What Makes a Great eLearning Platform? The Tech Behind the Lessons

Modern education is seeing a significant push towards digital transformation. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered one of the most extensive campaigns for digital transformation of education, came to an end in May 2023, the trend for enhancing elearning remains. There are multiple reasons for this trend. Firstly, elearning proved to be more efficient in some settings. If students are well-motivated and disciplined, they can significantly benefit from the higher autonomy offered by the elearning platforms. Secondly, elearning enables learners to study from any location worldwide, considerably enhancing the accessibility of education. Lastly, it is crisis-resilient: elearning tools were essential for maintaining education systems in the early 2020s. In this article, we aim to provide an in-depth examination of the features that make elearning platforms exceptional, demonstrating how these features can be combined with some of the latest innovations.

Feature 1. Online video conferencing integration

The first feature you need to consider when creating a high-quality elearning platform is undoubtedly online video conferencing. The most important aspect of learning is communication. A teacher should have the capability to communicate effectively with their students, as the best way to identify and close knowledge gaps is through personal communication. In this regard, modern elearning platforms have two options. They can integrate existing platforms, such as Microsoft Teams or Google Meet, or create their solutions. In some cases, the former option may be better (for example, if classes are small); in others, the latter (for instance, if you need some unique visualization tools). One aspect is clear here: it is difficult to envision an elearning platform without robust video conferencing tools today.

Feature 2. Multimedia integration

Information in the real world is multifaceted: real phenomena involve all human senses. As a result, the most effective way to gain a profound understanding of a specific topic is to examine it from multiple perspectives. For example, math can not only be visualized but also applied to a wide variety of practical tasks. In practice, the most effective way to achieve this is to integrate multimedia tools into elearning platforms. Multimedia integration can follow both traditional and somewhat non-conventional pathways. On the more conventional side, it is possible to incorporate videos, audio, and images, allowing learners with diverse experiences and learning styles to access information from multiple perspectives. On the more innovative side, one can also try to integrate AI tools for visualization or virtual reality, which tends to offer a unique combination of all existing visualization methods. Regardless of the methods chosen, the value of multimedia integration through custom elearning software development is undeniable today: it is challenging to envision efficient learning today without the integration of video and audio.

Feature 3. AI integration

One more feature that is essential for elearning platforms today is undoubtedly AI integration. Artificial intelligence is notable for its ability to produce custom texts explicitly tailored to users’ requests. For this reason, there are multiple ways to utilize this technology in learning today.

Firstly, AI integration may offer learners custom explanations for various concepts learned during classes. For example, a person with experience in engineering is likely to understand certain mathematical concepts through a more applied lens. An individual with a background in Humanities can, on the contrary, benefit from more abstract explanations centered around philosophical frameworks. AI can serve as a personal assistant capable of answering the majority of learning-related questions, allowing teachers and other course experts to focus only on the most complex issues.

Secondly, AI may also be great for enhancing learning programs. In this respect, teachers can utilize AI to generate customized tests that are explicitly tailored to the needs of individual learners. These tailored tests and tasks allow every learner to study in the most optimal manner possible. More importantly, it is possible to use AI to analyze trends within specific learning groups or across entire facilities. By collecting information about student scores and other key progress indicators, AIs can quickly conclude the overall trends in their learning journey. Consequently, the most advanced elearning platforms typically offer high-quality AI tools to their users, as they provide significant time-saving capabilities today.

Feature 4. User forums and chats

One more feature all great elearning platforms need today is undoubtedly communication tools. Apart from video conferencing, the learners should have the capability to contact their teachers and communicate with other learners. For smaller elearning platforms, this can typically be accomplished through external services. However, if an elearning platform is large, encompassing thousands of users, it makes more sense to invest in in-built tools of all kinds. Firstly, it may be a good idea to have a simple chat app for small requests (for example, organizational questions). Secondly, many elearning platforms greatly benefit from having forums where learners can communicate with their colleagues about various aspects of the subjects they are learning. In this way, it is possible to share experiences and different perspectives on the learning material quickly in an environment accessible to all learners.

Feature 5. Proctoring tools

The final feature we would like to list here is undoubtedly proctoring. Online education has one major problem today: it is more vulnerable to cheating than traditional in-person education. What is the best way to solve this problem? Using proctoring tools for elearning. Proctoring comes in many forms: one can utilize AI- and algorithm-based tools or even employ expert proctors to monitor exams. The first option is better for day-to-day work: AI and algorithms can be bypassed in some cases (although we are approaching the point where this is no longer possible), but the amount of effort required is usually too time-consuming to be practical in classwork. Human proctors are more suitable for the most critical exams (for example, university entrance tests) as they offer the highest rate of reliability.

Conclusion

The list provided above is far from conclusive, but it involves features that are the most relevant today. From a more technical perspective, features such as data standard integration or admin panels are also essential. Still, they are less visible to users and typically remain unchanged over the years. If you want to integrate the advanced features mentioned in this article, it is essential to cooperate with companies like Keenethics, which has extensive development experience in multiple domains.