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Purpose: This article examines the use of English medium instruction (EMI) for teaching Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) by non-native speakers with a focus on multilingual classrooms. It also explores teachers' positive and negative beliefs about using EMI in classroom settings for JFL instruction. Methods and procedure: 274 non-native Japanese language teachers from around the world (57 countries) voluntarily participated in a survey, answering a questionnaire on Google Forms and Jotform. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The research instrument was piloted before the main study and was found to be effective and adequate to elicit the desired data. The research questions aimed to identify whether there were any relationships between the use of EMI and the multilingual classroom. Findings: The results showed a clear correlation between the extensive use of EMI and the multilingual character of JFL classrooms. Translanguaging turned out to be a common practice adopted by non-native Japanese teachers regardless of the primary language of instruction. The article concludes that EMI can be a valuable tool for JFL instruction in multilingual classrooms. Based on the investigation of the teachers' beliefs, the results showed a changing positive attitude towards English employed in JFL classrooms. Implications for research and practice: The findings can be used to further investigate EMI in JFL instructional practices in multilingual classrooms, improve the quality of JFL instruction and facilitate the integration of multilingual education into foreign language teaching. Future research can explore the effectiveness of EMI in different JFL contexts and investigate the impact of EMI on students' language learning outcomes.

This study aimed to explore the undergraduates' attitudes and perceptions towards the use of synchronous zoom classroom for learning, and the effect of individual differences on the perceptions of zoom learning. Data were collected via online structured questionnaire from a total of 379 undergraduate students, who utilized a hybrid mode for learning, at purposively selected two state universities. The findings explored that undergraduates did not overwhelmingly support or oppose the utilization of zoom platform for learning. Multi-group analysis revealed that: male undergraduates were more receptive to use zoom classroom for learning, and perceived more beneficial aspects associated with zoom classroom compared to female undergraduates; further, undergraduates in the final academic year had the preference for zoom learning whereas those in the first academic year did not show a definite inclination either in favour or against the use of zoom for learning; moreover, significant differences were observed over the preferences on learning through both zoom and face-to-face regarding theoretical and mathematical subjects where learning of theoretical subject was supported by zoom and learning of mathematical subject were not showed a definite inclination either in favour or against the use of zoom. These findings clearly demonstrate that there is a possibility to take forward the teaching and learning through a hybrid mode which integrates both online mode and traditional face-to-face mode. This research provides insights for educational policy makers and university administrators to incorporate a hybrid learning mode for effective learning and solution for the highly demanded physical infrastructure facilities in the universities.

This article casts light on informal caregiving, an essential aspect of the international postgraduate researcher (PGR) experience, but which is often invisible in literature and discourses on international education. Drawing from qualitative semi-structured interviews with international PGRs in a British university, it highlights their dual role as care recipients and lesser known caregivers across transnational and local spaces. It gives insights into the forms and dynamics of care that they give to and receive from family, friends and others, uncovering the emotional and affective aspects of undertaking a postgraduate research degree overseas which impact on their mental wellbeing. The findings have implications for the improvement of university support for international PGRs which has relevance for the wider international student community.

The global imaginary contributes to the perpetuation of neo-colonial and neoliberal mentalities, which reinforce the political, cultural, and social dominance over international students. Through an exploration guided by interrelated theories of agency and transnational social fields, this study employs a narrative inquiry methodology with a constructivist research approach to comprehend and investigate the agency of international graduate students of Color amidst transnational mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic within a four-year public research institution in the United States. The research findings demonstrate that specific contexts and spaces shape the agency of international graduate students and (trans)form their present and future. This article reveals four distinct forms of agency: agency as negotiation in uncertainties, agency as resistance to forms of (neo)racism, agency for personal growth and (trans)formation, and agency within transnational futures.

Purpose: This article explores the impact of systematically designed online collaborative activities in two engineering undergraduate modules and key considerations for student interaction in Moodle. Design/methodology/approach: The educational design research approach was chosen to improve educational practices through iterative needs analysis, design, development and implementation. The study followed design-based research (DBR) approach, with a mixed-method research design used to uncover the critical factors in designing, developing and implementing online collaborative learning activities for improving student interaction. Two iterative cycles of online collaborative learning activities were implemented using the Moodle learning management system for two modules of an engineering undergraduate degree programme at a state university in Sri Lanka. Findings: Results indicate that students had demonstrated increased motivation for collaborative activities, and they had not experienced any significant difficulties in accessing materials or instructions. This study emphasizes that the design of learning activities has a greater influence on determining the level of interaction between the learner interface and the learner content. Also, a higher number of interactions on the wiki page improved learner-learner interactions, likely due to clear instructions and reduced complexities compared to previous Moodle activities. Overall, appropriately designed online activities can enhance students' motivation and improve communication, collaboration, cooperation and a sense of community among peers. Research limitations/implications: The study's constraints included a small sample size of 93 students in two courses, which limits generalization of the results. The study's findings should be carefully considered before being applied to courses with nontechnical content. The second constraint was the number of courses on which the activities were carried out. The activities were designed specifically for two Earth Resources engineering courses, and the developed activities addressed technical course content. The effect of the activities on students' engagement and motivation in various courses with nontechnical content must be investigated, and a complete generalization of the study's results may be called into question. As a result, careful consideration must be given to generalizing the study's findings. Practical implications: The study found that authentic collaborative learning activities using online technologies increased student participation and helped them discover their engineering design skills. Future research can focus on developing activities for other technical courses and incorporating additional tools into the instructional process. The use of a design-based research approach was recommended for future studies to obtain more comprehensive results than traditional comparative study designs. Originality/value: The findings of this study suggest mechanisms to improve student interaction through online collaborative activities, particularly for delivering technical content. Such an understanding of learner interactions with course content, peers, teachers and interfaces will assist in the effective transformation of traditional technical content to online delivery mode. This is a unique study of converting in-class delivered engineering module content to online delivery within an equal time frame under restricted facilities and conditions resulting from a pandemic environment.

