OPERATIONALIZING NEP 2020: EMPOWERING MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH METACOGNITIVE AND GAMIFIED PEDAGOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Abstract

The educational sector in India is undergoing significant transformation in many ways. Integrating technology and student-centric, experiential learning is part of an effort towards having an educational base for building a Viksit Bharat by 2047. A purpose for active learning becomes apparent with the foundation of the National Educational Policy 2020. The middle school stage, however, is abstract and presents a complex reality, having just begun to be the focus of active research and development of teaching frameworks and approaches. The reality in middle school presents an inherently intricate and complex nature of the problem, which active research has just begun to clarify. To translate the national vision at the middle stage, instructional frameworks and approaches need to be of a high order and be validated. The present study adopts a validated, rigorous approach, in contrast to the ‘surface-smooth’ gaming elements, which are empirical in nature and are integrated into ‘active’ frameworks. The study employs a true experimental approach to investigate the effect of gamified teaching interventions on metacognition and academic self-efficacy of middle school learners. This study aims to provide the psychological environments and validated frameworks for digital learning, which the NEP 2020 advocates for, and which encourages self-regulated learning and is self-guided.Likewise, the chapter outlines how governing section-level random assignments and usingdesigned testing methodologies present critical empirical proof for technology-enhanced pedagogy. Eventually, encouraging middle school students to develop strong self-efficacy and metacognitive awareness puts the foundational skillnecessary for lifelong learning, directly positioningthem with the national goal of cultivating strong, innovative citizens to drive India's global leadership by 2047.