Browsing by Author "Somananda Thero, B."

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A Study on Attitudes of University Lectures and Students about the Use of Digital Libraries for Searching Academic Information.
(Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Somananda Thero, B.
Modern world is highly information dependent and the teaching faculty and undergraduates use digital libraries and institutional repositories in their teaching and learning process in order to obtain the information they needed. The main purpose of this research is to figureoutthe situations and the attitudes that university lecturers and undergraduates feel when gathering information by using digital libraries. This research based on the survey method and for the survey all the lecturers and undergraduates of university of Kelaniya has been considered as the research population and a sample was selected among lecturers of Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanity and the undergraduates of the bachelor of (BA) special degree programs of the same faculty. Primary data were collected through distributing questionnaire to the lecturers, using random sampling method. Secondary data were collected through the printed sources which was considered relevant to the research. In the study of academic information, it was revealed that the most of the lecturers and undergraduates of the two faculty were not using digital libraries, Lack of understanding about this concept of the main reason for this situation. Responses indicate more priority to searching academic information in using digital libraries. It was also revealed that they use those information for their research activities. Also Digital libraryusers were happy in that as it contains qualitative information sources and neutral attitude to the quantity of subject. Related information sources. Language barrier faced by the Undergraduate and Lack of facilities, were some of the problem identified. Some of the solutions proposed based on findings are conducting awareness seminars and workshops to share knowledge about digital libraries and its contents, workshops to publicize it by the professional staff in the library field to solve many of the problems successfully which were identified through the study.
A Study on E-services Introduced During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Kelaniya University Library
(Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2023) Somananda Thero, B.
University libraries have a unique place in teaching and research activities. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the fulfillment of educational needs and maximum support to users through university libraries has been hindered, as most activities were paralyzed. As a result, e-services such as Digital Repositories, Past Paper Repository, Subject Liaison, Library Services (SLLS), Chat Services, Audio Book Collection, Braille Collection, Mobile App, Webinar Series have been established as challenges to the COVID-19 epidemic. The case study research method was used for this research, and for data collection, users of the University of Kelaniya were taken as the entire population, and data was collected from all the students. Online questionnaire-interview methods were used for data collection. In focusing on the use of electronic library services by Kelaniya University students, it was possible to identify the lack of awareness of the use of electronic services and those services as a major problem. Also, the inability to use the mobile app for some phones, the non-functionality of some programs, the nonimplementation of reader education programs on new electronic programs started with the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, and the non-availability of books in electronic form as required by each subject, as well as other problems, were possible. The library already has a mobile app. Taking the department as a whole to carry out awareness programs about electronic services in the library through librarians, implementing information delivery services for students who do not have internet facilities, and starting courses for readers that include the English and computer knowledge required to use library electronic services have been suggested. keywords: Library, University Library, Covid-19, Library Services, Electronic Library Services
A study on the application of online technologies by university lecturers: special reference to faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
(Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2023) Somananda Thero, B.; Suraweera, N.
The twenty-first century, which has witnessed notable advances and developments in many disciplines, including higher education, is known as the era of the information economy. This era has been dominated by Information and Communication Technology (ICT), which positively impacted the development and transition process in higher education worldwide. Thus, higher education has undergone a transformational journey from the traditional classroom model to a new online model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the online learning environment took over the monopoly of the traditional classroom as the university learning and teaching process took place entirely online. In this context, it is crucial to find out the nature of online technology for university teachers to make their teaching process effective. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find out the use of online technology by university lecturers for the effectiveness of their teaching process. The quantitative research method was used, while the survey method was used as the research strategy for the study. The total population of this study was the academic staff members of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Kelaniya. A study population was identified through the total population, and the study sample was selected using the stratified random sampling method from that study population. The primary data was collected through the questionnaire and analyzed using the SPSS software. The study revealed that university lecturers used various online technologies effectively in their teaching process in the 21st century. However, online tools were used at a lower level while online teaching. Conducting productive training programs and workshops to uplift lectures' knowledge on online learning methods is recommended.
Use of Digital Libraries for the Learning Process by Students of Sri Lankan Universities in the post Covid-19 era: Special reference to Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
(Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2023) Lakmini, T.M.I.; Somananda Thero, B.
Digital libraries are needed to successfully address the strategic goals of higher education with appropriate technologies. This study was conducted based on the research problem of how Sri Lankan university students use the digital libraries for the learning process in the postCovid era. The aim of this research with this background is to examine the use of digital libraries for searching information needed for the learning process of university students in the post Covid era. The research approach used in this is the quantitative method and research strategy is the survey research method. All the BA Hons undergraduate’s students of the Faculty of Social Sciences in University of Kelaniya were considered as the selected research population. The sample was selected with a confidence level of 90% using the mathematical formula called “Sample Size Calculate” and the stratified random sampling method was applied in selecting the sample. Primary data was collected through an online questionnaire and the Excel software was used to analyze the quantitative data. Secondary data were collected through the printed sources, which were considered relevant to the research. The study revealed that 63.4% of university students used digital libraries had increased in this period and that digital libraries had received more attention during the Covid pandemic and 63.4% of them used both local and foreign digital libraries. Suggestion is made to implement the awareness programs through Seminars, Webinars and interactive sessions for the first year students of the university on the digital literacy for improving the knowledge and application of including the need and utility of such libraries. It reveals that an adequate number of digital libraries and sources are yet to develop relevant to local curriculum based subjects hence initiatives have to be taken by relevant stakeholders to design and develop such digital libraries for the education system of Sri Lanka as done by the other countries of the world.