Learning platforms can be a powerful learning tool. In some cases, they have been found to increase students’ motivation and achievement, as well as help develop specific skills. A learning platform or e-learning platform is a software tool that allows the creation of educational modules with some computer software support, usually instructional materials and assessments. Learning platforms are often used as a supplement to traditional training methods, but they might also be used as a part of blended learning.
Here, I explain what are online learning platforms and how we can go about them.
E-Learning, distance education, online learning, are some of the names given to this form of teaching that is gaining more and more space and followers.
The advantages that online classes offer, such as flexibility of time, location and learning time, meet the needs generated by the lifestyle of most people, in which there is less time to get to a classroom and fulfill fixed schedules.
This reality puts in focus a tool called Learning Management System (LMS), an eLearning platform used for distance education.
What is a Learning Management System
A LMS is a software which provides all the tools for creating and selling online courses.
– Step by Step to Create Online Courses
Equipped with features that allow you to interact with students, enrollment management, workload, payments, among others, it aims to serve online learning.
In addition to course management, more complete eLearning platforms, such as Coursify.me, allow users to create courses by customizing their web page as they wish.
The instructor has the possibility to create his own visual identity within the platform, using the logo, cover, images and texts of his choice.
The main resources that an e-Learning platform has are:
- Creation and management of courses;
- Registration and management of students;
- Integration with other platforms, such as Dropbox and YouTube;
- Tools for working with videos;
- Tools to distribute files and other support materials;
- Payment management;
- Tool for monitoring the student’s progress;
- Tool for interactions with students.
Other than that, there is still the possibility of organizing the course material in modules, lessons or in whatever way you think is best to facilitate the use and learning.
A complete e-Learning platform, such as Coursify.me, offers the possibility to host and access materials developed in a variety of different formats, such as Office documents, videos and applications.
Among all the available features, we can highlight some that we consider of great value for the creation of online courses:
Personalization of the platform
Useful resource for both teachers and students, it allows the professional or a company to maintain their identity.
This option facilitates their recognition and creates a link with students, stimulating the relationship as occurs in the case of a brand with the consumer.
– 5 steps to create a visual identity for your brand
Student Area
Very useful to facilitate interaction, the Student Area provided by Coursify.me has a chat where teachers and students can communicate.
Thus, in addition to answering questions, this discussion space simulates a little bit of the experience of a classroom, enabling conversation and the development of a relationship between users.
– How the Coursify.me Student Area works
Financial management
Resource that allows you to manage payments, normally, the financial management solution is integrated into the banking system to facilitate the control of cash flow efficiently and safely.
An e-Learning platform must also be integrated with online payment platforms, such as PayPal,, allowing collection and payment in the preferred currency of the course creator.
Personalized domain
Having a personalized domain is of great value for companies and professionals who want to have a completely customized e-Learning platform.
In many cases, this helps to give greater credibility and gives an image of professionalism to the business, as students believe they are accessing an exclusive company website.
Responsive system
Currently, it is essential that a website is perfectly accessible by any type of device, be it desktop or mobile.
It is not enough just to open the page on different devices, it must adapt to the different screen formats and navigation modes, delivering the best experience to the user, so that he does not give up taking the course due to the difficulty of use.
And these are just some of the resources that an e-Learning platform should offer to facilitate distance education.
EXAMPLES
BEST OVERALLUdemy
If you want to learn something, it’s probably on Udemy. The site is less of a unified “platform” and more of a portal or repository where students can access well over 100,000 courses on every topic imaginable.
Language, arts, music, and fitness courses can be found alongside lessons on programming and IT, business skills, teaching, productivity, and much more. There are even categories for personal development and lifestyle, which cover life skills and other techniques that aren’t necessarily the kind of thing you’d get in an academic setting.
There’s not one standard format for a Udemy course—the platform allows instructors to design multimedia lectures with audio, video, and text elements, plus readings, quizzes, and other activities. Udemy allows students to preview classes they’re interested in and does offer a 30-day refund if you’re dissatisfied.
Because each class is created and taught individually, they’re also priced separately: Lifetime access to a single course can range from inexpensive (about $11 to $15) to pricey (roughly $200 or more).
BEST FOR CREATIVE FIELDSSkillshare
While many online platforms basically provide college-style classes, Skillshare is less formal and aimed more at improving creative skills.
There are business and marketing classes on the platform, but the majority are courses in creative fields, taught by practicing experts in those fields: photography, film, animation, visual arts, writing, interior design, and more. The focus is on teaching practical skills that students can then use to create their own projects. Most courses involve a series of video lessons, combined with assignments for students to practice their skills.
