With a mobile app for eLearning like Coursera, users access learning materials anytime, anywhere, allowing for convenient self-paced learning. Before designing an e-learning app, understand the purpose of the app, for whom you are preparing it, what you wish to achieve, with which channels you wish to convey content – text or video, how would the design be like, whether will it be accessible by people with special needs, and will it include latest technologies to leave an effective learning experience on users?
App Requirements
Consider users’ age, skill, learnability, expectation, location, and course price they are comfortable with; assess content formats like Text, audio, video, interactive elements, simulations, quizzes, and assessments; can the app adjust to individual learning pace? Do the mobile app development agencies incorporate game mechanics like points, badges, and leaderboards to increase engagement? How will users monitor their learning progress? It will also require a combination of social features – collaboration tools, discussion forums, peer feedback, intuitive navigation, visual appeal, accessibility, and responsive design.
Most of the apps are platform agnostic so that users with any device are able to use them. So saying that it should be made just for Android or just for iOS would be an injustice.
Elearning apps require storing course materials like videos, documents, and assessments on a cloud platform like Amazon S3 or Google Drive, allowing access from any device with an internet connection and eliminating the need for local storage management.
They repeatedly require connecting the platform with Moodle, Canvas, or Blackboard to (1) manage user enrollments, (2) track progress, (3) deliver grades, and (4) provide a centralized learning environment.
Technical Specifications
Using algorithms to dynamically adjust the learning path based on a student’s performance, providing more challenging content when they excel, and offering additional support when they struggle.
Further Points To Consider
A language learning app stores audio lessons and practice exercises on a cloud service, allowing users to access them on their phones while commuting. AI will be used to check adaptive difficulty levels, student performance, and engagement and recommend personalized learning paths. A language learning app utilizes a chatbot to provide immediate feedback on a user’s spoken responses.
Alternatives And Similar Apps
A replica of the Coursera e-learning app would require market analysis, competitor research, user feedback gathering; visualizing the app’s structure and flow, building the app and conducting thorough testing on different devices, deployment to app stores, ongoing updates, and bug fixes.
App Security
When developing an eLearning app, it is important to only ask for the required information and do not enable irrelevant details for marketing and promotion. It should comply with education standards, must be based on market demand, and user feedback, and implement strong login credentials and role-based access to restrict who can view sensitive student data.
Updates To The App To Make It Look “COMMON”
To create an app that is loved by users globally and easy to access at any time and place with a normal internet connection, implement surveys, feedback forms, and analytics to gather user input on the app’s functionality, usability, and content. Regular updates are often followed by intermittent rounds of iterative development, A/B testing, and staying updated with technology.
Monetization Strategies – Subscription model, Freemium model, Individual course purchase, Corporate licensing; Compliance with Education Standards in an eLearning App: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, General Data Protection Regulation.
Starting with something you already know
For an eLearning app development, you require:
- Frontend Development:
- Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue.js
- Libraries: Redux, Bootstrap, Material UI
- Styling: CSS, Sass, Less
- Backend Development:
- Languages:js, Python, Java
- Frameworks:js, Django, Spring Boot
- Database:
- Relational: PostgreSQL
- NoSQL: MongoDB
- Cloud Services:
- AWS: Amazon Web Services
- Google Cloud: Google Cloud Platform
- Azure: Microsoft Azure
- Mobile App Development (Optional):
- Cross-Platform: React Native, Flutter
- Native: Android SDK, iOS SDK
- Learning Management System (LMS):
- Open Source: Moodle
- Commercial: Canvas, Blackboard, Edmodo
Additional technologies:
- Content Authoring Tools: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, Lectora
- Video Streaming Services: YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia
- Gamification Frameworks: Unity, Phaser
- AI and Machine Learning (for personalization): TensorFlow, PyTorch
Features in The eLearning App
- User login/registration
- Course listing and search
- Course dashboards (progress tracking, quizzes, assignments)
- Discussion forums
- Instructor profiles
- User authentication and authorization
- Course content management (creation, editing, uploading)
- Payment gateway integration
- Progress tracking
- Email notifications
- API endpoints for frontend interaction
Database
- MySQL or PostgreSQL
- Data fields:
- User details (name, email, password, payment info)
- Course information (title, description, instructor, syllabus, video lectures, assessments)
- Student progress (completed modules, quiz scores, assignment submissions)
- Course ratings and reviews
Plus, you need to consider microservices, cloud hosting, and content delivery networks.
What Do You Wish To Carry Along?
Even though the growing number of online learning platforms could impact Coursera’s market share, and while some courses are free, accessing certain specializations or certificates may require a subscription fee, top elearning app development companies still offer online course apps that are useful for individuals looking to acquire in-demand skills and professional certifications through high-quality courses from reputable institutions. When choosing an alternative to Coursera like Udemy, edX, LinkedIn Learning, Khan Academy, MasterClass, Pluralsight, Skillshare, FutureLearn, or OpenEDG Python Institute, consider things like whether the course is for professional development, career advancement, or creative development, whether the course is free or has a fee, whether the course offers certification, and whether the course offers one-on-one mentorship or other types of support.