The use of digital technology has the potential to support students' understanding in the mathematics classroom with the teacher playing a vital role. However, teaching with digital technology is not trivial, especially for teachers who are new to this. In this paper, we present an analysis of the enactment of a function lesson of a Sri Lankan mathematics teacher who used digital technology for the first time in her teaching. We combined the instrumental orchestration and ROG (resources, orientations and goals) frameworks into a conceptual framework to analyse her teaching. In particular, we used instrumental orchestration to identify how the teacher orchestrated the resources in her technology-rich classroom. This was combined with ROG theory to understand the reasons underpinning the decisions involved in moving from one orchestration to another. We demonstrate that this teacher showed diverse orchestrations and use the ROG framework to present these in the sequences in which they were used, formed into chains of orchestrations linked by goals. We propose that her didactical performance is a function of orchestration types over in-the-moment decision-making.

Simulation is accepted as an effective method of learning procedural skills. However, the translational outcomes of skills acquired through simulation still warrants investigation. We designed this study to assess if skills laboratory training in addition to bedside learning (intervention group [IG]) would provide better learning results than bedside learning alone (control group [CG]) in the context of venipuncture training. This prospective, cluster-randomized, single-blind study took place at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Seventeen clusters of second-year medical students were randomly assigned to either IG or CG. The IG trained on venipuncture in the skills laboratory, receiving instruction after modified Payton's Four Step Method. Following the training, students of both IG and CG underwent bedside learning for one month. Afterward, students of both groups performed venipuncture on actual patients in a clinical setting. An independent, blinded assessor scored students' performance using the Integrated Procedural Protocol Instrument (IPPI) and a checklist. Patients assessed students' performance with the Communication Assessment Tool (CAT). Eight and nine clusters were randomized to the intervention and control groups, respectively. IG completed significantly more single steps of the procedure correctly (IG: 19.36 ± 3.87 for checklist items; CG: 15.57 ± 4.95; p < 0.001). IG also scored significantly better on IPPI ratings (median: IG: 27 (12) vs. CG: 21 (8); p < 0.001). Rated by patients, students' communication skills did not significantly differ between the two groups. Simulation-based venipuncture training enabled students to perform the procedure on actual patients with a higher technical accuracy than students who learned venipuncture at the bedside. Students were able to transfer the skills acquired through venipuncture training at the skill laboratory to the bedside.

In Sri Lanka, about 300,000 Sinhala speaking people are either deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and would benefit from a common Sinhala sign language, technological resources such as captioning, and educational and social support. There is no fully developed common sign language for members of the Sinhalese community, a severe shortage of sign language interpreters, and few resources for teachers. This exploratory study was undertaken in all nine provinces of Sri Lanka into the use of sign language, access to education for people with disabilities, and the availability of trained or qualified educators to work with the DHH people. Data were gathered via interviews and focus groups with Special Education Assistant Directors, Principals and Teachers in Deaf Schools, and Teachers of Special Education Deaf Units in mainstream schools. The DHH members of Sri Lankan society are marginalized, under-supported, and require urgent attention to their educational and social needs. This study provides a basis for much needed attention and reform.

Mobile shopping (m-shopping) adoption has been significantly touted in the contemporary era; however, the adoption of m-shopping is still under shadow in many developing countries. The aim of this study is to discover the impact of device system quality on m-shopping adoption among university students with the support of UTAUT and UTAUT2 theories. The study employed PLS-SEM (symmetric) and fsQCA (asymmetric) analysis simultaneously using survey data from 530 respondents who are primarily university students. PLS-SEM results found positive significant relation between device system quality and m-shopping adoption. The study contributes with an extension of earlier studies that combine PLS-SEM (symmetric methods) and fsQCA (asymmetric methods). The study is limited among the university students that may affect the generalizability of the study. The casual recipes in this research aid policymakers to achieve their strategic objectives in implementing positive m-shopping behavior among the university students.

This paper examines the factors influencing preferences for undergraduate study using administrative data on applications to the state university system of Sri Lanka, which is characterized by centralized administration, rule-based admissions, and virtually costless applications. The feature of costless applications implies that students are unconstrained from listing out all the programs for which they wish to be considered, while the rule-based nature of admissions makes it possible to identify the exact program choice set available to each applicant. Using the constructed choice sets, I estimate a conditional logit model including measures of institutional and program quality and academic and social matching between the student and the programs to which they are eligible. The results suggest that applicants prefer programs that are more closely matched to their ability and demographic profile, though there is some heterogeneity across genders, socio-economic status, and ability. Among the measures of institutional quality, students prefer those related to the quality of teaching, such as faculty qualifications and student teacher ratios, over the quality of research. These findings have important implications for policymakers and managers aiming to propose and develop new programs or improve the quality of existing programs and institutions.

In Sri Lankan advanced level mathematics curriculum, teachers are required only to provide the intuitive idea of the concept of limit. The purpose of this study is to explore the strategies used by mathematics teachers to achieve this. Twelve in-service secondary mathematics teachers working in government and private schools participated in the study. Data was collected through lesson observations and field notes. Video recorded lessons were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed. Teaching-With-Analogy model was used as a guiding framework to evaluate how teachers integrate real-life examples in classrooms. The analysis revealed few appealing approaches as well as various flaws and misconceptions. In fact, seven teachers took deliberate efforts to link the concept to real-life and among them, four teachers gave an intuition on how x approaches a specific value, through real-life scenarios. However, many were not successful in mapping features of the real-life example to the features of the concept. Few teachers superficially and negligently applied irrelevant metaphors, analogies and colloquial terms. There were gaps in teacher knowledge when incorporating real-life connections to the limit concept. We emphasize the importance of teachers being mindful when using real-life examples in fostering intuition since inappropriate choices of examples could contribute to misconceptions.

