What You Need To Know Before Developing EdTech Apps
There was a time when the education field was just getting started with digitalization. In recent years, however, EdTech developers have thrived, and the educational technology market has boomed. Specifically, 2021 was a turning point for the rise of education apps as the electronic learning market reached $315 billion. Furthermore, 53% of teachers say that students having easier access to digital devices improves their teaching. This would be especially true if schools were closed again. Thousands of startups are competing to gain profit from educational software, in addition to big companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon.
What Are EdTech Apps?
An EdTech app (a.k.a., educational technology) is an app that promotes, simplifies, and enriches the teaching process by integrating technology into the learning environment. Digital textbooks, teacher-student communication portals, and virtual classrooms are some examples. Users can also customize educational apps according to their preferences. Some EdTech app options include the following:
- Learning Management Systems (LMSs)
- Immersive technologies (e.g., Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality)
- Personalized learning apps
- Academic management platforms
- Virtual classrooms
- Online program management (OPM)
9 Benefits Of Using Education Technology Apps
The term eLearning, or online education, refers to the process of improving efficiency and communication between students, educators, schools, and academic institutions. However, don’t confuse them with massive open online courses (MOOCs). Many industry analysts believe that the EdTech sector will continue to grow for years. As a matter of fact, they expect the marketplace to expand at a CAGR of 20% within 6 years from 2022. Some of the advantages of using EdTech include the following:
- EdTech innovators can improve their products by adding features that students’ ordinary courses lack, including customization and close contact between instructors and students.
- CompTIA's study found that nine out of ten students are confident that using technology in the classroom will empower their learning in the digital age.
- Students used to have to carry large textbooks to class every day not so long ago. It is now possible to access a great deal of this material using a computer and the internet.
- Learning can be made better by appropriately modifying curriculum objectives or courses to cater to individual preferences.
- Tutors and parents can check students' assignments by simply looking at their phones.
- By using digital tools in education, students can work at their own pace.
- Using technology in the classroom has led to an increase in the number of students who share their knowledge and help one another.
- Teachers can use EdTech apps and other digital tools in their classrooms to transform tedious subjects into engaging and enjoyable lessons.
- As a result of technology, students can also try new things they may not have been able to do in the past. By doing so, they will become more independent and figure out what learning approaches work best for them.
Educational App Development Process
EdTech options are fantastic but attempting to use them without a clear strategy will only lead to failure. Creating a mobile learning application for devices like mobile phones and tablets requires creativity and in-depth knowledge of eLearning. That’s why app developers should put more emphasis on providing evidence-based solutions that will assist instructors in their work. There are several stages to EdTech app development, as you’ll see below:
- An idea is born
An app's success depends largely on its initial concept and idea. Once you’re inspired, keep that idea and nourish it with expert opinions and technical information. - Identify and research consumers
There is more to success than simply throwing one's hat into the ring and hoping for the best. - Build the right team
It takes a team to create educational apps. The success of your project depends on building a good team, so do not skimp. - Put it to the test
Most likely, you are familiar with an expert group of people who are familiar with what you do. Q&A specialists, User Interface (UI)/User Experience (UX) designers, and app developers are the ideal candidates from whom to get feedback about your app. - Incorporating must-have features
There are several features that all EdTech apps must have, including authorization, notifications, payment portals, and a search bar.
Educational App Development Costs
Last but not least, don’t forget to conduct thorough research into educational software development prices. Learning about the latest educational app development costs is imperative before getting too excited. Analyze your project’s scope and find a mobile app development company that can deliver the most suitable results. There are a number of factors that affect the cost of EdTech mobile app development, including what you’ll read here below:
1. Necessary Features
Do you plan on implementing many features in your product? What will the number of screens, controls, and options be? Remember that some features are trickier to add than others, and, yes, they come at a higher cost. Costs will vary depending on the type and number of functions.
2. The Scale Of The Project
Your app's complexity will vary based on what features and integrations you select, and how you get the app developed. In general, the smaller and more basic the application, the less time and resources it will take to develop.
3. Development Strategy
As a rule, native mobile app development provides a superior User Experience and higher speed. Therefore, it is more expensive. You should choose native app development if you need an app with a lot of advanced features. However, if you are trying to create a simple product, a hybrid solution will do.
4. The Intricate Details Of UI/UX Design
In recent years, User Experience and User Interface have become the focus of almost every software development company. Since many applications are available, users can pick one with a user-friendly design, easy navigation, and high functionality. Naturally, the more you focus on improving the User Experience, the higher it will cost.
5. Your Tech Stack
You'll probably need a business analyst, project manager, Q&A specialist, and senior developer by your side. Each skillset comes at a different price, so you should carefully pick your team members. Here is a list of things you should do to find the right contractors:
- Prioritizing requirements
- Defining project goals
- Market research
- Collecting information
- Identifying and creating a list of potential partners
- Assessing each team’s skills
- Inquiring about their costs
6. App Maintenance Costs
Costs don't end with the completion and launch of the app. App Store and Google Play require regular maintenance for your app to remain popular. By not monitoring, updating, fixing bugs, and introducing new features, you'll lose customers to a better, more innovative solution. Software maintenance costs are around 15–20% of the project's development costs.
Is There Any Way To Reduce Prices?
Cost is primarily determined by development time and the hourly fee of your education app development team. So, you can opt for outsourcing your project to expert offshore teams as a method to lower costs. (Note: offshore development teams are composed of skilled developers located abroad.)
Conclusion
It has been almost a decade since the educational system underwent a digital transformation. The COVID-19 pandemic sped up the transition and dramatically shifted the landscape toward eLearning. Education technology is highly profitable not just because of certain external influences (like COVID-19) but also because of its unique features.
However, launching a business in this industry can be challenging, especially if founders don't have the proper tools at their disposal. Consequently, you must hire a team of developers with the relevant expertise and assign them the appropriate roles when developing software. Education in a COVID-less era needs new ideas, and yours may be what’s going to appeal to the world next.
Originally published at theonetechnologies.com.
