We’ve built eFront from scratch with a revamped architecture and the latest web technologies to showcase our vision for how a modern eLearning platform should be.
Now, after eFront has proved itself in the market as a worthy successor to our first generation eFront LMS, and with the latter finally getting the EOL treatment, we’re stepping up our game with new releases delivering even more performance and polish and exciting new functionality.
In fact, the first of these new versions has just landed, bringing along two great new features: the Site Builder and the Gamification engine.
As both features are quite extensive in their capabilities, we’ll decided to break down their introduction in two separate posts. First we’re gonna have a look at the Site Builder — what it is and how you can leverage it to build great looking web pages from inside eFront. As for the the Gamification engine, stay tuned, for we’ll be covering that in a follow up post.
Let’s get site building
Managing and displaying eLearning content is the first and foremost duty of an LMS, but it’s hardly enough. As most people who’ve ever run an eLearning portal discovered, you often need to display custom content and messages to your users or the internet viewers at large.
eFront has long catered to that need by letting you create content “Blocks”, and use them to assemble a customized homepage for your eLearning portal (kind of like Legos for your content).
While that covers a lot of use cases, it’s hardly the most flexible implementation possible. To give you even more freedom, starting from this release, we’ve extended on the blocks functionality by introducing Pages.
This means that you’re not restricted to customizing your homepage, but you can create a full, beautiful and extensive web-presence solely with eFront and without having to pair it with another CMS like WordPress or Drupal (though, of course, you can always do that too, if you want).
The all-new Site Builder lets you extend your eLearning portal with additional pages like an “About Us” or “Contact” page, add promoted courses on the main landing page, implemented your own FAQ section, etc.
And the best thing is that, since the Site Builder extends upon the Blocks functionality, if you’re familiar with those then you already know how to use it.
The Site Builder even lets you re-use your blocks between pages by simple dragging-and-dropping them on the pages you want. This allows you, for example, to have a “Register Now!” block in all of your pages or have a banner displayed on some specific pages.
And if you don’t know where to start from, eFront includes a couple of built-in Blocks with specialized functionality (namely a “Contact Us” block and a “Promoted Courses” block — we’ll keep adding to that list in upcoming updates) to help you begin building awesome looking websites straight away.
Can’t wait?
The latest eFront update is available immediately to all registered users. Get it while it’s hot, and be the first to play with the new features.
If you’re not an eFront user yet, but would like to know more about the platform, email us or take it for a ride for free and join the eLearning revolution with the best LMS in the industry.