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) training has become essential in apparel education as it is widely applied in design and development activities in the industry. This study presents how physical CAD teaching converted to remote delivery during the emergency COVID-19 pandemic using online technologies. This study evaluated five distinct methods adopted in this period: online Zoom sessions, pre-recorded practical demonstrations, guided hand-outs, online collaborative learning methods and forum discussions using Moodle. TeamViewer application was utilised for real-time remote access and support during teaching. This study instrumented two online questionnaires intended to assess the effectiveness of online hands-on sessions and collaborative learning in a remote online environment. This study was conducted with 58 participants at a recognised Sri Lankan state university. More importantly, the results confirmed the feasibility of collaborative engagement within the online learning environment. This study discovered students' preferences for synchronous teaching and learning approaches. Also, it revealed the limitations of remote CAD teaching using online technologies. Finally, this study underlined the success of the collaborative learning approach and students' perspectives on flipped classroom model for apparel CAD training. [Note: The volume number (30) and publication date (2022) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct volume number is 31 and the correct publication date is 2023.]

A graduate profile shows the qualities of a graduate passing from a particular institution. However, it does not inform the specific attributes that a graduate develops through studies. As a result, universities tend to develop Graduate Attributes (GAs) which are Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs), focusing on what the graduates of a university are capable of doing, which provide essential information for potential employers. Although General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established in 1981 and had offered degrees since then, it did not have properly documented GAs until recent. Hence, the specific attributes or capabilities of graduates were not properly documented/exhibited. Therefore, the possibility of applying Barrie's model for developing GAs for the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was assessed. Barrie's model was used as the framework and its three main components: Scholarship, Global Citizenship, and Lifelong Learning were mainly considered to maintain the holistic nature of the academic requirements. Input from syllabus documents and student/peer contributions were used in the process. In addition, Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF) published by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in Sri Lanka was also consulted. Eleven GAs were identified to include Discipline based knowledge, Problem solving skills, Communication skills, Team working ability, Management and entrepreneurship, Information technology skills, Leadership ability, Endurance, Professionalism, Lifelong learning skills, and Critical thinking. Under each GA, benchmarks were also developed with an evaluation framework (including measures to obtain employer/student feedback), in order to execute and also evaluate the level of achievement of the GAs by graduates. This study indicates that Barrie's model supported by SLQF can be successfully used to design/develop specific GAs while further facilitating its execution and evaluation.

Although bilingual education has been offered in some schools of Sri Lanka since 2001, primary and secondary school education has been conducted mainly in the first language (L1), that is, Sinhala/Tamil. As a result, most students sit for the General Certificate of Education -- Advanced Level (GCE (A/L) examination, which determines university entry, in their L1. Thus, the majority of students entering state universities do so after receiving their entire education in their L1. At the tertiary level, where many (if not most) degree programs are conducted in the English medium, students struggle to make the transition from Sinhala/Tamil medium instruction to English medium instruction (EMI).1This study examines the challenges faced by students and lecturers in three selected state universities due to this language transition. It employs a qualitative research design. Data were collected through official documents and semi-structured interviews with forty academics. Three focus group interviews were conducted with thirty undergraduates. In addition, eighteen non-participant lectures were observed in mainstream2 classrooms. The findings indicate several structural, institutional, and linguistic challenges on the way to a successful implementation of EMI in state universities and demonstrate that the transition from GCE (A/L) to EMI in universities is a challenging experience for both students and lecturers. We propose that the concept of academic literacies be used as a productive means of supporting undergraduates through their transition to EMI.

Paradigm shift is a significant modification of the core assumptions and methods of experimentation in a scientific discipline. The field of education, at all levels, has undergone tremendous change recently, precipitated by extraordinary demand for high quality and meaningful sustainable education at all levels across the globe. The national education system is segregated into five main categories: primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, collegiate (higher education) and tertiary. In Sri Lanka, basic and higher education levels are compulsory for students; however tertiary education is an optional level. Recent data show that just 20% of students who pass the GCE Advanced Level Test can be admitted into the government university system, leaving the remaining students with few options for higher education. The framework or for determining students' university choice based on their qualifications, talents, demand and supply characteristics, or their willingness to select an appropriate degree program is somewhat non-existent in Sri Lanka's existing educational system. To determine the steps that can be taken for a paradigm shift in higher education, this study aims to highlight the need for one in Sri Lankan post-secondary education while also proposing a relevant conceptual framework. The Marketing Mix Model for Higher Education, Hossler, Kotler and Fox, and the Integrated Complex Decision Model was the framework used to identify the demand pull and supply push factors affecting the university choice in Sri Lanka. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used. The study sample was drawn using stratified sampling technique and clustered into several sub-clusters such as state university, private university, technological campus and vocational Institute. Both descriptive and essential inferential statistics tools were used for the data analysis. This study identified the measures that can be used for a paradigm shift in the tertiary education.

As more students from South Asia seek to study at overseas universities, they increasingly contract the services of local education agencies to facilitate their choice of institutions and their application process. This study seeks to better understand the nature of the relationship between South Asian education agencies and students who wish to study abroad. By using qualitative content analysis of education agency websites from five South Asian countries, this study identifies key issues of potentially unethical practices committed by these agencies. It also identifies the most prevalent "push/pull" factors that South Asian agencies use to encourage students to study overseas as well as the most common services that agencies use to support students. The findings indicate that there are widespread ethical issues amongst education agencies and that students are most motivated to study abroad for quality education that may lead to emigration. The implications of this study are then discussed.

The recent review of the Veterinary Science degree program of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, emphasised student-centred learning. Towards this end, courses were introduced throughout the program to integrate concurrent discipline-based material, which were delivered via problem-based learning (PBL) methodology. As PBL was novel to the veterinary education in Sri Lanka, students' perceptions of such learning were evaluated via a questionnaire survey (Likert-scale and open questions) across all four academic-year groups in the program. Most (89.2%, CI: 87.3-91.5) students considered that PBL had been an effective method of learning. Potential to improve critical thinking had the highest score (96.5%, CI: 92.5-98.7). There were significant differences between year groups; which may reflect differences in content or facilitators' experience. Overall, PBL was well-received by students as a learning method per se and as a vehicle for horizontal and vertical integration.

