The Impact of the "Digital Cultural Heritage" Model on Reducing Psychological Barriers and Developing Self-Directed Learning Competence in Literature among Ethnic Minority Boarding School Students

This study evaluates the impact of the "Digital Cultural Heritage–Literature" model on psychological barriers and self-directed learning competence in Literature among students at Quang Ninh Provincial Boarding School for Ethnic Minority Students. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was employed with 300 upper-secondary students in Grades 10–12, including 150 students in the intervention group and 150 in the comparison group. Psychological barriers were measured using 16 observed variables across four dimensions, while self-directed learning competence was measured using 20 observed variables across five dimensions. A common Literature task score was used as an additional indicator of learning performance. At pretest, the two groups did not differ significantly in psychological barriers, self-directed learning, or Literature task scores (all p > 0.49). Psychological-barrier scores subsequently decreased from M = 3.296 to M = 2.761 in the intervention group, compared with a decrease from M = 3.284 to M = 3.142 in the comparison group; the between-group difference in change was significant (p < 0.001; d = −1.77). Self-directed learning increased from M = 2.959 to M = 3.476 in the intervention group, compared with M = 2.965 to M = 3.169 in the comparison group (p < 0.001; d = 1.66). Literature task scores also improved more strongly in the intervention group, with a between-group difference in change of 0.814 points (p < 0.001; d = 2.60). ANCOVA controlling for baseline scores confirmed significant group effects for all three outcomes. The findings indicate that the model was associated with substantial improvements in the study sample, while interpretation remains bounded by the non-randomized design and the modest internal consistency of several short subscales.