Ansible: Using NETCONF to push config change to IOSXE switch - Error iter() returned non-iterator of type 'dict_keys'

Question

I am working through a short Cisco DevNet course on Ansible pushing playbooks to a node in CML. I made it through the section using Cisco IOSXE modules with no issue and have now made it to NETCONF. Im recieving a error iter() returned non-iterator of type 'dict_keys' when using these NETCONF plays. I have looked for solutions and have been trying to get this to work for about 6 hours now.

Error received:

fatal: [10.0.15.5]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "module_stderr": "iter() returned non-iterator of type 'dict_keys'", "module_stdout": "", "msg": "MODULE FAILURE\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error"}

I have tried using variables in the hosts file as well as in a /group_var/cisco.yml file, reboot the CML node, tried on Ubuntu, WSL, and installed a fresh RHEL to start over and try again.

Here are my current files...

Directory

[admin@localhost Automation-Stuff\]$ ls
ansible.cfg   group_vars   hosts   host_vars   play.yml

ansible.cfg

[defaults]
gathering=explicit
inventory=./hosts
host_key_checking=False
deprecation_warnings=False
interpreter_python=/usr/local/bin/python3

hosts

[cisco:vars]
ansible_connection=ansible.netcommon.netconf
netconf_port=830
ansible_user=admin
ansible_password=C1sco12345
ansible_become=yes
ansible_become_method=enable
ansible_network_os=cisco.ios.ios
subnet_id=5

Heres the playbook play.yml

---
- name: NETCONF set NTP server
  hosts: cisco
  gather_facts: false

  tasks:

  - name: set ntp server
    ansible.netcommon.netconf_config:
      content: |
            <config xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0">
              <native xmlns="http://cisco.com/ns/yang/Cisco-IOS-XE-native" xmlns:nc="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0">
                <ntp>
                  <server xmlns="http://cisco.com/ns/yang/Cisco-IOS-XE-ntp">
                    <server-list>
                      <ip-address>10.1.{{subnet_id}}.1</ip-address>
                    </server-list>
                  </server>
                </ntp>
              </native>
            </config>

Here is the play output

[admin@localhost Automation-Stuff]$ ansible-playbook play.yml  
PLAY [NETCONF set NTP server] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ 
TASK [set ntp server] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** 
fatal: [10.0.15.5]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "module_stderr": "iter() returned non-iterator of type 'dict_keys'", "module_stdout": "", "msg": "MODULE FAILURE\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error"} 
PLAY RECAP ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* 
10.0.15.5                  : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0