MPhil / PhD Theses
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Item The effect of environmental factors in learning English as a second language (a study on English language education of ordinary level students in Kurunegala district)(Bandara, L. H. M. S.(2019), The effect of environmental factors in learning English as a second language (a study on English language education of ordinary level students in Kurunegala district), MPhil Theses. University of Kelaniya, 2019) Bandara, L. H. M. S.The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of external environmental factors; the school learning environment and the home learning environment, in learning English as a second language of rural and urban schools in the Kurunegala district. As far as the school learning environment is concerned, it describes seven factors; school equipment, teachers’ qualifications, the relationship among the teacher and the student, the relationship among peers, the scale of school and characteristics of school. As far as the home learning environment is concerned, it describes two factors; socio-economic status and the education of family members . Under the school learning environment, 17 indicators were developed whereas 26 indicators were developed under the home learning environment. Those indicators were evaluated by questionnaires and observations and data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative data was analyzed by Chi squired test and qualitative data was analyzed by comparison. According to the considered 17 school learning environmental factors that effect on second language learning, 6 factors have an influence to promote second language learning in the urban school, percentagewise it is 35.29% whereas 3 factors have higher influence to upgrade English language learning in the rural school more than the urban school. Percentage wise, it is 17.64%. 8 factors do not cause for the difference of second language learning between the rural school and the urban school. Percentagewise it is 47.058%. According to the considered 26 home learning environmental factors that effect on second language learning, 21 factors cause for the difference of second language learning between the rural school and the urban school. Percentagewise, it is 80.769%. 5 factors do not cause for the difference of second language learning between the rural school and the urban school. Percentagewise it is 19.230%.Thus, this research reveals that the homeItem කාන්තාව පිළිබඳ තත්කාලීන ග්රීක සමාජ දෘෂ්ටිය ට්රැජඩි නාට්යකරුවන් කෙරෙහි ඇති කළ බලපෑම(2017) කුමාරි, ඒ.ආර්.බී.පී.The origin of Greek drama was liked with the worship of God Dionysius the god of fertility after life and wine. The ritual which later turned in to a religious ceremony came to be organized as a dramatic festival later on. Three types of drama were performed in these festivals. They were Tragedy, Comedy and satire. Among three Tragedies took a prominent place. Among the classical dramatists who lived in 5th century BCE only the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides have survived the test of time. Characters of women have obtained a prominent place in their dramas. The Matriarchal society which existed Greece had turned in to a patriarchal society. By the classical period women had become subordinate to their made counter parts. She had only the powers of giving birth and nurturing children apart from some other insignificant functions. Political, social, economical rights as well as freedom of thought had not been accessible to women. The afore mentioned dramatists, though they based their themes on ancient myths the portrayal of women were given much strength. They brought on to stage characters such as Clytemnestra, Jocasta, Antigoni, furies, Medea, Phaedra. These characters indulged in ruling the state, were independent in thought had political rights and were well respected within the family. They were also tactful, passionate and obstinate characters who stood up for internal conflicts within their minds. Some had even resort to take cruel revenge. They were very much different from the traditional subdued women. This study would be concentrated on selected characters of women found in the tragedies of the Classical period. The aim and objective of the investigation would be to analyze the various factors that had influenced the characters to be so. The reasons would be of the values of contemporary society, politics and philosophical thought that were likely to have influenced them. With those would be compared the forces that would have affected the thoughts of the dramatist with reality that they were facing. Sri Lankan dramatists have been of late compelled to experiment on Greek Tragedy through various interpretations and structures based on vivid angles. This study could make a considerable contribution to the afore mentioned translations and adaptations of this new tendency in Sri Lanka.Item AN ANALYSIS OF SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN NORTHERN REGION OF SRI LANKA(2019) Pushparajah, Vany.This study seeks to establish the state of second language (English) learning difficulties in children with visual impairments and make recommendations that could assist with special needs education in the country. The objectives of this study are to analyze the types of errors committed in second language learning, to analyze the teaching-learning difficulties in children with visual difficulties, analyze the personal-family-socio-political-economic factors that affect the learning, assess the extent of the learner-friendliness of the environments in which learners with visual impairments learn and to study the impact made by the use of Assistive Technology in the second language learning of visually impaired. This study was carried out in Northern Sri Lanka where children with visual impairments, their teachers and parents were the part of this study. 