As per Allan Bloom, “Education is the movement from darkness to light. This pathway nowadays meanders through the realms of technology, i.e. smartphone and its mobile apps!”
Reports suggest that more and more young adults spend most of their time (approximately four to five hours a day) on their smartphones. E-learning apps ensure this time is well spent in understanding newer concepts and mastering the older ones. And, not just kids, but working professionals and others also tend to learn and get further certified using them. Employing several app development frameworks like augmented reality, virtual reality, machine learning, etc.; these e-learning apps tend to make learning fun and exciting for one and all.
Coming to the business end, the e-learning industry is touted to touch the levels of US$375 billion by 2026 and online e-learning platforms and apps are to form the biggest part of the chunk. Startups like Byju’s, Meritnation, Vedant, Vidyakul, Toppr are some businesses already reaping high benefits from the trends.
E-learning has been at an all-time high during the pandemic
With the world closing its shutters due to the global pandemic situation; opportunities have been opening up for the e-learning industry to rise and shine and for good. As work from Home (WFH) becomes the new normal for working professionals; study from home (SFH) seems to be the new reality for kids all over. Since schools have been closed and several physical activity institutions are shut, more and more parents have been turning to online platforms for virtual classes; to keep their kids engaged. As a result, the industry clocked in its best numbers in 2020.
Reasons as to why e-learning has been such a success?
- Everyone has a smartphone: As per world reports, more than half the world population already has a smartphone. Since e-learning apps are effectively functional on them; they have now become the easiest platforms to take learning to the students. Also, as the cost of smartphone technology and internet connections and data decreases worldwide; they are further touted to reach the grass root levels, even in rural and uninhabitable parts of the world. Due to its easy accessibility, even government schools have been offering Online classes through these apps in lockdowns.
- Ease of Use: Mobile apps developed by some of the top app development companies are quite intuitive and easy to use for our technology-driven generation. A Generation Z kid might not be sure about the topics covered in their classes, but would be most probably aware as to how to use a mobile app and its functionalities. The generation in itself is highly dependent on technology, and e-learning apps help to make them smarter with this dependency.
- The efficiency of learning provided: e-learning apps are a natural extension to the traditional methods of learning, which included rote learning pedagogy using boring texts. As e-learning apps include images, videos, and even 3-dimensional content nowadays; they help learners understand and retain with more effectiveness. For instance, the concepts of Quantum physics, which were earlier deemed very difficult to understand; have clearer terminologies for students using the e-learning apps.
Have you heard about the Cone of Learning? It clearly states that plain text-based learning tends to have a 10 percent retention rate, which increases to 20 with images and to 30 percent with videos. It can go to 90 percent using e-learning apps that enable learners to do things and utilize the concepts in a much more interactive, intuitive, and engaging manner.
- Low Costs: The traditional learning systems require the building up of schools in large areas of land. Apart from the infrastructure development costs, there are the maintenance staff salaries, transportation costs, etc. that need to be taken care of, before a student begins learning. These high costs are one of the reasons why education is still not a regular part of all kids’ lives in countries like India. With the use of e-learning apps; the overall costs of mobile app development are far less than that of a school. Moreover, e-learning apps can be updated quite often, as per user requirements to ensure learners get the appropriate environment. However, once built a mobile app as well as a school, both can lead to the learning of millions of tentative learners.
- The customized pace of learning: Each is made different, and so are their mindsets and their overall work efficiency, Then how can the teaching and learning methodologies be the same for each one of them. e-learning apps enable the learners to explore concepts and learn, at their own free will and comfort. If a learner is more interested in a particular maths concept, so be it. There is no peer or teacher pressure, whatsoever to attain particular goals or some level of vocabulary, before seeking more knowledge. The learners can browse through and test their learning levels through e-learning apps. The e-learning apps tend to make it fun, attractive, and effective for the learners in the long run.
- Disabled kids can also learn: The biggest barrier for the disabled learners (suffering from dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.) to venture ahead in life is the lack of analysis of their issues and further lack of tools and guidance to help go through them. E-learning apps tend to fill in this hole effectively and with ease. As these kids do not have to face prejudiced peers and teachers for learning through e-learning apps, they tend to learn and practice with ease and for longer hours. Moreover, e-learning apps tend to help them understand their strengths and weaknesses independently, helping them gain more focus and confidence.
E-learning apps promote self-dependency
The best part about e-learning apps is that they are enabling the development of an overall learning environment, wherein the students are not liable to wait for the opening of schools, availability of books, or teacher’s presence. Even the teachers do not have to stay dependent on schools for salaries. They can help these app development companies to develop courses in their learning apps and go on to reach millions of students globally. e-learning apps enable learning from anywhere, anytime both for the teachers as well as the learners. However, as per the current market scenario; they have been proven most effective in aiding the traditional method of school learning. In due course of time, this pattern is also set to change!
