A typical and common example of an online course platform is coursera (Cetina, et al.). The main generic features include online course creation and editing, content management system, learner activity tracking, learner assessment system, online communication, interactive learning tasks and plug-ins. The online course platforms allow the creation and editing of courses, which usually contain a combination of videos, text content, slides and tests. A content management system allows easy management and modification of content. A learner activity tracking and assessment system gives instructors the ability to track learner progress, assess their performance and provide feedback on results to learners. Online communication allows interactions between learners and trainers, such as forums, private messages and online meetings. Interactive learning tasks can take different forms, such as questionnaires, tests, project tasks and group tasks. Plug-ins allow you to extend online course platforms and customise their functionality. Online course platforms offer many advantages in education, such as flexibility, accessibility and interactive learning tasks. However, the efficiency and effectiveness of education depends on a number of factors, such as the quality of content, learner motivation and learning methodology (Alojaiman, 2021).

 

The functionality of the online course platforms allows courses to be created in modules, each containing different topics and activities. This allows courses to be customised for learners, who can choose the modules that are relevant to them, and their order and duration. Modules usually contain pre-designed and easily editable elements that are simple to use and easy to combine, so that courses can be tailored to learners' needs and preferences.

 

However, by recognising the advantages and disadvantages of online course platforms, learners can prepare themselves well for the online learning experience and make the best use of the opportunities available. The advantages of online course platforms include a wide choice of courses, flexibility, price and ease of use. However, they can also have drawbacks such as lack of transparency, differences in quality, questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of courses, and a lack of community experience (Cetina, et al.).