Using Community as a Classroom approach to Enhance Dzongkha Learning and Experiential Competencies in Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of utilising community as a classroom approach on learning in a Dzongkha module (mindfulness and awareness) among pre-service B.Ed First-year students across science and arts streams, framed within the principles of place-based education. Employing a quasi-experimental design, students from the History/English and Biology/Chemistry courses formed the treatment group (n = 61), while those from the English/Geography and Physics/Mathematics served as the control group (n = 52). The intervention engaged students in structured community-based activities, such as visits to the local Dratshang (monastery) and interactive lectures by the Lam Neten (head of the monastery), designed to enhance authentic language engagement, cultural appreciation, and applied learning. Descriptive statistics revealed higher mean scores for the treatment group (M = 14.77, SD = 3.45) compared with the control group (M = 13.15, SD = 2.52). Levene’s test indicated unequal variances, F (1, 111) = 4.97, p = .028, and an independent-samples t-test assuming unequal variances confirmed a significant difference, t (108.64) = 2.87, p = .005, mean difference = 1.62, 95% CI [0.50, 2.73]. Perception data collected from the treatment group only indicated strong agreement regarding the approach’s relevance, engagement, and practicality (M = 4.04–4.22), with moderate challenges reported (M = 2.88, SD = 1.01). Findings affirmed that using community as a classroom approach enhances learning, reflection, and professional readiness through culturally grounded, place-based pedagogy.