30 participants; including 25 students and 5 teachers took part in this study where both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools were utilized. Data collection consisted of surveys, classroom observations, and interviews with students and teachers, as well as with a close analysis of spoken and written samples of student works and available literature. Subsequently, a purposive sample was identified to participate in the second round of data collection where an interview protocol rooted in the literature was developed to act as a guide for the semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out using aspects of framework analysis. The study concludes that the students with visual impairment of this region undergo several difficulties in their second language learning where their personal, socio, political and economic factors make a remarkable impact. Despite the difficulties, the students are very motivated to learn the second language, English, and they positively regard the use of Talking Software as an Assistive Technology in the language learning context.Item ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION CULTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND ITS IMPACT ON DEMOCRACY: A CASE STUDY OF SRI LANKAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES(2018) WICKRAMASINGHE, T. A.As Sri Lanka is a post-colonial transitional society, it is a challenging task to transform the order that prevails to one that is inspired by democratic governance at the local level to suit modern practices. The colonially inherited organizational structures even after seven decades continue with a master-servant relationship leading to a subservient culture which has a negative impact on organizational communication culture with a participatory approach, consultative decision-making process and a service-delivery mechanism at the local level. To overcome these challenges, from time to time governments have appointed committees, prescribed benchmarks to institutionalized best practices, implemented administrative management tools to local authorities to enhance service-delivery systems, but have failed to bring about a significant change to the local administration. This dissertation explores the challenges faced at local authority level to establish a vibrant pro-people organizational communication culture. It also seeks to examine the sustainability of establishing a culture which contributes towards a democratic way of life for the citizenry. This study employs a mix approach with qualitative and quantitative methods and for the purpose of this study concurrent triangulation design of the mix method is adopted. The study covers twenty seven (27) local government authorities across all nine (09) provinces of Sri Lanka. Key stakeholders connected with the prevailing order at the local level, namely the elected members, public officials and the local communities represents the sample. The elected members selected for the study were interviewed through ethnographic accounts, and a survey was conducted among the public officials and focus group discussions among the local communities to ascertain the ground realities. The findings have revealed there are manifold constraints contributing towards establishing a vibrant organizational communication culture at the local level. Firstly, a dynamic organizational communicational culture at the local level is not firmly established. Secondly, the mechanisms set-up for decision making process is not properly installed. Thirdly, there is no robust legal mechanisms and procedures that facilitate public participation across local authorities. Fourthly, the gap between the ruler and the ruled at local level is widened due to the present electoral system and the territorial divisions in categorizing local authorities. Fifthly, the state has failed to institutionalize best practices at the local level as well as in training key stakeholders to fit in to the modern democratic system. Finally, checks and balances placed for service-delivery processes at the local level are not properly installed leading to dysfunctional practices, lack of social capital, and trust between the elected members and the public officials with the local community. These findings indicate that in order to establish a dynamic organizational communication culture at the local level, systems need to be introduced in a systematic manner than in an adhoc manner. Based on these findings, this research has recommended a new model to overcome the uncovered barriers to install a vibrant culture at the local level which enables a dynamic participatory approach, democratic decision-making process, supported by institutionalized best practices. On one hand vibrant organizational communication culture enables key stakeholders to be equal partners, while on the other hand, efficient service delivery at the local level enhances the capacities of all key stakeholders. Thus this new model is equipped to overcome colonially inherited mentality and the bureaucratic culture at the local level to establish an organizational communication culture that is democratic.Item IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF PREVIOUSLY UNEXPLORED CHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT COCONUT CAKE(2019) Karunasiri, M. G. A. N.Coconut cake (CC) is the by-product of coconut oil manufacturing process which is rich in antioxidants. There is