Enhancing Life Skills Among Secondary School Students in Kerala: An Applied Educational Psychology Perspective

This study examines the effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches in enhancing life skills among secondary school students in Kerala, India. Life skills are essential competencies that enable individuals to effectively manage personal, social, and academic challenges in contemporary society. The study employed an experimental research design using a parallel group method to compare traditional teaching approaches with modern pedagogical methods such as experiential learning, project-based learning, and cooperative learning. A sample of 50 secondary school students and 30 teachers from selected schools in Kerala was selected using stratified random sampling participated in the study. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Statistical techniques including descriptive analysis and t-test were used to analyse the data. The experimental group achieved a higher mean score in life skills development, indicating the effectiveness of experiential and student-centered teaching strategies. Teachers also expressed more positive perceptions toward the integration of life skills when using innovative teaching approaches. The findings of the study show that the students learned life skills through innovative pedagogical methods demonstrating higher levels of improvement as compared to the students learned through conventional methods. The study highlights the importance of incorporating modern pedagogical strategies in secondary education to enhance students’ personal, interpersonal, and problem-solving competencies. The findings have significant implications for curriculum planners, educators, and policymakers, emphasizing the need to integrate life skills education systematically within the school curriculum to prepare students for the complex demands of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.