a teacher, a repository of lessons, a coordinator of learning processes, and a set of tools for managing and improving the quality of learning in an online school.
How does the online learning platform work?
All learning materials uploaded by the course author are stored on the server or in the cloud. The platform software allows the author to customize the course in a way that suits him and provides students with access to the lessons.
The use of learning platforms allows the author to automate monotonous processes, such as opening access to classes, checking homework, analyzing statistics, giving feedback to students, and others. In addition, the course created on the platform can be taken by an unlimited number of students.
A good online learning platform is like an expensive musical instrument for a musician, good brushes and paints for an artist, or a fast car for a race car driver. This is a tool that, when used correctly, increases the results of work at times.
What are the benefits of e-learning?
E-learning is a type of distance education, which is implemented via the Internet. It differs from classical distance learning in that it does not require face-to-face meetings between the teacher and the student for examinations and practical training. The transfer of material, its consolidation, control of progress, and development of skills take place online.
This type of learning has advantages in comparison with traditional or classical distance learning:
1. High data transfer rate.
Regardless of the geographical location of the student and teacher, information between them is transmitted almost instantly.
2. Low cost.
E-learning allows the course’s author to save on the cost of renting a room, teaching materials, coordination between different departments of the school, and the road to the place of education. This makes the cost of learning lower.
3. Comfort for the student.
To take the online course, you only need an Internet connection and a device. This allows students to study from a place and time that is convenient for them, which makes learning more attractive.
4. High-quality education.
Using the Internet as a way to implement distant learning allows you to make it accessible, visual, and interactive. This allows students to achieve great results.
5. Convenience for the author of the course.
Learning via the Internet can be easily automated, eliminating routine processes of work. In addition, with a competent approach, even an entire online school can be managed by just one person.
But do not think that online learning is much easier than its traditional form. It also needed to think over lessons, check homework, and monitor student progress. There are also additional tasks, for example, open access to lessons, keeping in touch with students, motivating them to study every day, accepting payment if the course is commercial, and others.
Platforms for online learning are designed to solve these issues. Below we will talk about them in more detail.
Who will benefit from using an online learning platform?
E-learning platforms are useful for all people who are faced with the task of building a simple system of learning through the Internet, focused on student outcomes.
In particular, three categories of authors can be distinguished:
1. Authors of commercial courses.
Experts who want to make money from online learning are the largest segment of e-learning platform users. Ease of starting a school even without special technical knowledge, convenient setup and management of processes, the ability to lead a school in one – this is what helps them achieve their goal.
2. Entrepreneurs who need to train employees.
Corporate training is a necessary condition for the stable development of the company. At the same time, it distracts employees from work, costs a lot of money, and requires time, which is often not enough.
Therefore, more and more companies are transferring employee training to the Internet. Courses on the platform allow you to train entire departments and branches without interrupting their work. Such courses allow you to introduce corporate standards, repeat them for each new employee, and manage them through a single browser window. It is important that this format allows companies to train their employees ten times cheaper, without losing the quality of the knowledge gained.
3. Universities and other educational institutions.
A growing number of institutions are adding part-time courses to their in-person programs that can be taken over the Internet. Courses on the platform help teachers coordinate students, send them additional materials and homework assignments and automate testing.
Is it possible to teach over the Internet without a platform?
Yes, it is possible, but this format of conducting lessons is associated with a number of difficult tasks.
Firstly, communication with students will need to be maintained through many chats and calls in various instant messengers. This complicates the work of both the teacher and the student.
Secondly, many different processes and programs will need to be coordinated to carry them out. Without a platform, online learning becomes more difficult with each new student.
Thirdly, it will be either very difficult or impossible to collect training statistics. At the same time, managing a school without statistics is like driving a car blindly.
Fourthly, the number of routine and monotonous processes will exhaust the author of the course. This problem can be solved by hiring administrators and teachers, but this will not solve the problem, but only reduce the impact of the consequences, moreover, at your expense. In addition, the increase in the cost of education, which entails the need to pay for the work of specialists, will alienate potential students.
Fifth, online schools without the use of platforms are developing very slowly. At the same time, attracting new students, bringing them to results, managing the school, and solving many related tasks is a very resource-intensive job. In this format of training, energy, time and money will not be enough for sustainable and rapid growth.
To avoid these difficulties, the vast majority of authors post their courses on special platforms.
Conclusion
No wonder nowadays e-learning platform development services are in demand, as online education helps to prepare children for school, improve the professional skills of employees, and get a full higher education or a new profession. If you are looking for a certified and experienced partner to develop e-learning software Inoxoft’s team will help you with it.
