Enhancing Pre-service Teachers’ Confidence in Communicating with Higher-Status Individuals through the Nonviolent Communication Learning Process -

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) develop a learning activity using the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process for pre-service teachers, 2) examine their confidence in communicating with higher-status individuals before and after the activity, and 3) explore their opinions toward the learning process. The participants were 60 first-year pre-service teachers from the Faculty of Education, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University, selected by purposive sampling. The research employed Action Research following Kemmis, McTaggart and Nixon (2014) cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The activity was designed by integrating NVC with Active Learning and Experiential Learning approaches. It emphasized self-awareness building, communication practice through role-play situations, and reflection to turn experiences into lessons. Three experts evaluated the activity as highly appropriate overall mean = 4.62. The results showed that participants’ communication confidence after the activity was significantly higher than before at the .01 level pre-test M = 2.94, SD = 0.58 / post-test M = 4.02, SD = 0.49, t = 11.45, p < .01 Qualitative data from short-answer questionnaires revealed three main changes: 1) inner transformation, such as feeling more confident and having the right to speak fairly; 2) meaningful and lively learning from real-like situations and immediate feedback; and 3) intention to apply NVC principles in real life, including during teaching practicum, group work, and family communication. The findings suggest that changing communication behavior requires processes that allow learners to practice, reframe their perspectives, and reflect on themselves in a psychologically safe environment. This approach has strong potential to enhance both professional skills and emotional competence for teachers in the 21st century.