Ever thought about becoming a tutor and teach one-on-one students? You can become an online teacher if you have the right tools. And that’s where this article comes in handy. Alright, now I want to show you how to create an app for online teaching, so you’ll be able to globally teach through your app, as well as make money from it. Let’s face it. There’s lots of ways you can make an app. But if you really want to learn how to create an app, the best place to start is by basic coding. That’s one way to understand how to create an app…
Are you thinking about how to create an app for online teaching? Have you tried creating your own app in the past, but were turned off by how difficult it was? Maybe it seemed too expensive. Maybe you didn’t know where to start. Well, creating a mobile or tablet application isn’t as intimidating as you might think.
Types of Educational Apps
I’m sure you have a better idea of what type of learning application you want to create, but let’s look at all available options. It may spur your imagination.
First of all, educational solutions may target:
- learners and their parents or guardians
- teachers
You may also think of other potential users like school administration or advertising agencies (interested in placing ads on your education platform). It’s important to remember that you will probably need an extra layer for managing your digital product provision.
Beyond that, it’s the wild west. For example, G2 lists 30 subcategories for education software, including:
- learning management systems (LMS)
- classroom management software
- education ERP applications
We’ll take a look at the most notable categories when reviewing the top learning apps.
All you really need to know about the types of educational apps is whom your product will serve and how you will help this target audience achieve their learning goals in the most efficient way.
For those who lack the time, knowledge, or incentive to write their own code, there are any number of app publishing resources available. The free ones are somewhat limited in the degree to which you can customize the apps you create, or place ads in the apps you create. The free software/service companies offer their paid premium versions for those whose needs aren’t met by the no-cost version. A few examples are given below.
1. App Development Software – Ironically, some of the most highly user-rated software programs are free, either open source or proprietary. One of the most versatile of these is the open source eclipse Classic. This software enables the user to create apps for most major mobile operating systems, including Android, iOS, iPhone, as well as desktop OS’ including Windows, Linux, and Mac. While it does require coding knowledge, it offers a wide range of plugins, as well as the required editor, debugger, and version control.
2. Appmakr – Robust apps for iPhone and Android devices. Even the free version allows you to publish a test app to see your finished product before publishing it in the App Store.
3. Appypie – Highly popular, especially among those who have no interest in writing code. Not only allows you to build your apps, it automatically publishes the completed apps to the appropriate app stores.
4. Appsbar – A free, simple app maker that allows the user to create, publish, and promote your apps, including on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
5. Appery.io – Cloud-based, with a drag and drop visual editor using a wide array of available components. Though the app is developed in the cloud, the finished apps can also be exported and hosted elsewhere.
Of course, there are many other options, as well as other software and cloud-based services for educators who are comfortable writing their own code and handling the submission process directly through the various app stores, such as Google and Apple’s App Store. The only real limitations upon what you can do are your own level of expertise, how much time you are willing to devote to the process, and what you can spend.
In the end, a well designed and published app can be a useful tool that will go a long way toward engaging your students and inspiring them to learn the skills they will need as they continue their academic and professional careers.
Top 10 Successful Learning Apps on the Market
Before we tell you how to create an educational app for Android and iOS, I suggest we dive right into the review of your competitors. If you’re envisioning a custom developed mobile app for educational purposes, you absolutely have to know who your main competitors are.
I’ve used SensorTower to analyze the top educational apps in 2020-2021, and here’s the list I came up with:
These very applications have dominated the top ten free and top-grossing apps throughout 2020 and the beginning of 2021 in the App Store. There has to be a reason, right?
How about we analyze them a little? I bet it will give us some basic understanding of what type of educational solution can help you grab a decent piece of that $1.6 trillion edtech market. Or a bit of $2.2 billion in venture capital (raised by edtech startups in 2020), for starters.
WHO’S WHO
A quick intro to all the trending mobile learning products, so you know what they are in general.
Duolingo and Babbel — language learning.
Mathway and Photomath — help users crack through math problems with explanations.
ABCmouse — one of the most popular apps for kids that covers reading, math, art, and music.
Google Classroom — connects teachers with students in a virtual classroom.
Picture This — identifies a plant in a photo, tells the user how to care for it, and keeps track of watering, etc.
Epic — a digital library for young children.
Kahoot — create and play quizzes.
Socratic — think Google search for scholars on AI steroids, optimized for learners.
WINNING EDUCATION APPS BY AUDIENCE
Out of 10 applications, 6 target learners only, and 4 both learners and teachers. It’s worth noting that the apps targeting both user groups include two interface variants — it’s almost like having two products in one.
When you build a learning app like that, the upside is the economy during development because you get to reuse blocks that are common for all users. However, the potential downside is that as an app grows with features, the differing logic for user groups may come into conflict. So you may find yourself trying to squeeze two code bases under the same facade, which makes little sense.