Many higher educational institutes adopted digital tools to facilitate teaching and learning activities online due to COVID-19 pandemic. Among them, university academics had to rely on Zoom Meetings for teaching even if Zoom is generally used as a virtual communication tool. In order to identify future developments in implementing online education strategies, studying the perceptions of academics in using Zoom Meetings for teaching is essential. Therefore, in the present study, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology was adopted to identify the significant factors contributing to university academics' intention to continuously use Zoom Meetings for teaching. A sample survey was conducted using a random sample of 350 university academics from Arts and Management faculties of selected state universities in Sri Lanka. Self-enumeration method was used instrumenting a structured questionnaire to collect data. Structural Equation Modelling approach was used to analyse data. It was revealed that university academics' intention to continuously use Zoom Meetings for teaching is positively associated with performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence and is indirectly associated with facilitating conditions through positive mediating effect of effort expectancy. These findings make important implications on software developers, educational administrators, policymakers, and researchers in different perspectives.

Education boosts any nation's economy. Sri Lankan higher education is competitive. Because only 15% of students who take the General Certificate Examination in Advanced Level (G.C.E A/L) are qualified to enter public universities, every student struggles to get into university. Some ineligible public college students attend private universities, vocational schools, or are migrant students. 15% of students qualify for public colleges, but their abilities and skills may limit their possibilities. These characteristics show that Sri Lanka doesn't assess students' talents, qualifications, and program interests when picking a university. Thus, this study seeks to understand how Sri Lankan students choose universities. The study uses student selection dimensional variables. Hossler (1999), Kotler and Fox (1995), Marketing Mix model for higher education, and Combined Complex Decision model (Holdswoth and Nind, 2005) to quantify student university choice. Convenient sampling selected 139 students from 150. Methods were quantitative and qualitative. Descriptive and inferential statistics examined data to attain study aims. HEM majors lost students due to employability. HEM programs' flexible financing options are the biggest factor in students' undergraduate choices. Female HEM majors are unemployed. According to the findings, Sri Lanka's tertiary education system needs a paradigm shift to properly select university students.

Examinations are one way of evaluating students. To ensure the production of valid exams, frameworks such as Bloom's taxonomy are utilised when preparing questions. Bloom's taxonomy is a well-known framework that categorises educational objectives into six hierarchical levels of cognitive complexity. However, manually categorising exam questions can be time-consuming and subjective. The extant literature has yet to leverage advanced deep learning methods and state-of-the-art word embedding techniques. This study utilises the effectiveness of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models along with GloVe, BERT and TF-IDF for automating the classification of exam questions according to the revised Bloom's taxonomy. The study collected various question types from online sources and multiple state universities in Sri Lanka, resulting in a dataset of 16,584 questions labelled manually with the aid of domain experts. The dataset was cleaned using natural language processing techniques. Three models were proposed: ANN+TF-IDF, LSTM+GloVe, and LSTM+BERT. The results of the ANOVA and post hoc pairwise comparisons using Bonferroni correction indicate that the LSTM+BERT model outperformed the other models significantly. The proposed approach provides a reliable and consistent way of evaluating students, and educators can use it to improve their teaching strategies. The findings of this study have important implications for educational institutions and can lead to more effective and efficient evaluations.

The public education system shifted towards one centered on information technology due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Hence, in recent years, online learning has emerged as a substantial curriculum component at several educational institutions in Sri Lanka. The present investigation explores the pedagogical practices in Sri Lankan government universities in the new normal via a qualitative approach by interviewing eight instructors in eight public universities. The findings revealed that the pedagogy has shifted to an online context with the pandemic, and the education system continuously applies online teaching, assessment, and evaluation techniques. Teachers and students initially encountered various issues in the new normal, including technical difficulties, economic conditions, and a lack of available resources for integrating IT into the education pedagogy. Hence, current practices should continue facilitating digital infrastructure and blended approaches for better outcomes. The authors recommend that policymakers and authorities take high responsibility for building an effective IT-based strategy. It is vital to train educators and encourage them to fully utilize the recent movement towards online instruction by supplying all the necessary technological skills. Training educators and encouraging them to utilize the recent movement towards online instruction entirely is vital by supplying all the necessary technological skills. The government should provide essential infrastructure and facilities to institutions while working toward creating a welcoming atmosphere within universities. Giving encouragement and financial aid to students is critical to alleviating student pressures while transitioning to online learning methods. Policymakers must consider the significance of the human component and realize that technology alone cannot solve every problem. The present transition in the educational system demands implementing a strategic framework to identify the strengths and address the shortcomings.

Establishing a reciprocal relationship between mentors and pre-service teachers is critical in pre-service teacher mentoring. Highlighting self-regulation as a means for managing emotions in the pursuit of meeting long-term goals, this study examined the constructive features that help develop a reciprocal relationship between pre-service teachers and mentors. The study has captured a range of qualitative data from the dyadic process of mentoring (two-way interaction between a mentor teacher and a pre-service teacher): within the pre- and post-lesson conferences between mentors and pre-service teachers and post mentoring interviews with mentors and pre-service teachers. The study highlighted the strengths of mentor facilitated THINK4 reflective thinking to enhance professional learning: think ahead (at the preparatory stage), think while (at the performing stage), think back, and think forward (at the appraisal stage). The paper highlights the critical role that the reciprocal relationship plays in each THINK stage of mentoring to foster preservice teachers' self-regulation.

