Sri Lankan Universities Research Articles

Reflection of Environmental Citizenship Behaviour through Domestic Waste Disposal Practices: Examination on Youth in Sri Lanka

The comparison of Environmental Citizen Behaviour (ECB) and waste disposal mechanism is relatively unknown among youth. The study explores how ECB reflects through domestic waste disposal practices by analyzing extend of ECB and waste disposal practices among Sri Lankan youth descriptively. A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was adopted to collect data from students in Sri Lankan universities. ECB was measured with a modified version of the eleven-item scale developed. Measurement properties were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis were utilized as data analysis techniques. The study operationalized ECB as eco-initiatives, eco-helping and eco-civic engagement. Relative to eco initiative and eco helping, low practice was reported to eco-civic engagement. Presence of low and moderate ECB, the probability of using waste collection arrangement was high. Respondents with higher level of ECB, applicability of composting the waste is relatively high. However, dumping waste outside premises was also high among highest ECB. Compared to individuals with high and low ECB, burning waste was higher for moderate ECB. The findings suggest that there is a certain level of ECB that is necessary for waste disposal method selection, however when the ECB level optimized, it may affect waste disposal negatively. The joint inspiration of ECB and waste disposal is relatively unknown. In Sri Lanka, which is a developing context, there is a lack of studies about the connection between ECB and waste disposal.

Work-Life Balance of Women Academics in Sri Lanka- The moderating effect of Individualism vs. Collectivism

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between work-family demands with work-life balance (WLB) and the moderating effect of individualism vs. collectivism on the identified relationship of women academics. Nowadays, the education sector in Sri Lanka is required to achieve the global demands and expectations of the new world. Consequently, the Sri Lankan higher education sector is continuously upgrading. Thus, women holding academic positions require attributes of intelligence, knowledge, and skills. Still, women in academics enjoy less freedom in family life relative to their men counterparts. This study is among the first attempts to explore the moderating effect of Individualism vs. Collectivism on the phenomenon of WLB among women academics in Sri Lanka. Focusing on WLB in the academic profession, this study has used the quantitative method to explore the relationship between work-family demand and WLB of culturally diverse women academics. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from a total of 801 university lecturers in Sri Lankan state universities. The result of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that work-family demands are negatively associated with WLB, and the cultural value of individualism vs. collectivism (IC) is observed that significantly moderate the relationship between work-family demands with WLB. These typical working and living conditions of women academics make it interesting and informative to understand their WLB and how the IC culture value influences their WLB. Moreover, this study supports understanding the perception-centred approach characterizing WLB research.

A Literature Review on Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Nursing Students in a Sri Lankan University Context

The KDU Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (KJMS) is published biannually, by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. KJMS is an international open access and peer reviewed journal which publishes high quality original research papers from multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

The Art of Self-Presentation: A Study on Impression Management among Academicians in Sri Lankan State Universities

Impression Management is one of the important phenomena in everyday life, which everyone uses as a strategy to improve their current state of affairs. This qualitative study on impression management among academicians in Sri Lankan state universities was carried out to explore the impression management strategies which are adopted by academicians, while trying to identify the motives behind them to practice those strategies. Eight academics of a leading faculty in a state university, which is in the Colombo district were selected as the sample using the purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured interviews were adopted to collect data and the Thematic Analysis Technique was used to analyze those collected data. Findings of the study indicate that academicians of the selected context use a variety of impression management strategies. Those include direct strategies of creating a good image through presenting the self as competent, likable, diligent, supplicatory, and dangerous. Strategies of apology, reasoning and rejecting were identified as the direct ways of defending a bad image. Indirect impression formation is done by criticizing, passing the fault to others, and getting appreciation from others. Not only that, but academicians also use non-verbal ways such as attire, facial expressions, and vehicle & other accessories to create impressions. Further, the results illustrate that academicians are motivated to manage impressions to maintain a good image of themselves, to build a relationship, to achieve job-related goals such as, job security, career growth, and finally to motivate others for success. This study also provides some valuable theoretical and managerial implications and considerations for future research in the field of impression management. 
 Keywords: Academicians, Impression Management, Impression Management Strategies, Impression Management Motives

