ICH 2015

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10225

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Acoustic evidence for three selected phonological norms of Standard Sri Lankan English
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Widyalankara, R.C.
The phonology of Standard Sri Lankan English (SSLE) reflects a strong influence from the vernaculars of Sri Lanka: Sinhala and Tamil. This results in deviations from the donor colonial Standard British English pronunciation. This study provides acoustic evidence for threeselected phonological norms of SSLE: retreat of the diphthongs /ei/ and /əʊ/ to the unmarked /e:/ and /o:/ respectively; the absence of /ɒ/;presence and the differentiation of the back vowels /ɔ/, /o/; the retreat of the vowels central mid /ʌ/ and back /ɑ:/ to central open position as /ɑ/ /ɑ:/. Evidence is compiled through Rate of Change in the diphthongs and F1 and F2 formant readings of acoustic documentation from elicitations of two bilingual case study subjects are compared to data in literature. Of the two bilingual case study subjects one has Sinhala and the other Tamil as the first language while SSLE is their second language. Theoretical underpinning invokes language specific markednessconstraint ranking and retreat to the unmarked.
Acquisition of locative and directional prepositions by ESL learners of Sri Lanka
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jayasinghe, R.R.
The aim of the study is to examine whether the ESL learners whose first language is Sinhala, acquire locative prepositions better than the directional prepositions initially, and this particular lexicalization difficulty in acquisition slowly disappears by the time the learners reach the tertiary level education. Space related language manifests itself in different ways. In English it appears as prepositions. Mastering the use of spatial prepositions is one of the challenging tasks that the English language learners face. Spatial prepositions are of two types: (1) Locative prepositions, for example, The candle(figure) is on the table(ground) (2) Directional prepositions, for example, The horse(figure) jumped over the wall (ground). Locative and directional prepositions in English language occur before the groundof the spatial scene whereas in Sinhala language, postpositions are used instead. Stinger (2005) has shown that the directional prepositions (traversal paths) present a particular lexicalization difficulty in the early stages of acquisition of English, French and Japanese as the first language. A dictation task was administered to 185 students from two government schools and the performance of 20 students was analysed from each of the following grades: Grade 8, Grade 10, and Grade 12. A sentence battery consisting of 20 sentences of which 10 sentences each contained locative and directional prepositions was used. Students were asked to listen to the each sentence carefully and write it down. The elicited imitation method was used to collect data and quantitative statistical analysis was computed using SPSS to find out whether there is a significant difference between the accuracy of the locative and directional prepositions within and across the grades. As the outcome of this research, if one category of spatial prepositions shows an initial advantage over the other, the relevant order can be used as a guideline in the ESL class-room to facilitate the teaching of spatial prepositions in the relevant grades. If this particular acquisition difficulty disappears by Grade 12, both categories of spatial prepositions can be introduced at equal frequency at the tertiary level through dictation.
Advice from a Journal Editor
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Braine, G.
Publication in international refereed journals is now a requirement for career advancement in most countries. The presenter, who edited an applied linguistics journal for 10 years, has observed that manuscripts submitted by many authors are not even sent out for review because the authors appear to be unaware of the publication process. This seminar provides participants advice on how to succeed in getting past the gatekeepers (journal editors and manuscript reviewers) when submitting manuscripts to academic journals, with specific reference to journals in applied linguistics. Some of the topics covered are understanding the publication process, choosing the right publication, generating more than one publication from a study, replicating research, composing effective titles, using clear visuals, drafting clear cover letters, making the editors’ and reviewers’ tasks easier, and revising effectively.
An Analogy between Linguistics and Science: A comparative study
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Silva, S.U.T.
Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It mainly comprises three aspects including language form, language meaning, and language in context. On the other hand, science involves the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.The main objective of this paper is to present diverse and multidirectional relationships between these two disciplines which are apparently separated from each other due to the fact that they belong to completely different domains. Therefore, the research problem that the researcherintended to investigate in this study is “What similarities do languages have with theories of science as far as their characteristics are concerned?” This study was conducted in three stages. In the initial stage of data collecting, the primary methodology infocus is to extract specific characteristics and virtues of scientific theories while investigating major breakthroughs in the history of science. Secondly, an attempt was made to link these fundamental qualities to features of language while identifying the linguistic approach that is hidden in scientific theories. Similarly,philosophical ideologies of Thomas Kuhn and Paul Feyerabend were analyzed with special attention. In the final stage, seven such characteristics were established while concluding the extent to which linguistics and science are similar in the core nature of their qualities.These conclusions are based purely on a qualitative analysiswhere an analogy is seen from a dynamic perspective.