The man began to live a civilized life in the study of human history; he realized the need and importance of living in a way that would not be a trouble to other living things. They were accustomed to shaping their lives because they had some understanding of the rights of others as well as their duties. The main reason for conflict to arise in any society is that human beings do not live lawfully. Humans always live by emphasizing only his rights and do not care about the duties they have to fulfill. Therefore, it is clear that there are some conflicts between individuals as well as between societies. From the school days, citizens need to understand that to live together in a community; they must live lawfully and democratically. Accordingly, the school curriculum in Sri Lanka has taken steps to provide an understanding of political concepts for the students in schools. Special attention is paid to the Civic Education Curriculum for Grades 10 and 11. It is planned to impart the required political conceptual knowledge under ten main topics. Understanding political concepts is a skill that every citizen of society should have. Thus, updating the understanding of changing political concepts can be cited as a responsibility of education. In view of all the above, it is clear that it is important for school education to give students an understanding of political concepts. It was also noted that there are problems with the current political understanding of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it can be pointed out that it is timely and essential to find out whether the students of Grades 10 and 11 in Sri Lanka have an adequate understanding of political concepts through the subject of Civic Education. The main purpose of this research is to understand the existing knowledge gap about political concepts in the system and to produce new knowledge needed to fill it. There were two specific objectives. First one is Identify key political concepts in Civic Education and second one discovers students' level of understanding on political concepts through Civic Education. This is a quantitative research that adopts questionnaires as a research instrument.18 teachers who teach Civic Education in grades 10, 11 were selected under the purposive Sample technique. Also, 110 students studying in Grade 11 were selected for the student sample subject to random sampling. Data collection and an autonomous questionnaire and interview schedule for students were used. Necessary data was obtained from the teachers through interviews. The data obtained from the questionnaire was analyzed in percentage terms and the data obtained from the interviews were presented in narration format under the qualitative results. Data analysis shows that civic education does not provide an adequate level of understanding of political concepts, as well as students have similar problems. Although it is often necessary to appoint teachers with expertise in the subject to teach Civic Education, it is not the case in many schools, and teachers point out that there are problems with the selection of students as this subject is included in the curriculum. These were the conclusion of the study. The basic political concepts that a citizen should know are included in the syllabus of Civic Education. Arrangements have been made to teach relevant political concepts to the students in the school. It is advisable to make Civic Education a core subject so that every student can study it. In order to teach Civic Education, it is necessary to provide special training to the teachers in that subject. Civic Education can be used as a primary source to help citizens in society protect their rights and to fulfill their duties and responsibilities on behalf of others.

Even though the importance of corrective feedback (CF) is widely recognized, there is no agreement on the most effective type of CF for promoting self-regulation. Thus, this study adopts a sociocultural perspective on learning and employs dynamic assessment (DA) as a CF form. DA is considered a theoretically promising approach to CF as it focuses on the learning process rather than the end product. Instead of the common teacher-learner interaction, this study initiates a teacher-learner group interaction with the support of text chat. Text chat helps teachers to cater to all students in the class simultaneously through several chat groups. This longitudinal study was part of an ongoing, university-level three-month English-as-a-second-language course. The findings demonstrate that this collaborative approach facilitates self-regulation through teacher mediation and peer scaffolding, and that the text chat supports implementing DA in the classroom while its features support mediational and reciprocity moves of the DA process.

The prime purpose of the current research is to explore the impact of training and development programs for University library professionals in Sri Lanka. The research adopted the quantitative research method, where the data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 132 respondents. The collected data were analyzed using MS-Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), where the descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), correlation, and regression analysis were carried out and showed significant results. The analysis finding revealed that the training and development programs have a constructive impact on organizational performance. Also, the findings revealed a significant relationship between training and development and organizational development and self-development. The paper emphasizes the requirement of training and development programs for the library staff in the University libraries of Sri Lanka. The research findings would proffer useful guidance for organizations in Sri Lanka to offer better library services.

Purpose: This study introduces a non-orthodox approach to the dominant policy-based approaches to graduate employability through contextualizing international students' everyday experiences within their educational and wider structural contexts of the labour market. Design/methodology/approach: The study used narrative frames to collect data from 180 international students from China, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Nepal at a New Zealand tertiary institution. Narrative frames as a research tool in educational contexts are used to ellicit the experiences of individuals in the form of a story as participants reflect on their experience. The frames use sentence starters to draw responses from participants about their experiences (Barkhuizen and Wette, 2008). Findings: This study argues that, through a socialization process, international students develop identities that fit an ever-changing labour market. This process is catalysed by a higher education landscape that produces career-ready subjects capable of appropriating different social spaces that prepare students and graduates to enter the labour market. Further, it argues that graduate employability should be understood as a complex process through which students and graduates socialise themselves through negotiating the socioacademic spaces by (1) familiarising themselves with the dominant workspace norms, (2) positioning themselves as more career-ready individuals, and (3) imagigining employable selves capable of meeting the needs of the job market. Research limitations/implications: This study has limitations. Only one data collection source has been used. It would have been great to use narrative frames along with interviews. In addition, the data would have been stronger if the researcher could have used classroom observations, which could be a future initiative. Practical implications: This study could provide practical insights to tertiary institutions about international students' developing capabilities and identities so they could better prepare themselves for the world of work. Further, this study provides insights about some of the challenges that international students face in tertiary contexts to become career-ready. Hence, educators could employ strategies to better support these learners in their everyday learning spaces. This study also has useful benefits for future and current international students and international graduates regarding what investments they need to make so they can better socialize themselves in their tertiary and workplace practices. Social implications: This study has social implications. It helps international students better understand the social, cultural and academic expectations of their host countries. Therefore, they could better socialize themselves into those practices and contribute more effectively to their academic and workplace communities. The study also helps academic and workplace institutions strategize more effectively to address the social and cultural needs of international graduates. The study also contributes to the social and cultural understanding of the teachers that engage with international students on a daily basis by helping them devise activities that better address these students' and graduates' needs. Originality/value: The study adds theoretical and methodological value to the debates around graduate employability. It includes the voices of 180 students and unravels their day-to-day experiences of capability building and employability development from their own perspectives.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, in-person data collection methods have been considerably hampered by requirements for social distancing and safety. Consequently, academic inquiry has shifted largely to virtual means, leading to the considerable growth of virtual qualitative research. Conducting virtual research in post-conflict contexts, such as Sri Lanka, with increased state surveillance, security concerns, and censorship presents researchers with additional tensions, particularly during a pandemic. Limited literature, however, has grappled with these unique situations. This paper addresses this gap by reflecting on the process of conducting virtual qualitative research through a case study of faculty members in peace education instruction at Sri Lankan universities. The study drew on semi-structured interviews (n = 32), documentary evidence, and memos created during the data collection and analysis stages. This paper discusses the challenges and complexities of conducting virtual research within the intersections of peace education, post-conflict legacies, ethical dimensions, and positionality dimensions, which are interwoven, adding several layers of considerations in this context. Furthermore, the paper chronicles the key tensions faced: surveillance and consent, residual embodiments, and the choices made in response to navigate them. This paper concludes with a discussion around these tensions and aims to expand the literary discourse beyond the technological aspects of conducting virtual research. The study highlights the need for future research into residual embodiments, ethical and micro-ethical issues, and practical challenges in virtual research in conflict-affected contexts, suggesting that institutions should provide researchers with training to address these complexities and support robust knowledge co-creation.

