9 EdTech Web Design Trends That You Should Follow in 2023

eLearning has a bright future ahead. In fact, the industry will witness a high peak in the coming years. As per Globe Newswire, the e-learning market size is expected to be worth $648 billion by 2030. It isn't surprising as the sector saw a big surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. To leverage EdTech, educational institutions are following the top web design trends. 

The designs of educational apps or websites play significant roles in delivering fantastic user experiences. While building an e-learning platform, capturing users’ attention and keeping them engaged should be your main priority. And for this, you must stay updated with the latest Edtech website design trends and implement them while creating your platform. 

I have covered some of the top web design trends prominent in 2023 and will be beyond. Check them out below. 

The 9 Most Prominent Web Design Trends for the EdTech Sector

Adoption of Minimalistic Design

Today, designs are all about “less is more”. Designers widely embrace this idea, resulting in apps and websites with simple designs. A minimalistic design is characterized by crisp edges, open spaces, and some bold colors. They contain less texture and shadows. 

If you are handling the design aspect of your eLearning platform yourself, it can be challenging to follow the minimalistic approach since you lack the technical expertise. Moreover, you will have other critical business tasks to take care of, leaving less time for the design work. You can entrust a web design and development company to complete the job perfectly.

Seeking professional help can be beneficial, as when done right, a minimalistic design can draw attention to important information without distraction. A monochromatic design can also be helpful in this context. This is because it makes many elements appear distinct. Additionally, you can choose white spaces that declutter your online platform and make the essential features stand out.

Following the Nanolearning Practice

It’s the beginning of nanolearning, a solution educational organizations can adopt for concise and easy-to-absorb information. Let me explain the concept of nanolearning. It is a bite-sized learning style characterized by crisp and precise texts, sound bites, short videos, and other similar resources. For example, you indulge in nanolearning when you search a YouTube video to learn how to prepare a particular recipe.

With nanolearning, you can cater to the younger generation, especially Gen Z, considering their shorter attention span. This is absolutely vital in this digital age. The average human attention span is decreasing, making nanolearning a significant Edtech website design trend that will become more prominent going forward. It is an effective and irreplaceable way of educating students in 2023 and beyond. 

Applying Gamification Elements

Attractive visuals and engaging mechanics are why people love playing video games. The same theory applies to online learning, making gamification a prominent EdTech web design trend. Gamification gives users a dopamine rush, making even mundane and boring topics fun. Users can earn badges and points, allowing for positive and engaging experiences. 

Organizations are extensively using gamification in eLearning to provide more interactive user experiences. These can increase engagement and allow for more retention of users. Additionally, gamified elements in educational technology can invoke positive emotional responses, impressing website visitors. 

The best thing is gamification works successfully irrespective of the age of students. Web design teams can use game or animation elements to design progress-tracking dashboards, best user lists, experience badges, and other parts of eLearning platforms. These excite students and awaken their passion for learning. 

Content Personalization 

Personalized or “smart” content is considered one of the three primary motivators for learning. You can ensure effective content by delivering personalized and relevant data to users as they progress in their learning journeys. 

Personalization takes students on learning paths that are specifically customized to their interests. It allows learners to proceed with the necessary intel at their own speed. AI and chatbots leverage algorithms to disseminate information as required, making personalization easier. 

Automating the feedback collection system can help administrators ensure that the AI recommendations are constantly improving. Therefore, lessons become more relevant, engaging, and effective with smart content.

Integration of Virtual and Augmented Reality

Educational institutes extensively use Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for their eLearning platforms to deliver immersive and interactive learning experiences. These innovative forms of technology are becoming increasingly popular and affordable in the EdTech industry. And there are some solid reasons for this too!

Virtual reality enables users to experience simulations or real-world scenarios. These allow for highly immersive learning experiences. On the other hand, Augmented reality helps provide learners with a more contextual and flexible learning experience. No wonder web developers focus on these two aspects while catering to clients in the EdTech industry!

You already know about personalized learning. VR and AR allow for more interactive and personalized learning. Today, these forms of technology are widely used in eLearning platforms, providing users with highly immersive and engaging learning experiences. 

Adoption of Mobile-First Philosophy

The use of smartphones continues to rise every year. More than half of first-time website visitors are usually mobile users. Additionally, some visitors begin their journey on one device but end on another. 

Thus, just like digital brands, educational institutions planning on creating online learning platforms must think about how their websites will work on multiple devices. This is essential to guarantee visitors good and consistent experiences across devices. And this is where the mobile-first philosophy trend comes into play in the EdTech domain!

It is about considering all devices together and focusing on the overall experience. Anyone emphasizing the mobile-first philosophy will thus be optimizing storytelling and sharing the same creative direction and content. 

However, it can be challenging to design for mobile-first due to constraints like smaller screen sizes and trickier interactions. This calls for practices like concise texts and precise brand messaging. The mobile-first design approach includes better-optimized images, larger font sizes and buttons, more media content, ample white space, and more. 

These are ideal for smartphones but also suitable for other devices and help deliver a simpler, faster, and more targeted experience. 

Use of Bolder Layouts and Color Schemes

An educational app or website is a shop window for the world, attracting learners and driving admissions. It is an excellent opportunity to bring people together. Young prospective parents are highly familiar with the internet, especially social media platforms. Their expectations are different, and every educational organization should accept this. 

Online platforms have evolved in the last few years, and so have the thinking of web designers. There is a greater emphasis on bolder concepts and a more distinctive visual approach. Consider brands with brighter color schemes and more striking color contrasts for a better understanding. These brands feel less serious but more welcoming. 

The way educational institutes use videos on their apps or websites has evolved drastically in recent years. Today, there is an increased demand for more exciting layouts and typography options. These differ from the conventional grid structure, look more personal, and are highly dynamic. 

These help the digital platforms stand out and encourage people to notice them. It also helps showcase the institution’s personality more effectively and leaves a lasting impression.

Creativity with Character

Today, design has become more expressive and personal, unlike how it used to be earlier. It can be an effective choice depending on your goals. There has been a re-emergence of qualities like textures, patterns, shadow gradients, and illustrations that add warmth and personality. Visitors love these; hence, you must implement them in your eLearning platform. 

These aesthetic elements are subtle individually but can help add greater depth to your website/app experience when used together. It results in rich, varied, and more memorable designs. 

It isn’t restricted to just the media and graphics but includes movement. Every year, we are witnessing a rise in the use of motion and animations. They can add additional layers of depth and help create a sense of personality. It makes the interface unique, making the website/app stand out. They can help draw visitors’ attention to the essential features of the platform and the vital parts of the brand message. 

Focus on Storytelling Beyond the Homepage

Lastly, it’s all about storytelling. It is a fine way to reach your audience. However, what does storytelling on a college website or app look like? Whatever approach you decide to take, it should be about your goals and the audience. Ask yourself, “What is the moral of our story or key takeaway you are trying to convey?”

First, it is essential to know about your target audience. Next, you must know the types of stories that will grab their attention. And finally, engage with your audience on an emotional level. It is about how visitors feel about your website, not just what they think.

Remember, the homepage is just the start of the story. Many visitors may not start exploring your online platform through this particular page. Some of them may directly visit the financial aid or admissions page. 

Therefore, you must think about the structure of your story in terms of the overall user journey. You should consider multiple types of visitors in your design process and choose the elements accordingly. 

Conclusion

These are some notable web design trends for the EdTech sector that you can look forward to and implement in 2023 and beyond. You can take the help of a professional custom web design company in this regard. An expert team would ensure your eLearning platform is designed following the best practices.