An analysis of land ownership rights in document registration: A pragmatic Sri Lankan perspective
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jayakody, J.A.D.
Land is a valuable asset of the people in Sri Lanka. If there is a clear tenancy with no title disputes, its commercial and financial marketability is increased. The ownership of land has long been considered a property right, enacted through land registration in this country. The system of land registration system in Sri Lanka consists of two components, the Registration of Documents and the Registration of Title. The Registration of Documents programme was implemented as a primary ownership registration procedure based on the Ordinance related to the Registration of Deeds and Documents No.23 in 1927. After 1927 a law was imposed to register deeds, to protect the land ownership rights of uninformed buyers and to regularize documents pertaining to land. In the context of this registration procedure, registering by manually writing in volumes and folios in the land registry is a problematic and challenging task to the general public.The objectives of this study are, therefore, to critically evaluate and investigate the impact and practical difficulties of ensuring the rights of land ownership originated by acquaintance with the law of registration of documents in the existing system and finally to provide recommendations.Though registration of documents may create the impression that it is a fair and equitable method of ensuring rights of ownership of the lands, it is problematic. This research is basically a qualitative one but for the purpose of assessing the impacts and to ensure the rights of ownership by implementing a registration of documents, a mixed approach was used, which included case studies. The study reveals the reality of acquiring a clear tenancy and the rights of ownership Therefore the study concludes that the land registration system should enforce pragmatic procedural strategies rather than maintain its confidence in overly formal and inefficient rules and regulations
An Analysis of Motivations for Code-mixing Sinhala into English among Undergraduates
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Senaratne, U.D.
Code-mixing is indubitably an inevitable linguistic behaviour in most bilingual/multilingual contexts, which refers to the mixing of two or more languages in speech. The prime objective of this paper was to discern the motivations for code-mixing Sinhala into English among hundred undergraduates from the Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya. The students were selected using simple random sampling while the survey technique was employed to gather data of this study. Three psycholinguistic motivations - filling the lexical gaps which arise due to language deficits and non-availability of English terms and the relative ease of accessibility - were acknowledged as reasons for code-mixing by over 50% of the respondents. However, the medium-of-learning effect was not identified as a motivation for code-mixing by most of the respondents. On the other hand, majority of respondents engaged in code-mixing as they were susceptive to the interlocutor's language proficiency. Conversely, most students code-mixed neither to arrest others' attention nor to display their affiliations to the "elite class." Nevertheless, displaying affability and gaining peer recognition were identified as motivations for code-mixing by more than 50% of the selected undergraduates. One of the significant finding of the study was that the participants anticipated being the cynosure of any given setting by code-mixing English into Sinhala, not vice versa. It was also found that one's smattering knowledge of Sinhala was considered a "mark of pride" whilst limited proficiency in English was greatly ridiculed. Accordingly, the overall findings of the study gave perceptive insights into the students' attitudes towards the Sinhala and English languages.
An Analysis of the effect of working mothers in increasing child abuse in Polonnaruwa District
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Warnathunga, P.S.; Liyanapathirana, K.N.
Child abuse is a crime which can be considered a tragedy in Sri Lankan society. This is revealed byadequate statistics based on police reports around the island daily The focus of this study is its prevalence in the Polonnaruwa district, in the Dry Zone, where agriculture is the livelihood of the majority of its population which also lags behind other more developed districts in Sri Lanka in terms of education. The district is also characterised by an unstable economy. An understanding of the social and economic situation of this area is essential in order to present this research study. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the circumstances of the reported child abuse cases and to analyse the effect of working mothers in relation tothe increase the incidence of child abuse. This research is also concerned with the steps that have been taken by relevant authorities to address its increase. Five of the nine police divisions in the Polonnaruwa districts form the sample of this study. The investigation employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. They included discussions with working mothers and fathers and interviews with lawyers, police officers and non- governmental organizations. The final section of this paper is devoted to suggestions and recommendations to reduce the effect of working mothers on the incidence of child abuse in the Polonnaruwa district.
