Different Types of eLearning Platforms and Methods - Best e-Learning software to Manage and Deliver Online Courses

What is the eLearning and eLearning Platform?

E-learning or online learning is primarily internet-based learning. It harnesses the power of information and communication technology to share information and develop knowledge and skills. 

E-learning platform provides a flexible and learner-centric approach to learning. It enables anytime and anywhere learning that goes beyond the four walls of a classroom. This means the learner is free to pick their convenient time and place to learn, and pause it and resume whenever they want. 

Why need an eLearning Platform?

Many small companies want to train their employees, and some schools want to teach their students, and any pre-customized eLearning platforms can do these types of activities. Furthermore, many online platforms give free access to small businesses and schools, so first define your specific goals and see if it’s relevant or not. 

A clearly defined goal can save you lots of time and money, hugely beneficial for companies and future projects. 

How to Choose an eLearning Platform ?

With over 800 learning management systems competing in the learning marketplace, it can be quite challenging to choose one solution, especially if it is your first eLearning platform. The first thing you need to do when selecting a platform is to address your needs. Here are three important points to consider when making a choice:

Academic Vs. Corporate

Both corporate and academic eLearning platforms allow you to automate some training processes and provide access to learning materials online, although they have some significant differences. At the very least, they have distinct organizational structures, scheduling units, and tracking and assessment systems. Besides, corporate LMSs are more flexible and allow for easy and frequent content updates. 

Industry And Use Cases

There may be some special requirements for an LMS, depending on your business industry. For example, if you’re a healthcare organization, you might need an LMS that can be integrated with a hospital management system and ACCME web services.

When choosing an eLearning platform, you also need to know if it can cover all of your use cases. For instance, can it help you automate employee onboarding, or does it fit for channel partner training? For example, when training business partners, you might want to create groups of external learners who will have access to specific learning materials but will be limited in terms of viewing other content and using other LMS capabilities. 

Different Types Of eLearning Platforms

Classification of e-learning platforms depends on criteria that will be taken into account. Modern systems that are alternatives to traditional classrooms may imply one-on-one or group learning with the wide use of video-based content, microlearning, and other instruments.

Specific categories of e-learning platforms are online courses with no time restriction, training for employees, and platforms for teachers. Let’s overview all factors of classification and main types of e-learning platforms.

All existing e-learning platforms are classified as free and commercial. 

As usual, free platforms can fit your requirements if you need to conduct any simple training one time. This software can be open-source. It allows the user to work with it in any way. The number of functions depends on the platform. At the same time, commercial e-learning products are better customized and suitable for long-term use.

Learning Management System

A simple commercial LMS has basic functions that are needed for developing, conducting, and hosting online courses. There is a wide set of functions in learning management systems. Basic opportunities include tools that help to store and manage courses, assess students’ progress.

Most learning management systems are web-based and fully fit the needs of any educational institute or company that conducts training for newcomers or employees. The main advantages of learning management systems are:

• Ability to build motivating and exciting courses adding gamification elements and combining different types of content.

• Reducing costs and time that are spent on the processes of learning and development.

• Quick adding of any new compliance regulation.

• Possibility to integrate tools related to social media education.

• Availability of various types and formats of learning.

• Opportunity to generate additional profit (commercial courses via the company’s LMS system can be used for sales).

• Online Training For Employees or Job Candidates

Companies use these tools to check the knowledge of employees and potential candidates who want to work in the organization. It enables business owners and management to check whether all workers are on the same page and have the needed expertise. The learning programs can be prepared individually according to the position, experience, and preferable learning pace of each worker.

• Massive Open Online Courses

Massive Open Online Courses based on existing e-learning platforms are another to acquire new knowledge and skills. These courses are free of charge or fee-based. In most cases, the payment depends on the type of certificate that will be received after the completion of the courses. 

As usual, there is no time restriction in MOOCs. This flexibility allows involving more students who can combine learning with their current occupation. Video-based content and webinars simplify studying the new material.

• Destination Site For Learning

It’s another type of e-learning platform. The destination site consists of articles, guides, video content, and checking tools. This combination aims to the comfortable learning of new materials by students from all over the world. With the literate approach, such sites can help to learn a new direction or deepen professional skills.

• LXS

The learning experience system is the new direction of the development of the LMS. It’s becoming more and more popular nowadays because digital learning shows high efficiency, improves user experience, and involves students in the learning process by making it more visible. Learning experience systems are user-friendly, intuitively clear, and simple in using.

• Custom e-learning platform built from scratch

This solution can be developed in accordance with customer needs and requirements. As usual, it should be created from scratch paying attention to business goals and peculiarities, type of company, and the average learner’s portrait. 

If you compare this solution with the previous one, it’s more expensive and requires the client’s participation in the process of development. A good example of the custom e-learning platform built from scratch is HBX by Harvard Business School. This platform serves for conducting business courses.

• APP- Based Learning

Applications for education accessible on the go are in high demand nowadays. There is no doubt that this tendency will continue in the future because microlearning is gaining momentum.

Cost Of an E-learning Platform Development

One of the common questions we get quite often from our clients is “How much does it costs to develop an e-learning platform?”

There are hundreds of thousands of e-learning platforms and online education providers serving millions of people and many of them convert into a massive educational platform that maximizes student revenue and increases their income streams.

In a highly competitive business landscape employers seek refining skills to hire. E-learning platforms enable organizations and business owners to achieve better and professional employees.

Developing an e-learning platform requires lots of time and effort. Usually, not everyone wants to build a high-class or international level e-learning platform.

Some just want platforms that teach their employees or students to experience new things, teach from them, and develop a new skill or enhance the existing one.

How much you want to use the learning platform will ultimately determine what kind of solution you need, but it is important to find out about the prevailing pricing strategies.

The cost of e-learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, and other online learning platforms depends on many factors. You need to try them out and see if they are the answer to your needs for your primary education program.

Some elements may affect the cost of an e-learning site, but before you start an all-encompassing method of determining your development costs for an e-learning platform, you should look at the total cost of your primary school program and the role it plays in the range of educational value your organization offers.

Feel where it makes the most sense to you, then plan accordingly and put it into practice in the pricing of your online learning.

You do not want to go into creating online training courses without knowing what time and money cost. Before you start looking at the costs, it is crucial that you understand what an online learning platform is and what it does for your program.

The cost of e-learning depends on the UI / UX design of your app, so if you rely on venture features, you should opt for a small app (e.g. a mobile app) rather than the size you want to add to your website.

Benefits of the E-learning platform

• Anyone with a reliable internet connection can participate from anywhere in the world. 

• Learners can access modules and programs anytime, anywhere, using a smartphone, tablet, or desktop. 

• Elearning ensures a consistent learning experience, and learners enjoy engaging with a range of media like quizzes, audio, videos, and learning games. 

• Instructors can teach as many learners as necessary without time and space restrictions.

At Trawex, we’ve high skills individual team which helps you to build your dream e-learning platform in an advanced and high-end way.

We are in a position to do much of the higher cost front-end analysis work over selves and we also tend to deal with lower cost.

If you’re looking for a complete solution for your e-Learning platform development you can contact our team through mail or direct call.