Conversations in a Time of Crisis: Kuppi Talk in the Sri Lankan University Space

AbstractKuppi in Sinhala and Tamil refers to a small oil lamp, a vial. On university campuses in Sri Lanka, kuppi is the figurative term for a student‐led informal study group led by a “smarter” or senior student. Informed by the complexities of university life, kuppi signifies a politics and pedagogy happening on the margins of the lecture hall. It parodies, subverts, and simultaneously reaffirms social hierarchies. Drawing upon this conceit, a group of academics and activists, found the Kuppi Collective in 2020, as an inquiry of the location of the university, academia, the intellectual and of their imbrication in the state and the global, in all its complexity.In “Conversations in a Time of Crisis,” five of the collective’s members enter into a conversation reflecting on its actions, expectations, and the political, remarking on what the future may hold. The conversation takes on an ever more insistent urgency as Sri Lanka catapults into an economic and political debacle, slowly shutting down, even as we speak. Participants in the conversation are Hasini Lecamwasam (HL), Sivamohan Sumathy (SS), Shamala Kumar (SK), Ahilan Kadirgamar (AK), and Nicola Perera (NP).

Maritime Students Meeting the Maritime Industry English Standards: An Analysis of Types of Sentences

A sentence is the highest unit of grammar. Thus, constructing error-free sentences in writing is one of the biggest challenges encounted by most non-native speakers, and even university students are not an exception to this reality. This study aims at investigating various types of sentences produced by tertiary-level maritime students in a Sri Lankan university. The study was based on a narrative writing activity in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) module. The students were provided forty-five minutes to produce the piece of writing as an in-class activity on a topic relevant to their field visit to a port. This is a descriptive study based on the analysis of a small corpus of essays written by twenty maritime students, and a structural analysis of sentences was employed to examine the students’ writing. Different kinds of sentences and sentence errors were identified, and they were classified accordingly. The findings of the study revealed that the students favoured simple sentences over other sentence types. Approximately two-thirds of the sentences produced belonged to the simple sentence category. The compound-complex form was found to be the least utilized sentence type among the target group. The analysis of sentences was based on the elements of the clause structure explained in Quirk et al. (1985) and Oshima and Hough (2006). Interestingly, it was observed that there was no single common clause structural pattern used by the participants. Instead, they used subject-verb-object (SVO), subject-verb-complement (SVC) and subject-verb-adverbial (SVA) types very often when writing. Similarly, fragments and run-on sentences were recorded high among maritime learners’ erroneous sentences in writing. The study findings have pedagogical implications for the teaching of English language grammar that subsumes essay writing in the EAP module. 

Knowledge and confidence on prescribing antibiotics among medical graduates from a Sri Lankan university

Inappropriate antimicrobial prescription is the main contributory factor to rapidly growing antibiotic resistance. This cross-sectional study was done to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of antibiotic use among medical graduates at the University of Peradeniya using an online questionnaire. The medical graduates rated their education in cardiology to be ‘sufficient’ or ‘more than sufficient’ compared to infectious diseases and antimicrobials (p<0.05). Confidence in diagnostics was higher than therapeutics in infectious diseases. Most were aware of local antimicrobial guidelines but nearly half (46.1%) believed these were used less than 50% in the clinical setting. The average knowledge score was 57.5% and participants scored well (>75%) in deciding when not to use antibiotics and scored less (<50%) in therapeutics of less common infections. Poor knowledge and confidence amongst medical graduates were observed in antimicrobial prescribing. Antibiotic stewardship should be emphasized in medical curricula to improve the prescribing practice among doctors.

Impact of Physical Learning Environment on University Students’ Academic Engagement in an Online Learning Setting during Covid-19: Evidence from a Sri Lankan University

The restrictions imposed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus 2019 led to a paradigm shift in terms of the learning arrangements. In such a situation, since curfew was imposed in Sri Lanka, the universities commenced their all-academic activities using different virtual platforms such Zoom and MS Teams to continue teaching and learning process. Active student engagement is vital for the success of the process. However, evidence shows that the level of student engagement is low in academic activities in an online learning setting and the studies that explored the impact of the physical environment on this situation are rare. Therefore, this study aims to study the impact of ambient and spatial attributes in the physical environment on the level of students’ academic engagement in an online learning setting. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 238 undergraduates of University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka and were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS. The model fit assessment, path coefficient estimation and hypotheses testing were done at the data analysis. The study finding empirically validate the impact of ambient and spatial attributes of the physical environment on student engagement in an online learning setting. Out of ambient attributes, noise and lighting level were recorded as the most influencing factor while size and shape of the study area were recorded as highly influencing factors out of spatial attributes. The impact of air quality, layout and pattern on student engagement was found insignificant. The study finding broadens the components taken as physical resources considered in the Engagement Theory and provide insights for students, university officials, housing developers and policy makers on the importance of the physical learning environment for the student academic engagement in an online leaning setting