An Analysis of the Processes of Conflict and Reconciliation in the Works of George Keyt
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Bandara, W.M.P.S.
This study on the modern Sri Lankan painter George Keyt focuses on his visual art and the way he had shaped and defined his styles. Any artist can be ‘influenced’ by external trends and traditions. Painters also tend to absorb different aspects of other traditions and represent the salient features of those forms in their work. Some resist, question and critically analyze these traditions while some others may negotiate with external influences in more subtle ways. In any case, whether explicit or implicit,there is a struggle and the process is loaded with friction. It could even be called a conflict led process when an artist is influenced by or encounters other art forms it is necessarily guided by conflicts, which could either bepersonal, social, cultural or political. Conflicts become acute when artists attempt to create their own artistic identities against a background of established traditions and styles.To reconcilesuch conflicts artists may select certain aspects from other art forms and mergethem deliberately or intuitively with their own art forms. Thus, a new art form arises through this dynamic process of merging/adjusting/ settling/ harmonizing, which can be called a process of reconciliation. George Keyt is prominent among many artists who have resorted to this method of reconciliation. The objectives of this research are to study how Keyt, as a modern painter, had reconciled conflicts germane to making of art and to being an artist in a particular historical moment, to explain his reconciliation methods, and to examine when and why he had failed or did not attempted to reconcile. The research design used in this study is qualitative, including content analysis and phenomenological study.
An Analysis on the Differences in the Tea Culture between China and Britain
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Xunjie, L.
When tea was discovered by Chinese, it was initially used as a herb. After it was culturally integrated, a specific tea culture began to develop. In China, under the influence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, Chinese tea culture was formed on the basis of cultivation. In the 17th century, tea began to enter European market. Although many countries had joined the Chinese in the consumption of tea, only the British established their own systematic tea culture. China and British formed their respective systems of tea culture within different cultural backgrounds. The contrasts in the connotations of tea culture between China and British given in this paper were both material and spiritual. First, this paper introduces the origin of tea and the spread of Chinese tea in Western countries. Then it emphasizes the definition and connotation of tea culture, and explains the formation of Chinese and British tea cultures through a fairly detailed description of the historical, economic and political impacts of the two countries upon the formation of a tea culture. Next, it analyzes and contrasts the significance of Chinese and British tea cultures from material and spiritual respects. Finally, the paper makes a summary statement about reasons that lead to the differences between Chinese tea culture and its British counterpart. This paper takes the difference between the tea cultures in Chinese and British as its study subject, and attempts to identify the essential material and spiritual differences between the two kinds of tea cultures.
An Analytical Study on the Political Participation of Women Estate Workersin relation to Pilagodawaththa Estate
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Nadeeshani, I.; Kumarasiri, T.A.
South Indian workers were brought to Sri Lanka in the colonial era by the British planters to deploy them in hard labour in the newly cultivated coffee, tea and later rubber estates mostly in the central hills. Although they were granted citizenship of Sri Lanka with independence, their rights were held back by lately elected governments. Some others were sent back to India under the Sirima -Shasthri Pact. Eventually, by 2004, citizenship was granted to all the remaining Indian origin plantation workers. Since then, although they enjoyed the freedom to engage in politics the participation of female plantation workers in politics still remainsminimal. This research paper attempts to identify anddiscuss the reasonsfor female plantation workers’ lack of political activism employing both primary and secondary sources for the study.The study was conducted in the Piligodawattha Estate of the Baddegama Divisional Secretariat area. The data is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.The objective of the study is to identify prototypes in order to encouraging female plantation workers. The study further recognizes the following; the patterns of exploitation of women in plantations, masculine domination in family, educational level and problems in social relations as the reasons for the lack of participation in politics.
Analyzing the Applicability of Technology in Learner Autonomy in TESL Context in Sri Lanka
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Alfred, R.
