Online education platform has seen a steady rise in the number of learners in the past few years and is slowly replacing the traditional methods of learning. The same trend is now true for instructors who want to reach out to more learners but aren’t able to due to many constraints. This increased adoption of online education can be associated with the various features online teaching platforms have to offer, some of them being: ease of use, flexibility to both instructors and learners.

In the words of Bill Gates, “Technology is just the tool. In terms of getting the kids to working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important”

With many education technology solutions available to teachers, it becomes time-consuming for them to choose the right solution for their teaching and training needs. Nothing disparages a teacher’s enthusiasm and drive than a software which is made without keeping them in mind. Undoubtedly, the right software or platform should in all it’s capacity enable the teacher and enrich the learner in every way possible rather than become another cause to worry.

Every online platform comes with different features and capabilities and each of them boasts about being built both for the teacher as well as the student. Which makes the process of choosing the right platform a difficult and time-consuming task and thus discouraging teachers or students to open a world of possibilities.

So here are 5 must-have features that an online teaching or training software should satisfy before you decide on adding technology to your existing methods:

1. Global Reach

One of the significant factors behind the multi-fold increase in teachers choosing to go online is the wider reach offered by online platforms and well, the internet. Using the internet, teachers can reach out to students across the planet, which isn’t possible with traditional teaching platforms.

There are many online teaching platforms with a varying number of users. As a teacher, the right online platform to start with would be one with a good number of active users worldwide or in the geography of your choice and features that compliment the diverse set of students who might be opting for your course. Moreover, a platform with support for foreign languages is also a very important feature, which means that you can teach students without worrying about the language barrier.

2. Measurement of teaching effectiveness

Effective teaching can simply be defined as a set of activities that cultivates learning.

Having an in-depth knowledge is just not enough to be an effective teacher. In addition to having a deep understanding of the subject matter, a teacher also needs to be aware of the factors that affect the learning process, which might include how content is delivered, course-ware design, student engagement, and more.

It is crucial for teachers to be cognizant of the students’ abilities and specific learning needs as a teacher’s effectiveness can be quantified by measuring the degree of student engagement and the understanding of content consumption.

Online platforms that allow teachers to build their online academies and get actionable information about their courses, classes, and content delivery. Such powerful features enable teachers to get insights into students’ activities through informative reports which cover information, such as content consumed by each student, live classes attended, and the percentage of the course completed to keep a tab on the number of dropouts. Teachers can use this information to refine their course content or courseware design, improve their teaching approach or methodology, and do a lot more to increase student engagement to enhance learning outcomes.

Fedena School ERP is one such online platform which provides these reports to teachers and schools who are still following the traditional methods of teaching. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and Fedena is that one step which your school can make to ease the transition from traditional teaching to online.

3. Content Security

Teachers work very hard to create their instructional content making it their intellectual property. It is natural for them to be concerned about the security of their content as information on the web can be accessed and used by everyone. Content security remains one of the biggest concerns of teachers looking to teach online or offline.

One of the ways to claim content ownership is by controlling the dissemination and access of content so that it’s accessible to only the intended students. Server security, encryption types and other such technologies are used to keep your data safe on online platforms, so before deciding on which one you are going with, make sure to get a good understanding of who gets to access your data and how they get to do it.

4. Versatility

The versatility of the software or platform decides the type of online teaching or training activities that you can do. You need to take into consideration the level and type of interaction that you normally have with your students and choose the software accordingly.

Sometimes, you may need to include polls or quizzes, and other interactive elements in your course to engage students. You may also need to have live audio and video communication with students during your class. The platform you choose must be versatile enough to provide you with access to such features, and in an effective way.

In addition, since instructional content comes in various formats, you need to make sure that the software or platform supports content in all the widely-used formats, such as PDF, Microsoft Word, presentation, audio, and video, just to name a few.

5. Mobile learning

Smartphones and tablets are radically transforming how we access content and stay connected. We have instant access to information and expertise – from informal electronics lessons on YouTube to online courses. Data is being consumed at a rapid pace on mobile devices and education is getting infused with our daily routine. Mobile learning takes online education right to the student, making it their choice and not the teacher’s choice.

As pedagogy and learning needs change, learning tools evolve. With the online education landscape changing rapidly, teachers and students are adapting to new technologies. As more and more people join the online community owing to ease of use, scalability, flexibility, affordability and choosing the right platform or software continues to remain a crucial factor in the success of your teaching, training or business.

Conclusion:

Shifting the whole operation from offline to online is not an easy task as it require time, effort and money. But with increasing trend of online education or teaching system most of the institute and teachers are moving online as it enhances the education delivery and management. Therefore Fedena also has come out with solution using which institute can conduct online classes, meeting with the employees, and manage institute daily operations effortlessly.

5 Features which are must for any Online Education Platform