A Complete Overview Of Educational App Development
As a matter of fact, poverty is driven by a lack of education. Education is a potent tool that has the potential to drive a nation towards the path of progress. In this new age, there is an increased awareness among people about the significance of education. Owing to this, coupled with the advancements in technology, educational app development has been gathering the attention of people across the world. Many educational institutions are now collaborating with an education app development company to provide better services to students of all age groups.
This article will discuss in detail the following aspects.
- Types of educational apps
- Features of educational apps
- Benefits of educational apps
- The popularity of educational apps
- Latest trends in learning app development
- Development of an educational app
- Key points to remember (for entrepreneurs)
- What to look for in an educational app development company
There are various types of learning apps. Each type has its own set of specific functions and features. Users can choose the type that fits their requirements. The following are the various types of educational apps.
Apps for training supplementsYou can create an app that serves as a supplement for a training program. This leverages the associated program, thereby helping the students understand and perform better. For instance, with the help of an app that is associated with a biomedical training lab, students can go through the protocols prior to the lab session.
Learning apps for kidsThere are several learning apps for kids. These apps make the process of learning fun and interactive. Thus, it will be easier for the tutors to teach and monitor the kids.
Learning apps for preschoolers and toddlersIn this fast-paced life, kids start learning even before the age of 3. With the help of learning apps, preschoolers and toddlers find learning more enjoyable and fun. These apps prepare the kids and make them school-ready. There are several fun features, including games, puzzles, stories, etc.
Classroom training appsUsually, a class consists of around 40-60 students handled by a teacher. Imagine the difficulties the instructor goes through to deliver quality teaching services to all the students within the allocated time. With the help of an app, the instructor can share the training materials with a few taps and swipes. Some apps also have multiplayer activities that are excellent ice-breakers.
Grade-targeted learning appsAccording to the board of education, the syllabus and exam pattern differs for every grade. There are apps tailored to meet the requirements of all the grades and boards of education. These apps are specifically developed to help students score more marks in the examinations.
Apps for assistance to teachersEven if the teachers have the required knowledge to guide the students, they should know the right approach to deliver the information, failing which students will find it difficult to understand and retain the concepts. To combat this difficulty, there are apps to guide the teachers in providing training sessions.
Extra-curricular and co-curricular appsThe term education encompasses much more than that in the textbooks. So, it is essential that students should not only be bookworms but also engage in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. Fortunately, there are mobile and web apps to motivate students in this aspect. For instance, there are apps that help students to learn and compose music with virtual instruments. Apps like Duolingo help users to learn different languages.
Apps for disabled peoplePeople who have mental or physical disabilities will find it challenging to learn new things. Some apps have special features for the benefits of the disabled. For example, some apps have a text-to-speech feature that reads out the content of the page. This helps blind people know the contents of the app without the help of an assistant.
Test prep appsThese days, almost for all professions, apart from the SSLC, HSC, and degree certificates, students have to clear entrance tests and interviews. These eligibility tests are a nightmare for many. There are apps that are developed to assist the users in clearing these examinations and interviews with good marks and reviews.
Apps for distance educationOwing to the rise in globalization, people don’t want to confine themselves to their domiciles. They aspire to study in foreign countries. But there are several factors that restrain them from getting education overseas, including financial instability, home-sickness, etc. Apart from this, there are several other reasons for which people might not be able to join an educational institution. Thanks to learning apps, users can avail of a multitude of online courses.
Significant features of educational appsThere is a multitude of beneficial features of an educational app. Some major features are discussed below.
- Profile creation
Users are given multiple options for signing in or signing up. This includes the creation of profiles through email ID, phone number, social media accounts, etc.
- Integration of social media
Users can link their social media account with their profiles. This helps them keep track of the activities and share interesting updates directly to their social media pages.
- Syllabus
These apps provide detailed information about the syllabus, which helps users select the courses that meet their requirements.
- Study material
These apps also provide study materials that can be downloaded for free or on payment.
- Notifications
These apps keep users informed about the latest updates and other information through regular notifications via emails, SMS, or push notifications.
- Categorization of contents
The contents in the app are segregated based on their categories. This helps users to navigate easily.
- Feedback and reviews
Users can provide their feedback and reviews on the app. This will help the admin panel to make any necessary improvements.
- Scheduling of tasks
These apps help users to plan their events and sessions according to their convenience. This helps them avoid procrastination.
- In-app messaging
Users can interact with each other through in-app messaging features. This helps form a healthy community of like-minded aspirants.
- Sharing of files
All types of files, including text, image, videos, etc. can be shared, uploaded, or downloaded without any hassles.
- Statistical reports
These apps provide comprehensible reports on the dynamics of learning, thereby simplifying the process of progress tracking.
- Search options
Various search options, like filter, sort, etc., are provided in the app. This helps users find what they need without much difficulty.
- Activities and tasks
To make learning fun and interactive, these apps include surveys, polls, quizzes.
- Leaderboards
Scorecards are given to users based on their performance in the activities. To augment the competing spirit, these apps have leaderboards.
- Multi-Language support
It is always easier to learn something in the language that we are comfortable in. So, to help users understand complex concepts easily, the apps provide multi-language support.
- Cloud Integration
To prevent over-usage of storage space, most of the learning apps are cloud-based.
Benefits of educational appsBenjamin Franklin once said, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." In other words, the money that you invest in education will never go in vain. Some major benefits of educational apps include:
- Users can get access to free education, anywhere and anytime.
- Knowledge sharing is easier.
- Users can get access to resources from all over the world.
Due to the multiple advantages of educational apps, there is a huge demand for educational app developers. Apparently, there are over 3 Lakh educational apps in the world. This shows how popular educational apps are. In India, there are apps owned by government sectors too. These apps provide a myriad of astounding educational services for the users.
Latest trends in learning app developmentIt is important to analyze the trends in an industry to be unique and novel. The following are some ruling trends in the development of learning apps.
- Collaboration with various certifying organizations from across the world.
- Video lectures for better understanding.
- Gamification of content that makes learning fun and interactive.
- Micro training sessions that use short videos and images to deliver content in a nutshell.
- Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality components as futuristic approaches to teaching and mentoring.
- Innovative methods of knowledge sharing, such as memes, GIFs, and animated videos.
The development process of an educational app constitutes several stages and substages. The first step is ‘Idea Generation’. You should have a proper, novel, and workable idea. Then, you need to do enough market research. This will help you understand what is going on around you in the industry. Once you have come up with a stunning idea, you need to hire mobile app developers. You can also team up with an education app development company. The process is then continued by their development team. They test your ideas for workability, then develop and test the software. Once the product is ready, they help you with the launch and promotion of your app.
Key Points to remember!If you are an entrepreneur interested in investing in learning app development, then make sure to bear in mind the following points.
- The app should be cross-platform compatible.
- The contents of the app should be mobile-friendly.
- Multiple secure payment gateways need to be integrated to enable fast and secure transactions to aid in-app purchases.
Before deciding the company to entrust your app ideas with, you need to consider the following pointers.
- Look for companies that provide Turnkey solutions.
- Do an extensive cost analysis.
- Check the portfolio to know more about their experiences and accomplishments.
- Refer client testimonials and get to know what they have got to say about the company.
Voila! You are now completely ready to get your hands on educational app development. Get set and accelerate the standard of your educational institution to great heights.