INTEGRATING E-CONTENT TO ENHANCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN SOCIAL SCIENCE: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE ALIGNED WITH NEP-2020

This study examines the effectiveness of e-content in enhancing interest and
critical thinking skills among IX standard students in Social Science in the Erode
district, Tamil Nadu. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which
promotes digital pedagogy, this research addresses the need for interactive learning
tools in abstract subjects.
A total of 60 students were selected using simple random sampling and divided
equally into experimental and control groups. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test
control group design was employed to measure outcomes. The experimental group
received instruction through validated e-content modules, while the control group
followed traditional lecture-based methods. Data were analyzed using mean, standard
deviation, and t-tests (paired and independent samples).
The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference in post-test
interest scores, with the experimental group (Mean = 89.13) outperforming the control
group (Mean = 76.53). Furthermore, the experimental group showed a substantial
improvement in critical thinking skills from pre-test (Mean = 52.63) to post-test (Mean
= 90.93), significantly surpassing the control group's post-test performance. These
findings confirm that e-content-based teaching effectively stimulates student interest
and fosters higher-order thinking skills. The study recommends the systematic
integration of e-content in secondary education to create equitable and engaging
learning experiences.