How To Build eLearning Platforms
In today’s evolving world, more and more processes are beginning to go digital. From interacting with friends to working and consuming content, engaging in digital platforms is quickly becoming the norm in modern culture. For schooling, the case is no different, and many organizations are investing in developing high-quality eLearning platforms that allow their students to engage in remote learning. Having some guidance on developing one’s own eLearning platform can make the process easier and less intimidating. Here are the steps to building eLearning platforms:
Tips For Building eLearning Platforms
1. Choosing What One Wants To Achieve
When it comes to eLearning platforms, different people and organizations have different goals. It may be to grow a business, earn an extra income, or simply disseminate valuable knowledge to enrich the lives of others. Being clear about one’s own personal goals before getting started is vital to finding success with an eLearning platform. If an eLearning platform is being created with the intention of making as much money as possible, this will affect various aspects of the platform. Similarly, if one intends to grow a business, this will also affect how one goes about crafting an eLearning platform. As such, it’s imperative to be clear about the goals one intends to achieve before investing time and energy into crafting an eLearning platform.
2. Decide What Will Be Taught
Though it may seem like an obvious step, it’s crucial to determine exactly what one will be teaching on their platform before putting time and energy into building an eLearning platform. Whether it’s an MBA course or a knitting tutorial platform, one will have to spend more money to make the necessary alterations if one changes their mind about the topic. In addition to avoiding the pitfalls of making a hasty decision, it’s important to research the marketplace and potential consumers before committing to an idea. As passionate as one may be about a certain topic, it won’t be sustainable as an online learning platform if there aren’t enough consumers interested in the idea.
To start researching, it can help to search the internet for courses that are similar to one’s idea. If there seems like a sustainable number of consumers out there are interested in one’s topic, the idea will likely be viable for an eLearning platform. However, if one’s idea is too broad, it can mean having a lot of competition that may make it difficult—or even impossible—to get an eLearning platform off the ground. As such, it’s important to find a sweet spot in which one’s topic is neither too broad nor too specific.
3. Determine What The Platform Will Be Like
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to types of platforms. One may have prerecorded videos coupled with quizzes, live video chat rooms in which an instructor instructs a large class, or even interactive games that help students retain pertinent information. Whatever one chooses, it’s important to have a clear vision of one’s eLearning platform before moving forward. Leaving these decisions to chance or making hasty decisions that aren’t thought-out can result in a poorly performing platform that doesn’t meet the needs of one’s users.
4. Find Reliable Developers Or Platforms
For many individuals who intend to create eLearning platforms, this step can be the most intimidating. Finding developers can feel complicated and the high costs of having a custom platform developed can be scary. Thankfully, the task becomes less overwhelming the more familiar one becomes with the process. In addition, there are actually ways to mitigate monetary risks and test out having an eLearning platform before committing to spending a large sum of money. There are scores of websites that offer online templates for eLearning courses. These options can be much cheaper than having a custom platform developed and also provide one with the opportunity to test their idea and make any necessary changes before fully committing.
5. Iterate The eLearning Platform
For many individuals, this is a step that is easy to skip. One may go through one’s own eLearning courses and determine that they are ready without ever getting outside feedback. Unfortunately, this can result in mistakes being missed and user needs not being met. To avoid these challenges, it’s essential that one tests their eLearning platform with real users before having a full-scale rollout. By getting suggestions and feedback from users, one can ensure that the eLearning platform meets all the needs of the users before bringing it to market in a significant way.
6. Market The eLearning Platform
Once the eLearning platform has been developed and tested, it’s ready to hit the market and start providing users with valuable lessons. To ensure that consumers are aware of one’s course, it’s important to start marketing one’s eLearning platform across different channels to potential consumers. When it comes to marketing eLearning platforms, there are many creative ways one can get the word out. In addition to investing in more traditional digital marketing methods, crafting supplementary content can be a great way to convert customers. This can be through things such as creating YouTube videos and podcasts on similar content, thereby being able to cheaply market directly to one’s target audience.
Everyone Can Build One
Building an eLearning platform is an amazing way to generate income and share one’s knowledge with the world. Though the process may seem intimidating at first, becoming familiar with how eLearning platforms function and learning some tips can make the process easier and more accessible. While it may not be the easiest thing in the world to accomplish, anyone willing to invest a significant amount of time and effort will surely be able to craft an impressive eLearning platform that leaves users satisfied and more knowledgeable.