Most applications target grownups, with only two catering to children’s educational needs in terms of age.
WINNING EDUCATION APPS BY ACTIVITIES
What do these applications allow users to do?
- language learning x2 (Duolingo and Babbel)
- math x2 (Mathway and Photomath)
- 2 applications that help teachers organize learning activities (Google Classroom and ABCmouse)
- reading for children x1
- 1 application to spark curiosity about plants and teach how to care for them
- quizzes x1
- self-studying x1
WINNING EDUCATION APPS BY SUBJECT
If we look at what kind of subjects these apps teach, we’ll discover that the majority focuses on a single subject like learning a foreign language or practicing math.
Probably only Google Classroom, Socratic, and ABCmouse don’t have a single subject, helping learners and instructors connect on multiple (or unlimited) topics.
MasterClass
Price:
Unlimited Subscription (includes access to all classes) – $180/year
Library:
80+ classes
Free Trial:
No
MasterClass is an online learning platform that everyone is talking about. What makes it different is that the courses are taught by world-famous experts and celebrities. You can learn acting from Natalie Portman, filmmaking from Martin Scorsese, singing from Christina Aguilera, cooking from Gordon Ramsay, writing from Dan Brown, etc.
For $15 a month you get unlimited access to all classes. Each course consists of an average of 20 lessons, each lasts approximately 10 minutes. Classes include high-quality video lessons, assignments, workbooks, and community activities. You can also join discussions to ask questions, get feedback, and connect with other students. There are no deadlines, so you can learn at your own pace. All the videos can be downloaded for offline viewing using a mobile app.
The classes are divided into nine categories: Film & TV, Culinary Arts, Writing, Music & Entertainment, Sports & Games, Business, Photography, & Fashion, Business, Politics & Society, Lifestyle, and Science & Technology. MasterClass doesn’t offer certificates of completion.
MasterClass is a good platform for creatives who are interested in personal development and seeking inspiration from the best professionals in the field.
Brilliant.org
Price:
Brilliant Monthly Subscription (includes unlimited access to all courses) – $24,99/month
Brilliant Annual Subscription (includes unlimited access to all courses) – $149/year
Library:
60+ courses
Accreditation:
No
Free Trial:
Yes (7-day free trial)
Brilliant is an online learning platform that focuses on STEM subjects – Science, Math, and Computer Science. The courses are designed for both children (aged 10+) and adults. Their goal is to make learning fun, engaging, and interacting, and that is what makes Brilliant one of the best learning platforms, especially for young adults.
You can learn a variety of subjects on Brilliant, including Algebra, Logic, Advanced mathematics, Calculus, Geometry, Classical physics, Quantum mechanics, Foundational computer science, and others.
Brilliant offers monthly and annual subscriptions that include full access to all courses on the platform and thousands of practice quizzes across all topics.
In my opinion, Brillian is a great platform but because it only covers STEM subjects, it is mostly suitable for those who are interested in math and computer science. A 7-day trial is available for anyone who wants to try Brilliant at no cost.
Blackboard Collaborate
Blackboard Collaborate is a highly interactive, browser-based online teaching platform built to create learning experiences.
The platform also features an interactive whiteboard, live chat sessions, live polls and quizzes, screen sharing, and real-time annotations and text. You can record, monitor, and manage live classroom sessions, and create reports based on performance. Blackboard Collaborate allows you to connect with entire classes or individual students based on the needs of the classroom.
There is a 30-day free trial for Blackboard Collaborate. You must contact the company for pricing information.
Baamboozle
This is another free online game site. Its main advantage is that it’s set up so that students can play online in teams, but they don’t have to go into different breakout rooms. In other words, students can select a question to answer and talk among themselves in front of others to determine the correct answer (other students are waiting for their turn to choose another question). If that explanation is a bit confusing, it will be very clear once you go to the site itself.
Quizizz
This is a free online learning game site that is incredibly easy to use, has zillions of already-made games on just about every topic that are fun activities for reinforcement and formative assessment, and has recently added a simplified Nearpod-like feature (for those of you familiar with that popular tool) called student-paced “Lessons.” My students love playing Quizizz games in teams divided into separate Zoom breakout rooms. Unlike other game sites, students can see the question and the possible answers on the same screen and don’t have to split them into two.
Math Learning Center
This virtual manipulative website is a staple in mathematics classrooms where students interact with familiar manipulatives such as base 10 blocks. Teachers can customize the site by creating problems, saving templates, and sharing private links with students. The best part is that the tools encourage flexible thinking as students explore multiple ways to model their understanding.
Conclusion:
Have you ever considered creating an app for online teaching? It’s a great way to offer your students a chance to review the material on their own time, and you’d have a great platform to showcase your courses. However, building an app can be a challenge. Luckily, there are tools which can make this process easier and price free!