Researches by staff of the Dept of Education (University Research Grants)

Title/Project	Duration	Names of Researchers
The impact of Information Technology on Secondary Education in Sri Lanka (A selected sample drawn from schools in Kandy District)	2009 / 2010	Dr. S.K. Embekke
An analysis of lives of teachers in Sri Lanka	2012	Dr. S.K. Embekke
A collaborative action research study to improve student’s achievement in Mathematics	2012 / 2013	Dr. S. Wijesundera
The Potential of mobile phones to support science Teachers in Sri Lanka: A follow up study	2012	Dr. S. Yatigammana Ekanayake
Exploring the readiness, attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate students towards the use of mobile phones for learning (based on a study of undergraduates students of Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya).	2013	Dr. S. Yatigammana Ekanayake
Diagnosing 10th grade student misconceptions on plant transport system and human circulatory system	2010	Dr. P. Vitharana
Using scientific diagrams to assess grade eight students understanding of physics concepts: work force and light	2012	Dr. P. Vitharana

Research Programmes conducted by the Department of Education
funded by the World Bank and directed by the Ministry of Education (ESDFP)

School Based Teacher Development Programme (2007)

School-Based Teacher Development Programmes was a research study carried out by the Department of Education, University of Peradeniya which programme was funded by the World Bank and directed by the Ministry of Education (MoE) under Theme II of the Education Sector Development Framework and Programme (ESDFP 2006-2010). According to the ESDFP, Theme II is to improve the quality of primary and secondary education of Sri Lanka. Further ‘Teacher Development’ has been emphasized under theme II as a major policy initiative within the overall framework of education quality improvement.

Objectives of the study

The purpose of the study was to examine the institutional arrangements required to put in place an effective school based teacher development modality that contributes to school quality improvement and teacher development.

Specific objectives of the study were divided into five as follows:-

1. Schools capacity to identify shortcomings in students learning achievements (ISSLA)

2. School capacity to identify professional development needs of teachers in order to improve student learning achievements (IPDNT)

3. Schools capacity to measure changes in students learning achievements (MCSLA)

4. Schools capacity to manage resources (Human and financial) for school Improvements (MRSI)

5. Institutional arrangements to support school improvement planning and school based teacher development programs (IASSIP)

Action Researches for improvement of Quality learning in schools(2008)

Themes and Objectives

Theme 01 – Improving literacy level of the students

Objectives

• To identify the present situation of the literacy level of the students.
• To identify the students who are with low literacy levels.
• To enhance the literacy level of the students through capacity building of teachers.
• To evaluate the literacy level of the students.

Theme 02 – An Action Research to improving moral and literacy levels of students

Objectives

Literacy development

• To assess the current literacy levels of the students that teachers have already identified.
• To design suitable remedial measures to overcome weaknesses with the teachers.
• To implement remedial measures and to evaluate success or otherwise of those measures with the teachers.
• To assess how the participations in the project affected the teachers professional competencies.

Moral development

• To identify nature of moral problems that arise in the school.
• To plan and implement interventions to solve moral problems identified in the above with the help of teachers.
• To evaluate the effects of the moral behaviors pattern interventions on the school, students and teachers.

Theme 03 – Raising the students performance in Mathematics using a collaborative approach.

Objectives

• To identify the existing performance levels of students in S & M.
• To identify the factors that affected the existing situation of performance of students.
• To identify the appropriate intervention programme to overcome the identified problems.
• To find out strategies to improve the performance in S & M.
• To implement set of strategies in order to enhance the performance in S & M.
• To access the results of the intervention programme.

Theme 04 – Developing a school based guidance and counseling service

Objectives

• To identify the need of educational, carrier and psycho social counseling requirements of the students.
• To enhance the awareness of the concepts of guidance and counseling among teachers, parents, students and top level managers.
• To develop counseling skills among teachers to facilitate to deal with student problems in regarding to educational, carrier and psycho social issues.

Theme 05 – Improving attention of students in learning

Objectives

• Identify of causes of inattentive.
• Design and implement appropriate strategies for enhancing attention of student.
• Assess the outcome of implemented strategies.

The research team for the above research programme was consist of the following members

Research Consultants:
Prof. K. T. Silva
Prof. Deepthi Bandara

Team Leader:
Dr. P. Sethunga

Researchers:
Mr. R.D. Sugathapala
Mr. J. Jayasuriya

Research Assistants:
Ms. S.E. Embakke
Mr. P. Ekanayake
Mr. W. Senevirathne
Mr. G. Medagedara

Resource Persons:
Mr. S.U. Wijerathne Acting Secretary – Ministry of Education
Dr. Jayantha Balasuriya Deputy Director – Ministry of Education
Ms. Madura Wehella National Coordinator ESDFP

Research Coordinator:
Dr (Ms.) P. Vitharana

An action research study on professional development of beginning teachers for school improvement (2009)

Research Team

Consultant – Prof. K. T. Silva

Team Leader – Dr. Prasad Sethunga

Research Coordinator – Dr. Pushpa Vitharana

Researchers –

Mr. J. Jayasuriya
Mr. R. D. Sugathapala
Dr. Susila Embekka
Mr. Prabath Ekanayake
Mr. Walter Senevirathne
Mr. Gaminie Madegedera

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AHEAD Project

Mathematics Education for the 21st Century : Improving Teaching and Learning in Mathematics at the Junior Secondary Level in Sri Lanka

Research Team

• Coordinator – Dr. Subhashini Wijesundera
• Deputy Coordinator – Prof. S. Yatigammana
• Team member – Prof. P. Sethunga
• Team Member – Dr. Walter Senevirathne
• Research Assistant – Ms. Chamilanka Wanigasekara