Department of Education

Dr. S. Wijesundera

Senior Lecturer

BSc(SJP), MSc(Edin. UK) MSc(Colombo), PhD(Notting,UK)

Department of Education
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About Me

I am a Senior Lecturer with academic and administrative experience in both general and higher education sectors in Sri Lanka as a secondary school teacher, officer in the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service (SLEAS), Project officer at the National Education Institute and a lecturer and Head of the Department of Education, University of Peradeniya. My current engagements include quantitative, qualitative and action research, teaching at postgraduate and Undergraduate levels, postgraduate research supervision, curriculum designing and implementation, academic publications, providing consultancy services in both general and higher educational sectors, institutional and programme review and project evaluation, technical and academic report writing. Currently serving as a member of the Standing Committee on General Education and Early childhood education of the National Education Commission of Sri Lanka, the Country Coordinator of the South Asian Research Network for Children and Youth Studies(SARNCYS) of the Manchester Metropolitan University, and the Coordinator of the Development Oriented Research project of the Accelerating Higher Education Expansion And Development (AHEAD) Operation of the Ministry of Higher Education and the World Bank), Principal Researcher in Sri Lanka in the International Survey of Children’s Wellbeing (ISC-WeB) conducted by a group of International researchers operating from Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.

Education

PhD in Education

School of Education, University of Nottingham, UK

2011

Master of Science in Applied Psychology

University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

2003

Master of Science in Education Management and Administration

Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, UK

1989

Postgraduate Diploma in Educational and Psychological Assessment

University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

1987

Advance Certificate in Educational Planning

Monash University, Australia

1985

B.Sc (Hons) in Biology with Mathematics and Physics as subsidiary subjects 2nd class (Upper Division)

University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Sri Lanka

1982

Current Positions

Member of the Standing Committee on General Education and Early Childhood Education - National Education Commission, Sri Lanka

2019 July 1st - To Present

Member, Board of Study for Psychology, Philosophy and Education - Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences

January 2022 - To Present

Coordinator, Development Oriented Research(DOR) grant - Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, funded by the Accelerating Higher Education Expansion And Development (AHEAD) Operation of the World Bank and Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka

2019 January - To Present

Senior lecturer, Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, - University of Peradeniya

2003 - To Present

Positions Held

Chairperson, Curriculum Development Committee - Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya

2017 - 2019

Co-ordinator, MPhil and PhD in Education Programme - Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya

2016 - 2018

Secretary, Board of study for Psychology, Philosophy, and Education - Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya

2015 - 2018

Member, Faculty Academic Development and Planning Committee - Faculty of Arts, University of peradeniya

2011 - 2014

Member, Programme committee of the Staff Development Centre - University of Peradeniya

2011 - 2014

Member, Faculty Higher Degrees Committee - Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya

2011 - 2014

Member , Senate - University of Peradeniya

2011 - 2014

Head - Department of Education, University of Peradeniya

2011 - 2014

Awards

2005 – Fellowship granted by the National Centre for Advancement of Social Sciences and Humanities (NCAS) to follow PhD in Education - University of Nottingham

2005

British Government Technical Cooperation Training Award under the Colombo Plan to follow Masters’ Degree programme in Education Management and Administration - Moray House College of Education, UK

1989

Advance fellowship in Education Planning at the School of Education - Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

1985

Publications

BOOKS

Wijesundera, Subhashinie (2021) Improving teaching and learning in the bilingual classrooms-A collaboarative Action Research study . Berlin: Dodo Books Indian Ocean

Wijesundera, Subhashinie (2012) Students’ experiences of learning: Undergraduate education in Sri Lanka. Saarbrücken, Germany: Lambert Academic publishing

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

Wijesundera, Subhashinie., T. M. Sakunthala Yatigammana Ekanayake & Prasad Sethunga (2018) Teacher Education in Sri Lanka, International Handbook of Teacher Education Worldwide, ΕΚΔΟΣΕΙΣ HM Studies and Publishing, 2, 339-355

Wijesundera, Subhashinie & Wilfred J Perera(2000) Teacher Perceptions of the National Policy on Primary Education. In Little Angela. (ed.) (2000) Primary Education Reforms in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka: Educational Publications Department, Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Available online.

http://angelawlittle.net/wpcontent/uploads/2012/07/PrimaryEdReformSriLankaFull.pdf#page=98

Wijesundera, S. D. K. de Silva, R K K C, Wijesinghe, K. & Jayasena D. A. (1998). National Diagnosis on Teacher Supervision and Support Services for Basic Education in Sri Lanka. In Unesco-IIEP (1998) Supervision and support services in Asia, Vol. II, National Diagnoses.

