We are witnessing the best digital transformation era: from the dial-up Internet connection speed up to ADSL, then upgrade to cable and fiber Internet. All that has turned our lives upside down. We might have had doubts in the past regarding eLearning and mLearning. But after COVID-19 hit and education has made its big moves. The global lockdown prompted people to shift their daily activities, including education, to their homes. You no longer need to commute; we can attend the classroom right in the comfort of your house on your laptop or mobile phone. Who would have thought of such a wild idea 20 years ago?

The field of eLearning and mLearning solutions is advancing rapidly, leading to the demand for cutting-edge eLearning and mLearning software has escalated, solidifying its position in the IT market. In 2015, the market size for mLearning was valued at $7.98 billion but had skyrocketed to $22.4 billion by 2020. It does not stop there; experts predict the market will reach an astonishing $25.33 billion by 2025.

As eLearning and mLearning rely heavily on technology, the quality of academics goes hand in hand with innovative, consistent, and well-thought-out eLearning and mLearning courses. To align with such requirements, eLearning and mLearning solutions need a quality assurance process, Software quality testing.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the best-fitting testing types to deliver quality software.

Quality Assurance for eLearning and mLearning products

With a focus on fostering knowledge, educational institutions and related businesses continuously develop learning solutions to make learning accessible to everyone. The global shift towards a digital environment has helped rapidly transform the traditional educational system, expanding beyond the confines of physical schools and universities.

As students, the end users are being offered a diverse range of choices through eLearning and mLearning solutions; the quality of its deliverables in eLearning courses must remain reliable and rational, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for all users.

Based on the findings of the Global Market Insights Report, it is projected that the size of the eLearning market will exceed $1 trillion by 2027. The significant growth in the eLearning market indicates a growing target audience across all age-span groups, social backgrounds, and cultures. To create a stable course environment,
By conducting comprehensive testing of all mission-critical components, the quality of IT products can be elevated to the next level. This, in turn, enables end users to have an advanced learning experience that surpasses their expectations, leading to increased satisfaction and engagement.

06 software testing types for grade “A” educational software

Behind every successful release of an IT solution that boosts revenue and uplifts end-user trust is the existence of a robust Software Quality Assurance strategy and proactive software testing. Various Quality Assurance activities contribute to averting defects commonly found in educational software, such as prolonged application response time, sudden crashes, poor functionality, and other issues that could jeopardize a company’s leading position in the market.

1. Performance testing

In the realm of remote education, the demand for eLearning and mLearning software has experienced a significant surge, attracting a larger number of students than ever before, driving a high load of incoming traffic, delaying responses, slowing down apps interactions, and other technical issues that can result in app closures and users switching to the alternatives that function more reliably.

As a matter of fact, nobody can endure such repercussions. Therefore, we recommend conducting the following activities to verify the product performance:

• Load testing: evaluating the behavior of a software product under both estimated expected and high loads.
• Stability testing: to analyze the platform’s performance during long-term testing with a moderate load level.
• Stress testing: in check with the software functionalities when subjected to having simultaneous users than the specified capacity.
• Volume testing: measures the solution’s capability to handle large data storage volumes.

Implementing performance testing informs companies regarding their software capabilities to operate even in unpredictable situations, offering the optimal experience to end-users.

2. Localization testing

Suppose you initially set out to make your eLearning and mLearning solutions accessible worldwide. In that case, you need to ensure your software is compatible with different regions, cultures, and languages universal user-friendly interface, easy navigation, and fast page load no matter where the customers are. Duolingo is one outstanding example regarding this very same scenario. They have worked the extra mile and made their products adaptable to 20 locales.

A seamless user experience requires in-depth localization testing, which involves identifying and rectifying inconsistencies in translation and adjusting time zones, dates, and calendars. Additionally, localized GUI testing is performed to certify that the software’s content does not compromise the integrity of the layout, which can have a detrimental effect on the learning experience.

Testing is vital for high-quality mLearning and web mobile eLearning platforms, improving user experiences and productivity on mobile devices.

3. Security testing

While enrolling in an educational course, personal data would be collected, ranging from basic information like names to sensitive details such as credit card numbers for online payments.

When individuals have settled with a learning platform, they expect their sensitive information and online transactions to be safeguarded excessively. The significance of this issue is further highlighted by the UN Official, who emphasized that cyber incidents escalated by 600% during the COVID-19 period, establishing it as a top priority. Companies must implement security testing measures to mitigate the risks of data loss, prevent unauthorized system access, and secure online payments. This proactive approach aims to identify vulnerabilities, fortify protection mechanisms, and validate the robustness of security measures within digital education platforms.

4. Compatibility testing

Analyzing end-user preferences and identifying the most popular platforms is essential before initiating testing activities.
Once this analysis is complete, conduct compatibility testing across the selected top-listed devices and browsers to confirm software functionalities and stabilities on all devices.

Adopting the compatibility testing approach guarantees the cohesive operation of educational solutions in different environments; this approach enables the delivery of the best possible customer experience to all learners.

5. Compliance testing

Like any other industry, the eLearning and mLearning sectors have their regulations and standard, such as the SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) or TinCan (xAPI), or SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework).

To ensure that educational software meets these standards effectively, forward-thinking companies incorporate compliance testing. This allows Quality Assurance specialists to assess the interoperability of eCourses with other platforms and learning materials, promptly identifying any deviations from the prescribed rules. By detecting and addressing such discrepancies early on, companies can minimize Quality Assurance expenses and guarantee full software conformity with regulatory requirements.

6. Mobile apps testing

Our phones are officially tied to our daily lives; it’s the new addiction, you might say. We check our phones at least 58 times a day, and statistics are collected and broken down by Exploding topics. As the convenience of mobile usage, mLearning has been favored by the majority. Plus, mLearning offers advanced mechanisms and precise training activities, leading to a 43% improvement in productivity.

In light of this, mobile testing is getting the highest priority compared to other digital devices such as tablets, laptops, desktops, etc., including compatibility mode in both portrait and landscape phone modes, handling network interruptions effectively, and managing incoming calls seamlessly.

Wrapping up

The digital transformation evolution is constantly reshaping every sector in its own way. For some, it might be such a minor change, while others experience a roller coaster of transition. The digital era has shifted customers’ intention toward accepting distance learning through online courses in a positive direction. The traditional classrooms need to be more adequate in providing an interactive learning environment and prompt evaluations of those incapable of obtaining decent learning facilities.

The adoption of eLearning and mLearning solutions fills this shortage. The online platforms meet the high demands of conducting e-classes, sharing learning resources, submitting assignments, and monitoring the student’s performance. To streamline these operations without confronting glitches, crashes, or interruptions, software quality assurance tests have to be implemented in conjunction with the eLearning and mLearning software development process.

By incorporating the six main software quality testing activities listed above, enterprises can make their eLearning and mLearning solutions stand out in the education industry. This enables them to do faster product releases, reduced Quality Assurance costs, and fosters the trust of their global customer base.

As a trustworthy partner, SHIFT ASIA – the leading software testing company with the ISTQB certified engineer teams and advanced technology methodologies, SHIFT ASIA is thriving to bring each client tailored solutions that cope with their current development methodologies, aligned with their business goals and, above all, delivering a high-quality software product to stay ahead of the competition. Contact SHIFT ASIA today and get a free consultation.