Online Examinations in the State Universities of Sri Lanka: Perceptions of Examiners and Students

Sri Lanka’s educational system has negatively been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially, drastic changes in the regular pattern of learning and evaluation have serious impacts on undergraduates and lecturers in Sri Lankan universities. The aim of this study is to explore the state university undergraduates’ and the test administrators’ perceptions of online examinations, thereby understanding the challenges and issues of online assessments. To this end, a qualitative investigation was undertaken with forty undergraduates of four government universities and seven lecturers of two universities in Sri Lanka. The study used questionnaires to gather data from the undergraduates and interviews with lecturers. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Ninety percent of the undergraduates and university lecturers reported that online evaluation has become ineffective due to their lack of expertise in the learning management systems and inadequate knowledge of using digitized internet-assisted platforms. Moreover, under-graduates’ economical, technical and personal issues have also hindered the effectiveness of online evaluation. Since the online examinations could not evaluate undergraduates’ learning outcomes accurately as onsite examinations, the results of online examinations cannot be considered valid and reliable. The current study has implications for the university undergraduates, test administrators, and university management.

Perception of physiotherapy students regarding their chosen career: An exploratory study on leveling the playing field

The physiotherapy profession plays a significant role in multi-disciplinary healthcare teams, especially in planning rehabilitation regimes, re-establishing maximum movement capability, and achieving functional independence of a patient. The professional status of physiotherapy depends on career satisfaction amongst physiotherapists. Understanding the dynamics of professional in/ equity would be useful to develop the profession. Therefore, this study explores the perceptions of physiotherapy students about their profession [i.e., the reasons for choosing to study physiotherapy, level of satisfaction with having chosen physiotherapy, and (perceived) problems in the profession] in a Sri Lankan state university, and to explore potential inequities in the profession. A cross-sectional survey of 100 students was conducted using an online, self administered questionnaire. Results indicated that 79% of the students were satisfied with having chosen physiotherapy as a profession. Their year of study and gender did not influence their career choice. The students most frequently cited the opportunity to serve humankind and job opportunities in Western countries as reasons for choosing to study physiotherapy. The most frequently cited profession-related problems were wage inequity, lack of knowledge amongst the public about physiotherapy, and lack of job opportunities in the country. Although the profession is perceived to have these problems, most students were satisfied with their career choice. The results indicate that Sri Lanka needs to further develop the professional equity and status of physiotherapy.

Ragging as an expression of power in a deeply divided society; a qualitative study on students perceptions on the phenomenon of ragging at a Sri Lankan university

Ragging as an expression of power in a deeply divided society; a qualitative study on students perceptions on the phenomenon of ragging at a Sri Lankan university

Ragging as an expression of power in a deeply divided society; a qualitative study on students perceptions on the phenomenon of ragging at a Sri Lankan university

Initiation rituals such as hazing, bullying, and ragging, as it is referred to in Sri Lanka, is a global phenomenon and has become a serious public health problem. Students are bullied and harassed by senior students causing them to suffer severe adverse consequences including depression, increased university dropouts and suicide. Although this has led to a significant burden on the country, research on ragging is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of students concerning the phenomenon of ragging and to understand how ragging affects student life and culture at the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. This paper is based on 17 focus group discussions with male and female students of Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim ethnicity. Thematic analysis was employed to navigate through the theoretical lenses of structural violence, intersectionality, and social dominance. The findings revealed how students perceived ragging differently; as an expression of power to initiate order and as a way to express dissatisfaction towards social inequalities occurring within the larger society or to facilitate bonds between university students. Students trivialized violence related to ragging and accepted it as a part of the university subculture despite being aware of the dire consequences. There was a described cyclical nature to ragging whereby victims become perpetrators. The student's perspective appeared to be a missed opportunity in finding feasible solutions to a societal problem that must take all parties involved, into consideration.

Ragging, a Form of University Violence in Sri Lanka-Prevalence, Self-Perceived Health Consequences, Help-Seeking Behavior and Associated Factors.

Ragging is an initiation ritual practiced in Sri Lankan universities for generations, although research is scarce. This practice has several adverse consequences such as physical, psychological, and behavioral effects and increased university dropouts. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of different types of ragging: emotional/verbal, physical and sexual ragging, self-perceived health consequences, help-seeking behavior, and factors associated with the experience of ragging. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 623, second- and third-year students from the medical, and technology faculties in Jaffna University. Bivariate associations were assessed using chi-squared tests. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with any type of ragging. Ragging was experienced by 59% of the students, emotional/verbal ragging being the most common. A total of 54% of students suffered one or more health consequences and mainly sought help from friends and family, with few seeking formal help. Factors associated with any type of ragging were faculty and year of study. This study emphasizes the urgent need to address this public health problem. It is important that there are adequate student support services, planning and implementation of effective interventions, as well as ensuring that existing policies are strengthened, to reduce or eliminate ragging in Sri Lanka.