Skillshare has a subscription model, rather than a per-course payment plan, so students who sign up can take as many or as few courses as they want while they’re subscribed. The current pricing is $32 per month, or if you pay for one year upfront, the cost is $168 (which works out to around $14 per month).
That being said, the platform does offer a set of free classes as well, from short, 20-minute videos to longer tutorials of an hour or more. They’re not as in-depth, but they’re a good way to try out potentially interesting topics.
BEST FOR CELEBRITY LESSONSMasterClass
Although MasterClass offers more than just creative courses, its marquee offerings are the ones that put A-list actors, writers, artists, musicians, and more in the teacher’s seat.
And, these aren’t just one-off “talk” style classes: Most courses have around 20 lessons, just like a traditional one, so you get to really dive deep into your topic of choice. If you want to learn about these often-opaque professions, there’s no better way than to hear about it straight from the people who have been successful already.
These courses are video-based, with practical advice and demonstrations mixed in with straightforward lectures, workbooks, and class discussions. You can get TV writing advice from Shonda Rhimes, learn to cook from Gordon Ramsay, take a film class from Martin Scorsese, or explore creative leadership with Anna Wintour.
Since MasterClass is a subscription-based platform, you can take as many sessions as you want within a monthly subscription. The price is about $15 per month for unlimited access, but students have to sign up for one year at a time.
BEST FOR COLLEGE CLASSESCoursera
Coursera isn’t just a place to take classes that are like college courses—it actually offers real academic courses from real professors and universities at a fraction of the cost of getting an online degree.
The platform partners with over 200 universities and companies to provide real learning experiences that can connect to real-world benefits. In some cases, you can even earn certifications or degrees entirely through Coursera, which can then potentially lead to professional benefits like raises, promotions, and more. Even if you’re not looking for professional development reasons, Coursera offers challenging and interesting classes on plenty of topics, so you can explore interests you might not have had before.
The platform allows for multimedia courses, so professors can construct classes, upload videos, assign and grade quizzes and homework assignments, and other elements that would be present in a “real” online college class.
Each course is individually priced (the cheapest start around $30 to $40 and increase from there), although there are some instances where you can purchase a bundle of courses at once (and sometimes at a discount) as a “track” or certification/degree program. You can also get unlimited access to over 3,000 courses with Coursera Plus for $399 a year. It’s pretty much the closest you’ll get to the online college experience without enrolling in college.
BEST PEDIGREEEdX
EdX has a high-end pedigree—it was founded by Harvard and MIT—but an accessible system.
Real college courses, created and taught by real college instructors, are available in a huge array of fields and topics. They do lean slightly toward STEM fields, but there are plenty of languages, humanities, and arts topics, too. Partnering with several universities, EdX offers professional degree certificates, plus “micro” degree programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, largely as a tool for professional development.
Through a partnership with Arizona State University, they also offer a “Global Freshman Academy” to earn transferrable undergrad credits for select lessons. Classes are similar to “real” online courses: Lectures, reading material, assignments, discussions, and quizzes are just some of the elements you may encounter.
The big selling point for EdX is that the majority of their courses are free—but there’s a catch. If you’re just taking the class for your own learning experience, the free version will probably work, but if you want to have formal verification for professional reasons, the “verified certificate” option costs about $49 per class.
Each course does have an official “start date,” cycling over and over again, but once the session begins, students can proceed at their own pace.
BEST FOR TECHUdacity
Tech skills are among the most marketable classes you can take on your own time, and Udacity has courses in all of the most in-demand fields.
The platform is designed as a variation on the “coding bootcamp” style of learning, with programs focused on web development, programming, cloud computing, and data science. Whether you’re a total newbie trying to develop a new skill set, or you’re looking to expand your knowledge of a certain topic, there’s probably a course at the right level for you.
Each program includes hands-on practice, real-world applications and examples, individual code reviews, and real instructors and career coaches who can address your individual needs.
Udacity’s platform is a little different than some of the others on the market. Rather than focusing on individual classes, their primary offering is a “nanodegree”—a bootcamp-esque programs which includes multiple lessons, projects, personalized reviews, class discussions, and one-on-one technical mentoring by experts. Most programs require one to five months of part-time study, depending on the subject.
All these features do come with a price tag, though: It’s about $399 monthly, or roughly $597 for students who buy the full four months at once.
Conclusion
Learning platforms are booming in popularity not only for students but also college professors and schools. Learning platforms allow people to learn an unlimited amount of topics, share knowledge with others around the world, interact with teachers and other students, and much more. If you’re ready to explore an online learning platform there are many out there but you should know the basics first.