Transforming Educational Platforms with Serverless Technology

Overview

Techling chose Character Strong as a partner to update and improve its platform. The main goals of the project were to increase its capabilities, create smooth performance, attract more users, and enhance functionality. Character Strong provides resources to help teachers grow professionally and enhance their work with students.

 Even so, the initial backend could not quickly handle the influx of new users or provide content when the site was jam-packed. To ensure that training is seamless for everyone, Techling introduced a cloud-native system, customized to handle the large number of learners using the platform and the delivery of their training. 

We used a serverless framework and Node.js with TypeScript in the backend to build a platform that could grow automatically and safely. As a result of this approach, the platform became faster and was simpler to maintain and improve.

Challenges

Manually Managing Content

All training tools and educational content had to be handled manually and updated every time. Not only did this take a lot of time and effort, but it also increased the risk of mistakes on the site.

Missing Real-Time Functions

There were no live updates, message functionality or new content available. Consequently, users did not pay much attention, making the training dull and distant.

Greater Inefficiency at Work

Before using automation or integrated systems, staff tracked users, created reports, and communicated with them solely through manual options. This decreased productivity and slowed down the process of learning new things.

Solutions

Automated Distribution

Techling established ways to automate the dispatch and updates of all learning materials. They could now handle content from a main panel, helping to speed up training and reduce the effort needed.

Example

As soon as a new emotional learning video was released, users could find it on their dashboards automatically, without any help from an editor.

Real-Time Interactions

We implemented real-time communication using Amazon’s SNS and SQS. Now, users are updated instantly, which makes learning more enjoyable and interactive.

Example

If a user completes a module, they are instantly granted a badge and advised on what to do next. Because of this, users log in more frequently and continue using the platform.

Streamlined Operations

With DynamoDB’s support, Techling could automatically perform tracking, reporting, and user segmentation. As a result, the team had more time for future planning instead of handling day-to-day tasks.

Example

Now, a school district manager can find out that 70% of the staff completed Module 3 by simply checking the platform immediately.

Features & Benefits

Effortless Scalability

With a serverless configuration, cloud resources scale up or down based on usage. No matter how many people use the system simultaneously, everything runs smoothly, giving each user access when needed.

Smarter Operations

Routine duties such as adding and distributing content can be automated. With this support, teams can focus on advancing the company, outlining its goals, and interacting with employees instead of handling administration.

Real-Time Engagement

When using the application, users can receive notifications and interact directly. This makes gaming more exciting and keeps the user interested and determined.

Optimized Costs

Serverless technology ensures that resources are only used at the required times. No money is wasted on unused servers, and the company saves a lot on infrastructure, resulting in impressive speed while reducing costs.

Technologies Used to Build the Solution

Category Technology Used
Backend Node.js, TypeScript
Cloud Infrastructure AWS Serverless Framework (Lambda, API Gateway)
Database DynamoDB (fully serverless, NoSQL)
Architecture Event-Driven with AWS SNS/SQS for real-time messaging