Use and Attitudes of Complementary and Alternative Medicines Among Allied Health Sciences Students, University of Peradeniya

Background: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) consists of a group of medical and health care systems, practices, and products delivered outside the mainstream health care system. CAM treatments can be used not only to treat diseases but also to promote wellness, disease prevention, and manage symptoms. However, someone’s attitudes toward health may contribute to seeking CAM treatments. This study aimed to investigate the use and attitudes of CAM among Allied Health Sciences (AHS) students at the University of Peradeniya.Methods: An online questionnaire was used and all AHS students at the University of Peradeniya were invited to participate. The questionnaire comprised three parts: Part A) demographic data, Part B) usage of complementary and alternative medicines and Part C) attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicines. CAM usage and attitude differences between different degree programs and academic years were compared.Results: Of the 601 students invited, 314 (52.2%) responded to the questionnaire. Among them, 143 participants (45.5%) had used CAM during the past 12 months. Of them, vitamins were the most used CAM. Most participants (70.1%) had used CAM to improve their health, while (68.5%) had selected CAM to reduce side effects. More than one-third of students showed positive attitudes towards CAM. There were significant differences in CAM usage between students of pharmacy/nursing and MLS/Radiography/Physiotherapy, while there was no difference in attitudes regarding CAM. There were differences in attitudes concerning CAM between senior and junior students, however no difference in CAM usage.Conclusion: This study found that AHS students commonly reported using CAM. A comparison between Pharmacy/Nursing and MLS/Radiography/Physiotherapy students suggests that pharmacy/nursing education is associated with improved awareness and use of CAM among AHS undergraduate students in a Sri Lankan university.

Development of an Optimal Short Course for Pharmacy Students in Sri Lanka to Enhance the Knowledge of Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been identified as one of the greatest threats to human health. Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in patient care activities, and an understanding of antimicrobial agents and AMR is a critical component of high-quality care. Pharmacists are experts in medicines, and their education and training can directly impact the quality of services they provide to patients. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) competencies for pharmacy students have been developed and implemented in the developed world. However, in developing countries like Sri Lanka, there is a gap in the training of pharmacy students in AMS competencies, thereby hindering their ability to be effective in stewardship activities upon graduation.This study presents a protocol that includes learning outcomes and content to explore a national consensus on AMS competencies that will improve knowledge about antibiotics and AMR in pharmacy students in Sri Lanka. The first draft of the proposed curriculum was developed through a literature review, informed by extensive investigations of pharmacy students’ current knowledge and understanding and ensuring suitability in the Sri Lankan context. A process of liaising with academics and stakeholders in Sri Lanka and discussions with academics from developed countries (such as Australia) was used to prepare the final draft. Future consultation and implementation will also seek further input from current and recently graduated pharmacy students in Sri Lanka. The competencies developed will apply to pharmacy undergraduate programs in Sri Lankan universities and for practicing Sri Lankan pharmacists in a continuous professional development program. Once implemented, this protocol will help strengthen AMS education amongst pharmacists in Sri Lanka and ultimately benefit Sri Lankan consumers and assist other health care professionals addressing AMR.

Impact of Physical Learning Environment on Undergraduates’ Academic Engagement in an Online Learning Setting during COVID-19: Evidence from a Sri Lankan University

Impact of Physical Learning Environment on Undergraduates’ Academic Engagement in an Online Learning Setting during COVID-19: Evidence from a Sri Lankan University

Sri Lankan Management Undergraduates’ Employability Capital towards Work Readiness: Undergraduates’ Perspective