Unesco-IIEP.doc.iiep.unesco.org/cgibin/wwwi32.exe/%5Bin=epidoc1.in%5D/?

JOURNAL ARTICLES

2 School Improvement: An action-based case study, conducted in a disadvantaged school in Sri Lanka. Education Action Research. Vol 10, No. 2, 2002.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09650790200200188

2. Wijesundera, S., Yatigammana, S. and Sethunga, P., 2021. Challenges for Bilingual education at the junior secondary level of education in Sri Lanka: Student and teacher perspectives. OUSL Journal, 16(2), pp.27–47.

http://doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v16i2.7510

1. Wijesundera, S. and Wijethunga, K., 2021. The association between teachers’ mathematical beliefs, teacher characteristics and student achievements at the junior secondary level of education in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, 44(2), p.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

Wijesundera, S. & Yatigammana (2021) Teacher beliefs on students’ low achievements in mathematics at the junior secondary level of education in Sri Lanka and their Implications for school based teacher development. Conference proceedings. International Research Conference on the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) 2021, Virtual conference held from 18-19 March 2021

Wijesundera, S.D.K., Sakunthala Yatigammana Ekanayake T.M & Samarakoon, K (2014) “Novel way of using mobile phone for a science learning activity”, Asia Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA) International conference, Hong Kong, November 19-22, 2014.

Wijesundera, Subhashinie & Roger Murphy(2012) Expansive learning among undergraduates in the social sciences in Sri Lanka, Jaffna University International Research Conference-2012, 20th-21st July 2012, University of Jaffna

PUBLISHED IN ABSTRACT FORM

Wijesundera S., Senevirathne, W. and Sethunga, P. (2019) Role of the Principal in Improving Teaching and Learning in Mathematics Classrooms at the Junior Secondary Level of Education in Sri Lanka. Proceedings , National Center for the Advancement of Social Sciences (NCAS) Symposium 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Wijesundara, S.D.K. Sethunge, P. Yatigammana T.M.S.S.K.(2016), “Collaborative action research to improve teaching and learning in Bilingual classrooms”, 2nd conference on Bilingual Education - 23-24 June 2016, Ministry of Education

Wijesundera S. D.K. (2016) Collaborative Action Research for reforming education at the grassroot level in Sri Lanka. Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) Conference . 11th-13th November 2016. Bishop Grosseteste University , Lincoln, United Kingdom

Wijesundara, S.D.K., Sethunge, P. , & Yatigammana T.M.S.S.K. (2016) “My child won’t be able to get “A” grades – Challenges for implementing bilingual education at the classroom level in Sri Lanka”, International Conference on the Humanities and the Social Sciences (ICHSS 2016), 27 – 28, July 2016.

Wijesundera, T.M.S.S.K., Yatigammana Ekanayake, S.D.K. Samarakoon K. (2014) “Effective way of facilitating outside science learning activities using mobile phones in a private network”, International Peradeniya University Research Sessions (iPURSE14), University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka 4 July 2014.

Wijesundera, Subhashinie & Sakunthala Yatigammana,(2014) “Even if you go to a boutique you need maths”: students’ outcomes of a collaborative action research study of improving mathematics achievement of secondary school students in Sri Lanka. The Asia Pacific Education Research Association & The Hong Kong Educational Research Association International Conference 2014, Managing Global Changes and Education Reforms: Asia and Pacific Responses, 19-21 November 2014 , The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.

Wijesundera, Subhashinie., Sakunthala Yatigammana & Gamini Medagedara(2014) “Now I have a place in my class” : Outcomes of an action research study on improving Mathematics achievements of students in selected schools, Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE 2014), University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka 4th -5th July 2014.

