Survey Shows Teachers See Play and Choice in Learning Methods As Key to Student Engagement

A recent survey of teachers by Kahoot reveals that educators see playful learning and student choice in learning methods as vital to helping boost student engagement and outcomes, according to a new report from the ed tech company.

Kahoot’s May survey of over 8,000 K–16 educators nationwide found that teachers are still concerned about drops in student engagement during the pandemic, and they consider more student-centered approaches as the path forward.

Seven in 10 educators responding said they “believe that their students are more engaged when lessons involve play,” Kahoot reported, and 68% of respondents said “”their students are more likely to remember what they learn during learning activities they choose themselves.”

Key Findings of the Kahoot Educator Survey

  • 59% of respondents said students are less engaged and motivated in class than before the pandemic.
  • 60% said their students have struggled with feeling a lack of control.
  • 70% said their students are more engaged when they’re able to explore a variety of learning experiences and choose what they’re interested in.
  • 75% said technology “has been an important tool for making learning more active and student-centered, primarily by enabling students to learn through play.”
  • Respondents cited a variety of skills they witness their students develop when classroom engagement increases through playful learning and choosing their activities, including critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration, Kahoot said.

Kahoot solutions include learning management system Clever and apps DragonBox, Poio, Drops, Actimo, Motimate, and Whiteboard.fi. Learn more at Kahoot.com.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • blue AI cloud connected to circuit lines, a server stack, and a shield with a padlock icon

    Report: AI Security Controls Lag Behind Adoption of AI Cloud Services

    According to a recent report from cybersecurity firm Wiz, nearly nine out of 10 organizations are already using AI services in the cloud — but fewer than one in seven have implemented AI-specific security controls.

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.

  • tutors helping young students with laptops against a vibrant abstract background

    K12 Tutoring Earns ESSA Level II Validation

    Online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring's role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

  • various technology icons including a cloud, AI chip, and padlock shield above a laptop displaying charts and cloud data

    Data Security Report Identifies Cloud Governance Gaps, AI Impact

    A recent Varonis data security report notes that excessive permissions and AI-driven risks are leaving cloud environments dangerously exposed.