Software Testing at GlobalStep is aimed towards realizing our customer goals as we get involved in the e-learning application development life cycle, right from designing e-learning courses to creating excellent user experience on e-learning platforms.
Author – Rachel Roxburgh
Rachael Roxburgh is the QA Lead at GlobalStep UK. She manages large scale e-learning projects with integrated delivery from multiple locations around the globe.
E-learning, also known as Electronic Learning, is a method of educating people using electronic means such as the internet or software.
The e-learning industry is predicted to reach: 375 billion dollars by 2026. E-learning provides flexible, on-demand, agile learning solutions. During the pandemic organisations recognised and embraced these benefits, and e-learning is now a core element of learning and development programs.
Growth always brings stiff competition; hence while upgrading a product, it is necessary to maintain a high quality and outstanding customer experience.
Are you ready to begin planning your digital transformation roadmap?
From designing e-learning courses to developing e-learning applications, e-learning companies require a rigorous approach to create a seamless experience for the end consumer. Software testing, much like any other process across the development life cycle of a product, is crucial to realizing the goals set.
Know your Target Audience
At GlobalStep, we understand that e-learning courses are designed to cater to a variety of users based on their demographics and sensibilities. We make sure to consider those details at all steps of testing the various aspects (navigation, UI/UX, functionality etc.) of an e-learning solution.
Schools
E-learning from home became a necessary teaching method due to the covid outbreak. Using e-learning methods and software created for schools made it easier for teachers to keep students on track.
Security and accessibility are key considerations for e-learning within a school environment to protect pupils and ensure the solution meets the needs of those with Special educational needs and disabilities.
Large Business Workplaces
Large organisations will have structured training programmes to help onboard, teach specific skills or software and provide continuing professional development for their workforce. E-learning allows businesses to roll out these training programmes tailored to their needs and at scale.
Security and accessibility will also be essential to large businesses, alongside tracking and reporting to monitor progress and understand the return on investment (ROI).
SME or SMBs
People running SMEs and SMBs will also want to provide training and development for their teams and access learning for themselves. E-learning offers a cost-effective, effortless way to access the information they require.
Flexible, bite-sized learning that fits around the user schedule and can be delivered cost-effectively is crucial in this market.
Optimize for E-learning Platforms
E-Learning courses typically contain many multimedia resources, such as images, videos, examinations, and potentially collaborative and interactive materials. For an e-learning application to be tested precisely to ensure excellent functionality, testing the medium of choice for content delivery to students, tutors, and global learners is critical. Here are some examples of platforms used for e-learning:
- Websites – this platform does require access to the internet; however, there is a variety of options online, which gives a lot of accessibility to the users.
- Software and Apps – these platforms tend to be for more specific topics; nevertheless, because it is downloadable on mobile phones or computers, it makes it easily accessible for the user.
- Games – this type of platform is typically associated with a younger audience, however the use of games and gamification to learn new skills is now widely used within e-learning as it provides an engaging and fun way to learn.
Go beyond Software Testing Methodology
Validating the content and effectiveness of an e-learning software or Learning Management System (LMS) is critical to meeting the desired goals of e-learning companies. The true value lies in going beyond these basics to test the security, usability, and overall performance. These provide an eye-opening view into the challenging task of meeting the highest standards in the e-learning industry and capturing the e-learning market.
Functional Test
In checking the functionality of the platforms, we ensure the website, software, game, or app works as intended. Does the media open correctly? Is there audio, and does it work? Is the website working as intended? For example, is the website interactable? If they have videos, do they play?
Content Test
Check all the platforms are displaying the information correctly. When testing a website, software, game, or app, we check that the platform’s information is displayed correctly, the visuals reflect the context precisely, and the audio is practical.
Browser Test
When checking websites, software, games, and apps, we ensure they work on different browsers and devices so everyone can access the products without any issues. For example, Apple devices work differently from Windows devices, so we ensure the products work seamlessly on both.
The GlobalStep Solution:
E-learning is a flexible, agile educational tool that enables people from all walks of life to access knowledge across various topics. Therefore, learning content needs to be relevant to different demographic groups and tailored to global locations. From the end user’s perspective, every module and learning experience must work as designed and intended, with the correct content and visuals across all devices and browsers.
GlobalStep Digital Services helps e-learning organizations with new perspectives and customized e-learning solutions to ensure customers receive the right product on time and to budget. Our services assist the organization in fast adoption, retention, and monetization. We have extensive breadth and depth in e-learning Digital Products using the latest Digital and Cloud technologies and the most modern engineering processes.
At GlobalStep, we perform software testing on different business domains; we give significant importance to domain knowledge while testing applications. Click here to learn more about us, or reach out to us for a quick discussion.
