A lot of edtech still treats students like users. You “log in,” “complete modules,” “consume content.” It sounds more like software usage than learning.

But learning isn’t passive. It’s not something done to you. It’s something you build—through questions, exploration, and trial and error. At Pebble Education, we don’t design for students. We design with them.

Our best ideas have come from student feedback. New projects, club formats, and even parts of our courses came from conversations, not internal meetings. Students told us what was boring, what felt forced, and what helped them actually understand.

That feedback loop is the real engine. It only works if you treat students as partners, not targets. And it means handing over some control. When students shape the experience, they care more. They take risks. They try again.

You can’t design great learning by assuming what people need. You have to listen, test, and co-create. Students aren’t users—they’re builders, editors, and often the best teachers in the room.

This mindset changes how we think about everything—from how we launch a course to how we respond to emails. It makes our programs better, and it makes the people in them feel seen.

We’re building something together. And that’s the point.

— Arnav Bonigala