Wijesundera S., Sethunga P., Embekke S., Bandara B., (2013). School based mentoring in Postgraduate Teacher Education: Expectations, Realities and Possibilities from the perspective of student Teachers, International Research Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardenapura, 4th and 5th December 2013

Wijesundera, Subhashinie & Roger Murphy (2012) A Model for Understanding Student Learning in Undergraduate Education, World Education Research Association (WERA) Focal meeting 2012, University of Sydney, Australia, 2nd-6th December 2012 Abstract available online at

http://www.aare.edu.au/publications-database.php/7273/A-model-for-understanding-student-learning-in-undergraduate-education-

Wijesundera, Subhashinie., Roger Murphy and Ruolan Wang (2011) Transforming Undergraduate Education in the Social Sciences in Sri Lanka, The first International conference in the social sciences and the humanities, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 16th-17th December 2011

Wijesundera, Subhashinie., Roger Murphy and Namrata Sharma(2009) Student learning in an undergraduate course: a journey through an unknown territory. In Abstracts. Peradeniya University Research Sessions 3rd December 2009 Also available online at

www.pdn.ac.lk/.../PURSE%20Volume%2014%20Part%20I%20-%2020091.Pdf

Wijesundera, Subhashinie (2008) ‘At least it is useful for life in general’: The value of undergraduate education from the perspective of a group of students enrolled in a special degree programme in a Sri Lankan university. In Abstracts Weaving the Threads of Educational Research. Postgraduate Research Conference, School of Education, University of Nottingham. 19th November 2008

www.nottingham.ac.uk/.../Conference_Programme_and_Abstracts.pdf

Wijesundera S.D.K. (2003) Student perceptions of a new course: a study in relation to the course unit system in the Faculty of Arts. In Abstracts “Sri Lanka at Crossroads; Continuity and Change”, 9th International Conference on Sri Lankan Studies. 28th-30th November 2003, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka.

www.slageconr.net/slsnet/9thicsls/individual/abs020.pdf

Specialization

Curriculum Development

Higher Education

Education Psychology

Education Management and Administration

Educational Measurement and Evaluation

Teaching

MED 606 - Education Psychology

PGIHS

2000 - To Present

MED 602 - Education Management

PGIHS

2000 - To Present

MED 601 - Research Methodology

PGIHS

2004 - To Present

MPH 706 - Education Psychology

PGIHS

2011 - To Present

MPH 701 - Research Methodology

PGIHS

2011 - To Present

Research Interests

Mathematics education

Children's wellbeing

Teacher education

Equity in Education

Design Research

Collaborative Action Research

Ongoing Research and Projects

A study of Mathematics Education in the 21st Century: Improving student learning in mathematics classrooms at the junior secondary level in Sri Lanka

in this study, our purpose is to address the issues of low achievements in Mathematics and the need to instil 21st-century skills among students, by exploring the reasons for low achievement and identifying possibilities for improvement through appropriate interventions at the classroom level using Collaborative Action Research (CAR) approach.

Children’s Worlds: The International Survey of Children’s Well-Being, COVID-19 Supplement, 2021

In early 2020, COVID-19 disease spread worldwide. The World Health Organization has declared it a global epidemic, and countries around the world have entered emergency status. Many countries have applied restrictions and guidelines aimed at implementing social alienation and as a result, serious changes and impacts occurred at different levels ranging from policies up to families and individuals. Some of the effects on children

Research Grants Received

Coordinator, AHEAD/ DOR/PDN/ARTS/No. 20 (2019-2021 ongoing) Study of Mathematics Education in the 21st Century: Improving teaching and learning in Mathematics classrooms at the junior secondary level in Sri Lanka

Principal Researcher: International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (ISCWeB) –A study conducted in the government schools in the Central Province of Sri Lanka Coordinated by a group of international researchers from Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany- Funded by Jacobs Foundation 2016-2019

Principal Researcher: A collaborative action research study to improve teaching learning process in the bilingual classrooms of selected schools in Kandy District, Sri Lanka., English Language Teaching Research Partnership (ELTRP) award, British Council, Sri Lanka (February 2015 to February 2016)

Member of the Team: National Research Study on the Professional Development of Teachers and Teacher Educators, National Education Commission, Sri Lanka. (2013/2014)

Principal Researcher: A collaborative Action Research study to improve students’ achievement in Mathematics in Grade 10 in selected schools. Research report prepared for the University of Peradeniya. Research Grant RG/2012/23/A , 2013

Other Academic Contributions

Review of undergraduate programmes in State and Non-State Universities

Development of BEd (Honours)degree programme

Development of a guideline for Primary school leaders

Development of a manual for training primary school principals