Work-readiness is the primary goal of higher education and a crucial component of job performance. Universities are intended to provide graduates with the necessary employable skills and knowledge to contribute significantly to the economic development of a country. Many criticisms are levelled at the university system in Sri Lanka for failing to fulfil one of the main goals of university education, which is to equip an undergraduate for a job role. The consensus of experts in the educational sector is that the Sri Lankan education system is not producing appropriately employable graduates, especially in the disciplines of the social sciences and management (Ariyawansa,2008). Accordingly, the primary objective of the present explanatory study aimed to analyse the nature and strength of the relationship between graduate employability capital and the work readiness of management undergraduates in Sri Lankan state universities to address the gap in the literature about Sri Lanka in the given area. To this end, five hypotheses were tested to measure the nature of the relationship between work readiness and five components of graduate employability capital: human capital, cultural capital, identity capital, social capital, and psychological capital. Three hundred and ninety-four undergraduates were selected as prescribed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970), using the stratified sampling method with respondents representing all state universities in Sri Lanka. The findings revealed that the tested five factors correlated positively with the level of work readiness of undergraduates. Moreover, the results showed that the highest positive correlation of the level of work readiness was with psychological capital, the second-highest positive correlation was with social capital and the lowest positive correlation was with cultural capital. Accordingly, the findings demonstrated that the level of psychological capital and social capital of management undergraduates strongly predicts their work readiness.
 Keywords: Employability, Employability Skills, Graduate Employability, Work Readiness

Contribution of IT to Implementation of Digital Learning in State Universities of Sri Lanka during the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to identify the impact of digital learning in Sri Lankan state universities and the contribution of ICT to the implementation of digital learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study also aims to investigate the impact of digital learning conducted in academic activities while the Covid-19 pandemic; its implementation in state universities in Sri Lanka and the challenges encountered by the academic staff members and students. The purpose of this study is to identify the positive and negative effects of virtual mode studies and their adaptations. In addition, this study will help to identify future digital learning opportunities at Sri Lankan state universities. Data collection was conducted through an interview guide and implemented with some research-related open-ended questions and thematically analyzed the data, and interviews were conducted to carry out research work at eight Sri Lankan state universities. The methodology of this study was qualitative, and the sample of this study was purposive. The findings of this study developed three main themes; implementation of virtual learning; blended learning and distance evaluation; and adaption to rapid changes. Based on the results, academic recommendations are considered when making recommendations for future studies.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) Tamil Version.

Despite being the third most prevalent psychiatric disorder, social anxiety disorder remains under-diagnosed due to multiple reasons. Although many screening instruments are available in the English language, to date no instrument has been translated into Tamil. To translate and validate the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) into Tamil among a group of Sri Lankan university students whose mother tongue is Tamil. The process of translation and validation involved standard procedures. DSM- 5 was used as the gold standard to diagnose social anxiety disorder. As part of the psychometric study, test-retest reliability and analysis of items for internal consistency of the instrument were assessed. A cut off of55.5had the optimum sensitivity and specificity for the Tamil version of the LSAS-SR. The Cronbach's alpha between the avoidance subscale, total and the fear subscale total was 0.860 while the figures for Cronbach's alpha between the total score and fear subscale total score and the avoidance subscale total score were 0.880 and 0.855, respectively. The test- retest reliability correlation coefficients for the fear subscale, avoidance subscale and the total score were 0.890, 0.925 and 0.918, respectively (p<0.001 for all). The cut off score of 55.5had the optimum sensitivity and specificity for the LSAS-SR Tamil version. It had good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Further studies will enable the assessment of the prevalence of social phobia and investigation of cultural and environmental factors associated with social phobia in Sri Lanka.

The Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF): Its Psychometric Properties among Sri Lankan Students and Measurement Invariance across Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA.

The prevalence of internet gaming disorders (IGD) is considerably high among youth, especially with the social isolation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. IGD adversely affects mental health, quality of life, and academic performance. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF) is designed to detect IGD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. However, inconsistent results are reported on its capacity to diagnose IGD evenly across different cultures. To ensure the suitability of the IGDS9-SF as a global measure of IGD, this study examined the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in a sample of Sri Lankan university students (N = 322, mean age = 17.2 ± 0.6, range = 16–18 years, 56.5% males) and evaluated its measurement invariance across samples from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA. Among Sri Lankan students, a unidimensional structure expressed good fit, invariance across different groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and income), adequate criterion validity (strong correlation with motives of internet gaming, daily gaming duration, and sleep quality), and good reliability (alpha = 0.81). Males and online multiplayers expressed higher IGD levels, greater time spent gaming, and more endorsement of gaming motives (e.g., Social and Coping) than females and offline players. Across countries, the IGDS9-SF was invariant at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, although strict invariance was not maintained. The lowest and highest IGD levels were reported among Turkish and American respondents, respectively. In conclusion, the IGDS9-SF can be reliably used to measure IGD among Sri Lankan youth. Because the scale holds scalar invariance across countries, its scores can be used to compare IGD levels in the studied countries.