very little information on the antioxidant activity of CC in biological systems. In this study, the correlation of antioxidant activity of CC with biological and chemical systems was monitored. Ethanol: water 70: 30 (v/v) was used to extract phenolic compounds and that extract is denoted as CCPE. The total phenolic content was 1892±51 GAE mg/kg dry weight and o-diphenol content was 591±48 CAE/kg dry weight. The percentage of ferric reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity of CCPE increased with increasing concentrations. Those antioxidant activities are comparable to gallic acid (GA). HPLC system was used to identify and quantify the total polyphenols present in CCPE. GA is the prominent polyphenol compound while syringic acid is the least abundant. The effect of CCPE on deoxyribose degradation and protein carbonylation showed comparable antioxidant activity to GA. Further, CCPE has the ability to prevent DNA damage in -vitro. HEp- 2 human epithelial cells were used as the biological system to measure the antioxidant activity of CCPE. CCPE significantly (P≤0.05) inhibited MDA formation, protein carbonyl formation and mt-DNA damage in HEp-2 cells. The amount of oxidized glutathione decreased resulting in a significantly (P≤0.05) increased GSH/GSSG ratio upon treatment with CCPE. Further, CCPE resulted in no significant change in GPx expression compared to the unstressed cells. Therefore, CCPE can inhibit oxidative stress-induced macromolecular damage on carbohydrate, protein, lipid and DNA in both chemical and biological systems and the protective effect does not appear to result from a change in the level of expression in the oxidative stress response genes.Item ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COMPUTER-ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING: PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICES FROM A SRI LANKAN UNDERGRADUATE CONTEXT(2019) Embogama, R.M.S.NThe ubiquitous presence of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) has penetrated the global education scenario at an aggressive rate over the past two decades, and its impact on the field of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) has begun to create a paradigm shift in the way that this language is being taught. In such a context, this study considered the contemporary landscape in terms of the current usages and future potential of adapting Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) at the Arts faculties in Sri Lankan state universities. In order to validate the claims that CALL has the potential of enhancing second language (L2) proficiency and L2 motivation, a quasi-experimental study was conducted and the findings were consistent with similar studies demonstrating positive outcomes of such interventions. Data were gathered using non-probability sampling techniques and the mix-method was the overarching research approach. Numerical scores and scales were used to generate statistical figures for purposes of tabulation, and the final results were presented either through percentages or total mean scores. For the descriptive research component, two survey-type questionnaires were deployed to arts undergraduates and their English teachers. For the second phase of the study involving a causal research design, pre/post testing and an adapted version of the Motivational Strategies for Learning (MSLQ) questionnaire were used as instruments for data collection. Here, the before and after effects of implementing CALL were empirically analyzed. The main findings of the study reveal that the target population is already convinced about the potential benefits of using ICTs for purposes of learning and teaching the L2. Subsequently, the implementation of a custom-designed short online ESL course provided statistical evidence to cross-validate the conclusions drawn from the preliminary study as the results revealed that the online intervention resulted in a statistically significant impact on the L2 proficiency and L2 motivation levels of the participants of a custom- designed online English course. Hence, it can be concluded that the integration of CALL for teaching and learning ESL is a feasible and sustainable activity which would be well- received by both the arts undergraduates and their English teachers.Item The Problems Encountered by the Translators in Translating Cultural Words Depicted in the novels “Gamperaliya” and “Viragaya(2019) Jayasinghe, D. G. T. A.This research focuses on the problems encountered by the translators in translating cultural words depicted in the novels “Gamperaliya” and “Viragaya”. Accordingly, the researcher attempts to find the answer for the research problem “What are the problems faced by the translators in translating cultural words in “Gamperaliya” and “Viragaya”? There, the Source Texts were subjected to a close scanning process and thus identified the cultural words. It was followed by identifying the translated versions of those cultural words in the Target Texts. They were categorized based on the categorizations of Peter Newmark and Espindola, and thus conducted a qualitative content analysis using comparative research methodology. Accordingly, it was found that the translators faced problems such as encountering unfamiliar cultural words, finding the meanings of such unfamiliar cultural words, finding equivalents, collecting information to explain the cultural word in the text, translating religious terms, receiving the support of a subject expert or a native, translating proper names and deciding the most suitable procedure of translation among several strategies. The present research revealed that the culture creates a complex hurdle for the translators in Literary Translation.Item A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NOVELS ‘SHEKHAR: EK JIVANI’ BY AGYEYA AND ‘VIRAGAYA’ BY MARTIN WICKRAMASINGHE(2019) Indra Kumari Dasanayaka, D.M.This research mainly deals with the comparative study of two modern novels written in Hindi and Sinhala. Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ (1911- 1987), a pioneer among the Hindi writers who introduced the modern sensibility to the ‘post-Chhayawadi’ Hindi literature (1936 onwards), was deeply influenced by the western literary aesthetics, novels, poetry and ideologies. His first and the most famous novel; ‘Shekhar: Ek jivani (Shekhar: A Biography) is influenced by the western literary theories. Shekhar: Ek jivani is not a complete novel. It has two parts as (part -I, 1941, part - II, 1944) being parts of a trilogy. The third part of the novel was apparently composed but never show publication. Thanks to a certain climactic episodes which are ‘pre-viewed’ in the ‘pravesh’ section (a kind of prelude) by the execution waiting hero, one can roughly visualize the pattern that would be executed in the third part. Martin Wickramasinghe; ‘helaye mahāgatkaru’ (1890-1970), a pioneer among the Sinhala writers as the ‘Emperor of Sinhala novel’; introduced the modern sensibility to the Sinhala literature (1956 onwards). He was deeply influenced by western literary theories and ideologies. The influence of the western literary theories are sufficiently evident in ‘Viragaya’ (vira:gəyə) (devoid of passion); his first and the last most famous psychological novel. ‘Shekhar: Ek jivani’ and ‘Viragaya’ (vira:gəyə) are considered ‘the second greatest novels’ in Hindi and Sinhala after the ‘Godān’ in Hindi and Gamperaliya’ in Sinhala. ‘Shekhar: ek jivani’ and ‘Viragaya’ (vira:gəyə) have evolved over a period of one hundred years, conquering new territory for fictional exploration, developing new styles and techniques better able to capture the changing contours and dynamic of contemporary sensibility. These novels are remarkable experiments in form and the techniques of modern Hindi and Sinhala fiction. The special attention is focused on these novels are the protagonists (Shekhar and Aravinda), their attempt at self - analysis examines three dominant instinct - sex, fear and ego. This study further assesses the aim, theme, characterization, dialogues, background and language in these two novels. These are examined in detail here with understanding the place it occupies in the broader contemporary literary tradition in the same way in India and Sri Lanka. This research has been done through modern Hindi and Sinhala literary analysis.Item ජංගම වෙළෙඳුන්ගේ ජීවන තත්ත්වයේ ගුණාත්මකභාවය(2019) Wijesinghe, D. R. S.The intent of this research is to recognize the nature of the quality of mobile traders’ life style. The significant features manifested herein is to find solutions for difficulties faced by mobile traders. Problem of the research is to identify the quality of living standard of mobile traders. The significant features are the impacts on the quality and problems caused in mobile trading. Realistic approach in the research methodology has been adopted as a quantitative research technique. Survey methodology has been adopted as the research technique. The method of case study has also been used herein. Conducting of interviews and questionnaires are also recognized as a data collection methodology. When analyzing data, S.P.S.S. software has been introduced. Quality of life style of mobile traders are compared with three indices in data analysis such as Physical Living Index, Living Index and Human Development Index. The purposive or judgment sampling has been adopted as research samples. The field of research based on this survey is the C.T.B. Central bus stand, BastianMawatha bus stand, Pettah within the Divisional Secretariat Division, Colombo in the District Secretariat, Colombo and vicinity of several bus stands and nearby cross roads set up within the administrative boundary of the Divisional Secretariat, Colombo. There are about 100 data contributors being made use in this study. Number of 13 data contributors have been used in the interview sample of case study in respect of qualitative facts. Conclusions have been drawn by analyzing quantitative and qualitative data received out from the above case study. Following features have been found in the study carried out on sixteen major facts. Living standard of mobile traders are high as well as the literacy rate. Their high per capita income makes their family lives more success. No infant deaths. Areas where they reside geographically feasible and climate conditions are conducive. Life expectancy in both parties are high. Health is also in a higher position. They are healthy. There are higher number of trade union membership holders. There is life security, less unemployment, political freedom as well as higher level in sexual equality. There are five matters on which quality is comparatively less. According to conclusion arrived at, they have poor savings, less tendency towards religion, less purchasing ability, less jobs and political security. One of major challenges that they are facing at present as well as in future is whether they could proceed ahead with this type of trade, despite high living standard. Prevention of trading on roads and ways, payments and inside buses have been empowered by Laws and Acts such as Roads and Ways Act, Police Ordinance and Passenger permits of National Transport Commission. In this circumstances, engaging in trade on roads and ways, pavements and even in buses is somewhat a challenging task.