This paper examinations the nexus between creativity and teacher identity in post-war peacebuilding. It aims to understand how infusing creativity into teacher preparation geared towards peacebuilding can help language educators reflect on their identities, values and their roles in bridging a fragmented society at the end of a war. Drawing on data generated from a visual ethnography carried out in the aftermath of Sri Lanka's civil war, one of the longest civils wars in recent history, this study explores the power of self-generated identity portraits in helping teachers to visualise their identities as second language educators. This paper highlights the potential of creativity and creative approaches to teacher education to help teachers articulate their identities, expectations, responsibilities towards their learners and challenges they face. The paper highlights the power of creative approaches to meaning making, especially in tapping into identities that are otherwise hidden and the need be for teachers to be included in larger discussions on educational reforms towards peace.

This paper argues that descriptions of Sri Lankan English (SLE) are influenced by ideologies of linguistic racism and coloniality through an examination of the possible reasons for their neglect of Burgher English -- an underprivileged variety of SLE spoken by a minority community. Although descriptions of SLE identify different categories of the variety, they neglect the language use of the Burghers, despite the fact that they are the only ethnic community for a large majority of whom English serves as a first language. The paper claims that descriptions of SLE are interested in elevating the language use of the elite and anglicized sections of the racially dominant Sinhalese instead of focusing on understanding and depicting how diverse people of the multiethnic and multicultural Sri Lankan speech community such as the Burghers of Sri Lanka adapt it to suit their needs and contexts. Demonstrating the possible influence of linguistic racism and colonial ideologies on descriptions of SLE, the paper posits that the unique structural features rendering Burgher English to be perceived as sub-standard could be understood through the theoretical lens of postcolonial performativity which would help appreciate the creativity and diversity of the variety instead of devaluing it as sub-standard.

The purpose of this study is to determine the benefits of online learning among undergraduate students at a specific university and to investigate whether there are any differences in perception based on gender. A total of 477 participants completed structured questionnaires, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the hypotheses, which does not require normality or homogeneity of variance assumptions. Results suggest that online learning, particularly the use of recorded lectures, offers several benefits for management undergraduates, including improved learning outcomes, flexibility and control, and access to a wider range of learning resources. The study also found that there is no significant difference in perceived benefits between male and female management undergraduates. These findings highlight the potential of online learning to enhance student learning outcomes and improve education quality in management. To enhance the effectiveness of online learning, educators should focus on creating engaging and interactive courses that promote active learning and student engagement. Additionally, institutions should invest in educator training and support to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver effective online courses.

This study individually estimates and analyzes the contribution of public schools and fee-paid private tutoring classes to academic performance of students in Sri Lanka. Econometric models and measures of descriptive statistics were estimated and instructional time was graphically compared to test whether the private tutoring classes significantly contribute to students' academic performance. Econometric results with descriptive statistics strongly confirm the contribution of private tutoring education in the academic performance of the students in public schools. The study concludes that in Sri Lanka, private tuition classes have a significant positive contribution to the academic performance of students in public schools.

Caregivers are increasingly recognised as significant in providing naturalistic interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries including Sri Lanka. It is imperative to assess the impact of programmes targeting desired parenting skills within cultural boundaries. A preliminary study evaluated the effectiveness of a play-based parent coaching programme by assessing caregiver interaction skills. A mixed-method approach included a prospective pre-post interventional study. A caregiver skills assessment checklist was designed by adapting a freely available tool to assess caregiver-child interactions following a 3-h parent coaching programme. Pre-/post-training 10-min video recordings were obtained for each child-caregiver dyad 2 weeks apart. Thirty mothers (25-55 years) participated. Mean scores improved significantly in all caregivers (p < 0.005) for special emotional (8.80-22.83), cognitive (4.63-14.13) and language (5.53-12.97) domains. Higher education level and older age of caregivers positively associated with the skill acquisition. Qualitative data revealed caregiver satisfaction of detailed workshops. Promising short-term outcomes demonstrated the potential role of parents as partners in autism spectrum disorder management in low- and middle-income countries. Longer-term outcomes on larger groups of children and caregivers need exploration.