Interest in learner autonomy has increased substantially in the last decade. The emphasis on student-centered pedagogy and on accommodating student diversity has paved the way for such autonomy. New directions and developments in technology has, to some extent, enabled this approach to learning. The dramatic increase in online resources, network services, and educational software provide new opportunities for self-directed learning. In the last few years, developments in mobile technology and the explosion in social media use have also accelerated the level of interest. A self-access setting can promote learner autonomy by offering learners choices in time, location, and pace of learning; the path through the material to be chosen; and topics of interest. Technology's role in fostering autonomy has been emphasised over the years, with a number of claims made in favour of technology-enhanced language learning. Such claims assume that technology, especially multimedia, supports different learning styles; that computers and the Internet provide a wealth of resources for independent learners; and that certain software packages can offer a complete curriculum for language learning. These claims need to be viewed in the context of learner needs. This paper, through a qualitative methodology attempts to explore the efficacy of online resources that could be applied to the self direction in the learning context. The paper further attempts to analyze the applicability of such techniques in promoting learner autonomy in the Sri Lankan context.
The Apotheosis of Seethawaka Rajasinghe I: The God Ganegoda
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jayasundara, M.B.B.
The tales related to the origin of the ethereal phenomena is one important aspect of folklore. Most of these stories expose the elevation of a famous person in society to divinity through his potent abilities and persona. According to religious concepts and widespread social belief, as a consequence of a person engaged in meritorious deeds will be reborn as a god; a sublime being. However some mortals were turned into gods not because of the good qualities they have possessed or displayed during their life span, but because of their ferociousness. The god Ganegoda who is popular in the regions of Seethawake could be considered a god who demonstrated the latter quality. According to folklore Ganegoda is the incarnation of RajasingheI, who was the greatest ruler of the kingdom of Seethawake. RajasingheI, a war-hero who had massacred thousands of Portuguese was fondly remembered by people as a ruler who fought vehemently for the sovereignty of the motherland. Yet, he has a low estimation as a power hungry son who committed patricide. Further it is a well known fact that he had engaged in sacrilegious acts and later converted into Saivasim. The historical facts and existing folklore prove that RajasingheI was elevated into divinity mainly because of his warrior skills, which the general public fears, and thus honours him.This study aims to examine the concept of the god Ganegoda by analyzing the historical as well as the folkloric sources and data collected during field expeditions.
An appraisal of the legal regime governing the protection of women and children in the context of armed conflicts
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jayawardena, D.S.R.
Inhistory, war was interpreted as a military combat between two or more opposing parties. Therefore, without any distinction, all the people relating to the opposition group were treated as enemies. As a result, women and children relating to both counterparts became more and more vulnerable in the event of warfare.However, because of continuous development of the concept of humanity and unique jurisprudence relating to norms and customs of warfare, currently there is a specific conventional and customary safeguard to protect disarmed and unarmed women and children during the waging of armed conflict.However, because of the lack of agreement and the debates among states and non-state parties on the current interpretation of the terms “civilians” and “direct participation in hostilities” there are considerable gaps in protection. This apparent contradiction is at the core of the debate on the protection of civilians and direct participation as well as the nature of hostilities, and raises a number of questions about the protection of the rights of women and children during the armed conflict. The main research problem of this paper is to identify the relevant legal regime that governs the protection of people who do not or no longer participating the hostilities and whether the legal provisions and definitions of terms “civilians” and “direct participation in hostilities” as interpreted under the said legal regime are adequate enough to safeguard the rights of women and children in modern armed conflicts situations. This research will examine whether there should be more broad and specific interpretations, for aforementioned terms in order to effectively protect the rights of women and children those who need additional protection in the event of warfare.The researcher aims to present a suitable platform to provide appropriate recommendations to enhance the protection of these vulnerable groups of people caught up in armed conflicts with no direct participation in the said warfare. For this purpose the interpretive guidelines prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the direct participation in hostilities and the relevant principles of international humanitarian law will be critically examined. The research methodology of this work will be mainly a qualitative one and a number of books, journal articles and internet articles were used to gather secondary data on this area.The relevant authorities at Governmental and non-governmental organizations will be interviewed with a view to get their view points in order to see a possible expansion of the definitions and the interpretations of the terminology involved in this research. Few focused group discussions with women and children affected by warfare during the Sri Lankan internal armed conflict will enhance the credibility of the research findings.
