You’ve probably heard about Coursera, Duolingo, or platforms like Khan Academy. They all belong to an EdTech — a field that could completely change our perception of education and learning. 

Remember those days when you had to sit down and spend hours flipping through a math textbook? You were confused and frustrated. The main goal of EdTech is not to teach you something just for the sake of teaching. The thing is about a real understanding and creating meaningful connections, all with the help of innovative technologies. 

Incorporating technologies in education is one of the key and profitable trends. But how to ride the wave and create something big in this sphere?

Read our blog post and find out:

• The value and importance of the innovative technologies in education sector
• The best practices for EdTech app development 

Understanding the EdTech Landscape

Back in the year of 2012, the teacher survey showed that gamification in EdTech enhanced the learning processes. Now, we have ChatGPT or Gemini and can say that integrating technologies is indispensable. 

By telling about EdTech, we have in mind many things: 

1. Learning management systems (like Moodle, Canvas, and Blackboard)
2. Language learning platforms (like Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise)
3. Adaptive learning technologies (Smart Sparrow and Knewton)
4. EdTech apps (Duolingo, Quizzlet)

The recent predictions say that the annual growth of the EdTech sector will reach 16% between 2022 and 2026. One of the most prominent benefits of EdTech is increased accessibility of education. There is no matter whether the pupil was born in Africa or the US, the education quality will still be high. 

Best Practices for EdTech App Development

One of the best examples of EdTech Apps is Duolingo.

Remember that owl from Duolingo? You start your learning (let’s say Spanish language). However, shortly after…Something happens.  Life gets busy, and soon you miss a day...then another. Then the owl appears in your mailbox. It’s so cute that you don’t want to disappoint even this dictionary character. You return to Spanish, and this is EdTech in practice. 

Actually, Duolingo is one of the most well-known examples from EdTech. The company made its name due to the modern technologies helping its users learn languages faster and with greater pleasure. 

What are the key elements that unite Duolingo and other heavyweights in the EdTech industry? Рow to achieve the same success? 

User-Centered Design

Focus on clear EdTech app design and logical content organization. The key features to help students in learning are: interactive elements, multimedia content, gamification, and personalization. 

Follow these steps: 

1. Conduct Thorough User Research: Start by deeply understanding your target users, whether they are students, teachers, or parents. Through surveys, focus groups, and usability testing, gather insights into their specific needs, preferences, and pain points. Tailoring the app’s features and design based on this research leads to a more meaningful and effective user experience.
    
2. Create Intuitive and Engaging User Interfaces: EdTech apps need to capture attention quickly while remaining easy to navigate, especially for younger audiences. Avoid overly complex layouts, opt for clear icons, and utilize visual hierarchy to guide users intuitively.
    
3. Prioritize Accessibility: Accessibility is key in EdTech. Ensure that your app adheres to accessibility standards, including options for visual, auditory, and motor impairments. Features like screen readers, color contrast adjustments, and customizable text sizes can make learning accessible to all.
    
4. Gamification: Integrate game-like elements. Such are: points, badges, or leaderboards. You can also add things like images or quizzes.
    
5. Progress tracking and analytics: Give children tools so that they can track their learning progress. This could definitely help to identify gaps and guide their study plans more effectively. 

Educational Effectiveness

Although EdTech has proved to be highly effective, it won’t happen on its own. 

Follow these steps: 

1. Align with Established Educational Frameworks: Collaborate with educational experts to ensure the content aligns with recognized curricula and standards, like the Common Core or Next Generation Science Standards. This alignment builds credibility and helps educators integrate the app seamlessly into existing learning environments.
    
2. Incorporate Evidence-Based Teaching Methodologies: Design content and features based on proven pedagogical principles. Techniques like spaced repetition, active learning, and formative assessments are well-documented strategies that can reinforce learning outcomes.
    
3. Measure Learning Outcomes Effectively: Incorporate analytics tools to track user progress, engagement, and learning milestones. These insights allow for ongoing optimization of content and features based on real-world user performance.

Technology Selection

Carefully selecting a robust and flexible technology stack is essential to meet the unique demands of EdTech users. 

Follow these steps: 

1. Choose the Right Technology Stack: Selecting a technology stack that supports scalability, security, and ease of integration is essential for EdTech. For instance, using frameworks like React Native allows for seamless cross-platform educational app development, while backend tools like Firebase offer secure data storage solutions.
    
2. Consider Scalability and Maintainability: An EdTech app’s user base can expand rapidly, so plan for growth. Select technologies that support easy upgrades, handle large data volumes, and allow for straightforward maintenance.
    
3. Stay Updated on Emerging Technologies: Staying at the forefront of technological advancements enables you to offer fresh, innovative solutions. For example, AI can enhance personalization, while AR/VR can create immersive learning environments. Integrate these technologies thoughtfully, ensuring they serve an educational purpose rather than being a mere novelty.

Wrapping up

If used wisely, EdTech could be a world full of opportunities. It has the power to solve complex issues and transform the educational landscape. 

Creating EdTech is not always a cakewalk. You need technical expertise and a clear understanding of the educational landscape to create a solution that meets the needs of both learners and educators.

If you are looking to build an EdTech app like Duolingo (or even want to surpass it), get in touch with Innovation Feel, and we’ll try to make the best product for you! Hire an EdTech developer from Innovation Feel.