Background: The shadowing house officer is an experiential learning activity that usually takes place within the final year clinical rotations of medical undergraduates. An exposure to a surgical intern is especially useful as the work extends to more practical aspects of ward work. Objective: We assessed the impact of the shadowing house officer experience during medical student clinical rotation on the surgical internship and to evaluate the challenges of the shadowing period. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among 108 surgical intern doctors in Sri Lanka via electronic media in 2023. Results: Our study population consisted of 108 interns, with a response rate of 43.2%. This study demonstrates that on average a final year medical student undergoes a 4-day shadowing period in surgery which was considered by a majority to help in smooth transition to internship. 56% had a clear understanding about learning outcomes and less than half has had an induction session prior to commencement of shadowing. Official documentation, routine ward work, team work and communication skills were meaningfully experienced during shadowing. The main criticisms were inadequate breaks leading to exhaustion and missing out on important teaching activities. Another major concern was shadowing close to the final examination. Conclusions: Surgical shadowing house officer is an authentic work experience that intern doctors consider as important component in orientating the role of an intern. Introduction of shadowing at an earlier stage would be more beneficial and provide a broader view about the clinical set up to undergraduates.

Formal education has all too often been portrayed as a means of achieving social and economic mobility, there is a need to address the unequal footing for adolescents in the Global South attempting to achieve social mobility through education. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in Sri Lanka, this article considers the impact of upward mobility-driven discourses of the North on the type of aspirations formed by adolescents in the Global South, and the social implications that arise as a result. Through observation, interviews and focus groups carried out at a secondary school for girls and a private tuition centre in Sri Lanka, the paper considers the value given to private tuition compared to government-funded schooling. In doing so, it examines the implications of mobility-driven discourses on the schooling experiences of adolescents in the Global South, particularly the heightening of educational and social inequalities.

Today, in every academic institution as well as the university system assessing students' performance, identifying the uniqueness of each student and finding solutions to performance problems have become challenging issues. The main purpose of the study is to predict how student performance changes as a result of their behaviours, hobbies, extracurricular activities and different university activities. This study collected data from graduates via the online and supervised machine learning algorithms used to solve the problem. After pre-processing data, classification algorithms were applied, namely Random Forest, Multi-Layer Perceptron, Support Vector Machine, Naïve Bayes and Decision Tree. The results show that the Multi-Layer Perceptron is the best algorithm considering the highest accuracy and lowest error values. An ensemble learning algorithm was then applied by combining those five algorithms. The best results were obtained using it, and according to the final results, ensemble learning increases the accuracy rather than each classifier.

The aim of this research is to analyze the impact of parent satisfaction on Children's online learning for Primary Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Independent variables are Child competency, Technical Problems, Duration of online learning, and several assignments. The research method is a quantitative approach with Primary data analysis using Google form. The population in this study was the parents of the Primary school students who are following the Bachelor of Education (Hons) in Primary Education at the Open University of Sri Lanka using a simple random sampling method. Respondents of 102 data analyses were done through descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, and Regression and were analyzed using SPSS. By using a structured questionnaire with five Likert scales from strongly disagree to strongly agree measured independent and dependent variables. The results of this study are independent variables had a significant impact on parents' satisfaction with online learning. But Technical Problem was not significant in parents' satisfaction with online learning. The moderation effect explains the association between the following three factors; the number of online assignments, the duration of online learning, and parents' satisfaction. According to the Child competency, Parents were more satisfied with their children's online learning. Researchers may use this article as literature or supplementary material for future research.

Learning Geometry emphasizes exploring different representations such as virtual manipulatives, written math formulas, and verbal explanations, which help students build mathematical concepts and develop critical thinking. Student's performance in G.C.E (O/L) examination in Sri Lanka for the Geometry component is at a very low level. This study aims to identify the difficulties of learning Geometry at Grade 11 and provide some suggestions for overcoming these issues using active based learning. This study uses a quantitative survey, a diagnostic test, and a teaching experiment conducted with randomly selected three hundred students from grade 11students and 35 mathematics teachers from 42 schools in Vadamarachchi education zone Sri Lanka. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the teachers and the students. The diagnostic test was also used to collect data from the students. Forty students were selected for the teaching experiment based on diagnostic test results and divided into two equally talented groups using a rubric. The teaching experiment was done to test the effectiveness of activity-based teaching methods in teaching Geometry. Findings from the study revealed that students had greater difficulties in learning Geometry such as drawing diagrams for a given geometric problem and applying more than one theorem to solve a given Geometry problem. Furthermore, Students' disinterest in the Geometry component and their family background affects their Geometry learning. Additionally, results from the teaching experiment indicate that the student-based learning approaches are more effective than conventional methods for teaching Geometry.

To understand the evolution and current status of qualitative research in School Psychology, we reviewed 4,346 articles published across seven school psychology journals between 2006 and 2021. The bibliometric analysis indicates that publication of qualitative research has increased over the years, but remains small (3%) when seen against the total volume of journal publications. Less than 5% of articles in all but one journal were qualitative. The most commonly explored topic was diversity, equity, and social justice accounting for 23% of the qualitative articles. In total, 55% of the studies were conducted in the United States. Although many studies did not specify participants' race and gender, the most commonly reported research participants were K-12 students, female, White, and from the United States. We discuss these findings and provide recommendations.