“Ath Waruwa” an Internet-Based Services for Senior Citizens
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Pathiratne, S.; Bandara, P.A.C.J.S.
In a matter of a decade, the Internet has revolutionized the way in which people communicate, do business and socialize. Most senior citizens never used Internet accommodations in the workplace and may therefore eschew utilizing them now. Despite the benefits and advantages, it is necessary to be vigilant of threats, as Internet users are often targets of fraudulent schemes.It must be taken into account that older people differ from the younger generation in terms of both cognitive and physical abilities, making it more arduous for them to recollect usernames and passwords or to work with input contrivances such as a keyboard or mouse. The objective of the research is to develop an environment for senior citizens to efficaciously and safely utilize Internet-cognate accommodations, taking into account their cognitive and physical abilities. This longitudinal case study was conducted at a “Seth Sevana” retirement village in Mirigama, Sri Lanka, over a period of 18 months from May 2013 to October 2014. The study was undertaken in two phases: Phase 1 during 2013 and Phase 2 during 2014.From the research results it is clear that a front-end system like “AthWaruwa” is able to address the quandary of authentication and facile access to culled Internet accommodations. “AthWaruwa” makes it possible for a senior usersto access their Gmail, Skype or Facebook accounts with two clicks of a mouse, firstly to substantiate identification and secondly to select the service. Predicated upon the desiderata of the elderly, it is imperative to have an administrator on site and available to avail new users with the sundry accommodations. “AthWaruwa” made it possible for the participants to be authenticated with minimal activity on their side. By using facial recognition, combined with a user-friendly, front-end system, a group of senior citizens, mostly over 70 years old, have productively used email, search engines and online social networking. But once logged into a service like Gmail for example, it was noticed that that the users struggle to type an email message. Thus future plans include making use of voice recognition to assist senior citizens to compose their email messages faster and with less physical activity on the keyboard.
Attitudes of the undergraduates towards the TESL degree program
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Alahakoon, P.P.
Realizing the great demand for trained English teachers, the approach of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) was introduced and it is vital to note that this is a relative innovation in the Sri Lankan University system to implement TESL as an undergraduate degree program.The English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) of the University of Kelaniya is the only ELTU that offers this invaluable undergraduate degree program. According to the Guidelines for conducting evaluations of academic programs, (July, 2002) published by the University of Pittsburgh, new programs should be reviewed within five years of its implementation. Thus this program has to be evaluated and therefore as the first step, this research is carried out in order to better understand and measure undergraduates’ attitudes towards TESL degree program offered by the ELTU of the University of Kelaniya. This research focuses on student perception of four key areas: curriculum, assessment, classroom management and teaching methods. This paper reports on the results of the students from all the three years who are reading for B.A. (General) in TESL and B.A. (Special) in TESL. The data is gathered by a questionnaire and the interviews conducted with the Special degree undergraduates. The findings are further analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The research findings suggest the effectiveness, deficiencies and strengths of the program while providing suggestions for further research.
Awareness of the Domestic Tourists on Historical Paintings at Dambulla Cave Temple
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Weerasingha, G.B.I.; Rathnayake, M.V.R.M.S.
The Dambulla Cave Temple is in existence since 300 B.C. and has been occupied continuously until the present. The paintings at the site are considered the largest collection of ancient paintings in Sri Lanka. The site has attracted international tourists due to it being named a UNESCO World Heritage site while it has attracted domestic tourists due to its religious significance. Domestic tourists are not entirely aware of the historical and heritage value of the site or the paintings. This study focuses on the extent to which domestic visitors have been aware of the paintings of Dambulla Cave Temple. The main objective of the study was to identify the awareness, knowledge, and perception of the domestic visitors on the paintings. Another objective wasto identify the effectiveness of the information provided at the site for the domestic visitors. The research was based on field survey methodology where 50 domestic visitors were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The sample was randomly selected at the site and represented both the younger generation and senior citizens. Most of the domestic visitors lack knowledge of the historical value and they are not provided basic information on the paintings. The younger generation has acquired basic knowledge on the paintings unlike the senior citizens who have been attracted to the site only due to its religious value. Though the site management has implemented an adequate approach to information dissemination, most of the domestic visitors do not access this information. Domestic tourists needs to be provided with the services of local guidesin order to understand the value of the paintings.
