From classroom to EdTech innovator: Pekka Peura on how Kahoot! is transforming education

Dive into the conversation to discover how Kahoot! is making learning more interactive, saving teachers time, and leveraging research to drive innovation.

In this exclusive interview, Rui Xiaolu from the International Centre for EdTech Impact sits down with Pekka Peura, Professional Development Expert at Kahoot!, to explore his journey from teaching to EdTech, the power of gamification in learning, and how Kahoot! is empowering educators and students worldwide.

When Pekka Peura began his career as a math and physics teacher in Helsinki in 2007, he never imagined he’d one day be at the forefront of a global education revolution. Today, as a Professional Development Expert at Kahoot!, Peura is helping millions of teachers worldwide make learning more interactive, engaging, and effective. In an exclusive interview, Peura shared his journey from the classroom to the cutting edge of educational technology, and how Kahoot! is transforming the way teachers teach and students learn.

From Teacher to Tech Innovator

Peura’s transition from teacher to EdTech expert was anything but planned. After a decade in the classroom, he became known for his innovative teaching methods and a blog where he shared his experiments with other educators. “I was always passionate about creating better ways to teach,” he recalls. “My blog led to speaking opportunities, and eventually, I started my own teacher training company.”

In 2017, Peura’s path took an unexpected turn when he encountered DragonBox, a startup creating a math game for young children. “It was the best math teaching tool I’d ever seen,” he says. He began collaborating with the team, and when DragonBox was acquired by Kahoot! in 2019, Peura found himself part of one of the world’s most popular EdTech platforms.

At Kahoot!, Peura’s mission remains rooted in his teaching experience: helping educators use technology to enhance learning. “It’s about empowering teachers and students,” he explains. “Kahoot! isn’t just a tool; it’s a way to make learning more participatory and dynamic.”

Making Learning Interactive

One of Kahoot!’s most significant strengths is its ability to turn passive learning into an active experience. While many know Kahoot! for its quiz-style games, Peura highlights newer features like polls, word clouds, and brainstorming questions. “These tools allow students to contribute ideas and opinions, making them active participants in their learning,” he says.

Gamification is another key element. “Engagement is crucial,” Peura notes. “But it’s not just about fun. Collaborative question types, like brainstorming together, can be even more effective than traditional quizzes.”

Saving Teachers Time with AI

For teachers, time is one of the most precious resources. Peura emphasizes how Kahoot! has evolved to address this challenge, particularly with the advent of AI. “Before AI, our biggest asset was our library of over 100 million ready-made kahoots, many created by other teachers,” he says. “Now, with AI, we’ve taken it a step further.”

Kahoot!’s AI-assisted generator can create a full lesson in seconds, complete with polls, quizzes, and multimedia elements. Teachers can also generate content from PDFs, URLs, or even their own lesson plans. “The time spent creating content has been reduced to a third or less,” Peura explains. “But the teacher remains in control, deciding what to include or exclude.”

Empowering Teachers with Feedback

Assessment and feedback are critical to effective teaching, and Kahoot! is designed to make both more actionable. Students receive instant feedback on their answers, while teachers get detailed performance statistics. “The system highlights struggling students and suggests ways to revisit challenging material,” Peura says.

Kahoot! also offers tools like flashcards and an AI feature that lets students create kahoots from their notes. “It’s about making learning more personalized and giving teachers the insights they need to support their students,” he adds.

Evidence-Based Evolution

Kahoot!’s success isn’t just anecdotal; it’s backed by research. Over 155 peer-reviewed studies from 51 countries have shown that Kahoot! boosts learning, motivation, and engagement while reducing student anxiety. “We’re fortunate to have this independent validation,” Peura says. “It helps us improve our tools and communicate their effectiveness to educators.”

Advice for Educators New to Gamification

For teachers hesitant to embrace gamification, Peura offers simple advice: “Be curious. These tools can save time, make teaching more engaging, and improve learning outcomes.” He emphasizes that Kahoot! is designed to be accessible. “You can start with just one click. The basic features are free, and we’ve made everything as simple as possible.”

A Promising Future

As the interview concludes, Peura reflects on the broader impact of Kahoot! and the role of research in shaping its future. “We’re grateful for the independent studies that validate our work,” he says. “It’s not just about technology; it’s about creating better learning experiences for students and better tools for teachers.”

For Pekka Peura, the journey from classroom teacher to EdTech innovator has been driven by a single goal: to make learning better. And with Kahoot!, he’s doing just that—one game, one lesson, and one student at a time.