Health literacy is critical for individual empowerment because it affects how people obtain health information and use it in ways that benefit their health. Healthcare practitioners frequently lack adequate training in health literacy principles. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA) instrument to assess the health literacy and the predictors of health literacy among youth from Malaysia and Sri Lanka studying at a medical institution. Following ethics clearance, students aged between 18-24 years enrolled in semesters I through V were approached. Following informed consent, using convenience sampling/complete enumeration, i.e., all students were invited to participate. Overall, 315 participants provided complete data. Cronbach's alpha for the HELMA instrument was 0.74. Based on factor loading, Access, Reading, and Self-efficacy were combined under the sub-domain 'Approach.' Health literacy was highest in the domain of 'Numeracy' followed by 'Understanding' and 'Approach'. Lower health literacy was observed among younger students and those in lower semesters while having a health worker in the family significantly improved health literacy among participants. Our findings support the use of the HELMA instrument to assess youth health literacy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the education system in Sri Lanka, similar to many countries in the world. As a result, the mode of education shifted from conventional face-to-face classes to online mode. The main objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the changes to the educational system due to the COVID-19 pandemic among engineering undergraduates of Sri Lanka over three identified pandemic periods. Quantitative descriptive analysis was used together with chi-square statistics to answer the research questions using the data collected through a google survey from engineering undergraduates in Sri Lanka. According to the results, students' attendance in online classes has improved over time compared to the initial pandemic period. Nearly 50% of students' family income has been impacted, either stopped or reduced due to the pandemic. Most students have issues regarding computing devices, internet connectivity, and the home environment. According to the chi-square statistics results, few of these issues had a statistically significant relationship between the family income; lower the income, higher the negative impact on students. More than half of the students felt isolated when studying at home during the pandemic. Still, more than 50% of students agreed that lecturers were well prepared to guide and deliver lessons remotely. The overall recommendations of the study are implementing workshops, training on new technologies, awareness programs for educational stakeholders, providing incentives to purchase digital devices, and improving internet connectivity to improve the new standard education system of Sri Lanka.

Tertiary education is a turning point in anybody's life. Students' choice of tertiary education is crucial for them, their family members, and the country. All parents would like to see their children reach the heights in education and develop many career prospects. In Sri Lanka, critical job profiles are limited to medical doctors, engineers, accountants, and lawyers. However, the fact remains that this type of lean job market is not realistic or sustainable. Firstly, a country needs not have many professionals from a handful of fields. Secondly, not all students have the capacity to complete the coursework of their respective programs. On the other hand, many vacancies in different fields must be filled consistently, and a country cannot be sustained otherwise. Making a shift in students' psychological paradigm is essential in this scenario. This paper introduces a new concept called vertical education integration (E.V.I.). E.V.I. provides a strategic solution to bridge various gaps in the current education system. This concept has been tested and proved for successful results in Sri Lanka.

With the pandemic, academic activities of education institutes such as teaching, learning, and assessment as well as programmes targeted for educators' personal and professional development have been transformed to online from physical mode. The use of online platforms has become an essential pedagogical tool. This study investigated educators' acceptance of online platforms for their personal and professional development during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. One hundred and ninety-nine responses were received for the survey, and data were analysed using statistical methods. The study found the importance of belief structures- attitudinal, normative and control beliefs, and attitude toward the behaviour, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in determining educators' acceptance of online platforms for their personal and professional development purposes. This paper concludes with a discussion on implications of the findings for theory and practice on educators' acceptance of new technologies for teaching and learning purposes.

Errors are a reflection of competence level of language users. Therefore, with the purpose of understanding the competence level of teachers of English, the present study analyzed errors produced by twenty three non-native English speaking teachers pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree in Sri Lanka. Employing qualitative content analysis method, examination answer scripts and written compositions were scrutinized to identify, classify, describe and explain errors. The findings of the study revealed that these participants commit more errors than mistakes reflecting a lower competence in English. They require more improvement in grammar skills than other levels of English. Sub levels of language which need to be improved mainly are articles, prepositions, verbs, punctuation, compounds, lexical verbs and nouns and sequencing of words in sentences. Direct translations, inability to distinguish between formal and informal use of language and use of colloquial features of spoken Sri Lankan English in writing were three main reasons for producing errors and they were observed mainly in errors of articles, prepositions, lexical noun and verb phrases and sequencing of adverbial and prepositional phrases in sentences. However, the overall results of the study indicated that the participants commit errors due to interference from both first language and target language. Evaluation of overall errors produced by the participants showed that they produce more local errors which affect only the grammar of the sentences without affecting the understanding of the utterances produced. These findings mainly imply that these teachers of English still need to improve their knowledge of English and it is also possible that these errors could impact the competence level of their learners when learning the target language.

This paper presents the findings of a study that intended to seek the content validity (CV) evidence of an instrument to measure the reading ability of university students in Sri Lanka. The reading passages and items were adapted from CEFR aligned Learning Resource Network (LRN) materials. The items were designed based on the cognitive processing involved in completing each reading task as prescribed by Khalifa and Weir (2009). As a part of collecting evidence for content validation of the instrumentation, Item Objective Congruence (IOC) analysis is used in this study. In IOC, the congruence between the cognitive processing of reading and the test items were studied providing quantified data for CV. A pool of twelve experts examined a total of 41 test items against eight cognitive processing effectively. As the experts had chosen more than one objective for an item, the IOC formula simplified by Crocker and Aligna (1986) for multi-dimensional assessment of multiple combinations of skills was applied in the present study. The findings of the IOC indicate the experts' varying degrees of agreement in terms of what some of the items were designed to assess. 38 items had acceptable IOC indices, one item was removed from the study and two items were modified. Items having high congruence show that they test only one skill and those indicating low congruence notify that, items assess more than one cognitive processing skill. The study demonstrates the utility of the IOC method in gathering evidence for CV. Test development and validation are crucial in assessment which is the first and foremost process to evaluate educational management.

This paper investigates the potential influence of socioeconomic factors in the students' choice for tertiary education. The approach of this study combines an opinion survey, desk research and a case study. Shifting of a psychological paradigm is easier said than done. It may need social awareness about the existing problems, gaps, significance and negative/positive impact of different scenarios, and availability of potential solution. The data analysis and discussions have been done under identified key socioeconomic factors relevant to education. Parental levels of education, income, and financial status have been given priority in the discussion. Parents' involvements in education and material support have been recognized as influential factors in students' choice in university education. The language of instruction and peer group in school environment was considered finally. However, none of these factors are within the control of a person or an institute. The objective of the study is to explore factors required to establish favourable socioeconomic conditions providing students with right direction while implementing necessary policy changes to create suitable pathways in the tertiary education. The paper recommends vertical integration of teaching majors from school, to the university, to the industry which would provide many benefits.