The Bewitchment of the Humanities
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Gunasekera, M.
The Keynote Address of the International Conference of the Humanities 2015 deals with the dynamics and pitfalls of research in the vast area of the Humanities. Beginning with its origin in Philosophy, the study of language, in Wittgenstein’s terms, has led to a form of bewitchment of our intelligence. This research paper traces the links of language study with the Social Sciences, Humanities and Cognitive Sciences and concludes with the dilemmas of research in the 21st century.
Buddhism and Human Development
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Jiwane, M.
The societies of South, Southeast, Central and East Asia are, despite their considerable diversity, historically united in sharing a common cultural basis of profound, and in most cases formative, Buddhist influence. Fundamental aspects of their world-views have consequently been strongly shaped by Buddhist ideologies, which in turn and symbiotically have evolved within particular cultural contexts. This might seem to entail a dichotomy of ‘Asian’ versus ‘Western,’ and in turn create difficulties for us in framing questions of Asia from a Western perspective. However, while clearly there is no single unitary ‘Asian’ view or attitude, any more than there is a unity ‘the West,’ part of what ‘Buddhism and Social Justice’ seeks to explore is whether the pervasion of Buddhist ideology through most Asian civilizations has led to some uniformity of views with respect to issues of social justice. Utilizing the methodologies, we consider two basic questions:  What ideals are articulated in Buddhist writings regarding questions of social justice?  What are the economic and social realities of relations between Buddhist institutions and the wider society This research is consequently situated not only within the realms of Buddhist Studies and Asian History, but also at the crossroads of Religious Studies, Economic History, Political Science and Anthropology, as it engages issues including those of Church and Society, Slavery Studies, the study of Race, Ethnicity and Caste, and the very definitions of justice and freedom. ‘Buddhism and Social Justice’ differentiates itself from most previous work by its starting point, overall stance, and its utilization of sources. Since the lens through which the project will focus its gaze is one of Buddhist Studies, the way in which it asks questions and the type of answers it seeks differ both from those of apologists from within the tradition, and scholars in other disciplines.
Buddhist Philosophical perspective of human food ethics
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Piyasiri, S.
Foodis one of the major needs of humans as well as of other beings. In the Buddhist doctrine, it is described as“sabbhesatthaᾱharaṭhṭhitha”, all the beings depend on food, and “gigajjhᾱparamᾱrogᾱ”, hunger is the biggest illness. The Buddha held the view that the consumption of food is essential to eliminate the pain caused by hunger. Buddhism has a plethora of teachings related to food ethics. The Vinayapitaka consists of most of such teachings, elucidating the rules followed by the Buddha and other Buddhist monks vis-à-vis consumption of food. Ᾱhᾱrasutta of saṃyuttanikayaexplains that human beings nourish themselves both physically and mentally through references to Kabalikahara, (physicality) phassa,(sense impression) manosancetana (volition) and manoviῆῆana (consciousness). Though people often tend to emphasize the importance of food for physical nourishment, according to Buddhist teachings, a healthy life requires food for nourishment of which a quarter is physical, and the remaining three-quarters is mental. Buddhism stands out among other religions with its elaboration on food ethics. This paper discusses the spiritual basis for Buddhist food ethics focusing on how these Buddhist food ethics contribute to spirituality and improvement of the layman’s life which encounters social problems of various natures.
Building Online Learning Communities: Design Principles and Strategies
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Gunawardena, C.N.
Too many higher education institutions have rushed into online education without understanding how to design effective socio-technical learning environments that utilize the networking capabilities of the Internet. This workshop will equip you with the essential background and skills for conceptualizing, designing, and developing online learning communities that engage in collaborative inquiry-based learning. It will demonstrate how social media and online learning can support the advancement of collaboration to support trends in higher education. We will explore a learning design model for online learning that details principles and strategies for developing an online learning community, providing mentoring and learner support for students to engage in inquiry-based learning. The goal of this workshop is to design a community building activity and an online collaborative learning experience for a selected discipline or organization to be delivered by a Learning Management System such as Moodle, or a combination of social media.