ICH 2017
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Item Censoring literary works and new media (with a special focus on the Catholic religious censorship in Sri Lanka).(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Kariyawasam, M.M.This research study is based on two Sri Lankan creations which challenged the holiness and divine motherhood of the controversial figure of Mother Mary in theology which were initially censored by the Catholic Church but which later came into public knowledge through new media. The objective of the study is to examine whether censorship of literature represents common religious aims and to investigate whether the works censored by print media are actually censored. The conclusions were developed after studying the instances of censorship involving the works, “Mary and Human Liberation” by Rev. Thissa Balasooriya and “Maria called Mary” by Manjula Wediwardana. The sample was selected from missions in Sri Lanka that had a 100% Christian population. The public viewpoints were analyzed through a questionnaire as well as a series of interviews. The finding of the study was that the creations that had initially been censored by the Catholic Church in general or by Sri Lankan Catholic Church and later published through new media created more popular interest. Expert discussions pointed out that while such censorship was positive on certain occasions, it might be negative on other instances. When examining the public opinion, it became clear that general Catholic community was not aware of religious censorship and the majority was of the opinion that rather than censoring works, it was better to make them available for public. Therefore, the conclusion of the study is that the censorship of works focusing on the subject of Mother Mary does not represent the aims and viewpoints of the general Catholic population and the works which are censored in print media which later become available for public through new media have a stronger impact on the public. The main recommendation of the study is that in relation to religious censorship, rather than taking a rigid and an extremist stance, the Catholic Church should adopt a more democratic and flexible approach.Item Utilizing Digital Media in Teaching Chinese Characters.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Kariyawasam, W.Chinese characters known as Hanzi are regarded as one of the earliest forms of written languages in the world, in which learning the characters is considered a fundamental step as Chinese characters are formed as pictograms forming images of animals, persons and objects. Sri Lankan students learning Chinese language at the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya find it difficult to write the characters properly and also to remember the meanings of the pictograms. The main difficulties for the problems faced by students are the irregular attendance and not regularly practicing writing the characters. In fact, the students do not write the characters repeating them several times till they remember their meanings and patterns. As a result, within a short period of time the students forget the correct stroke order of the Chinese characters. Therefore, with the use of the suggested software, the students have the possibility to practice Chinese characters outside the classrooms. It is also more reliable to learn characters using the software when the students are free. The findings of the research are presented by statistics and the research is mainly based on interviews and opinions of the students using the software to practice Chinese characters and on the evaluation remarks of the written class tests. According to the findings of the research it was evident that students have identified the use of software as an influential motivating factor in learning Chinese characters as it gives them the freedom to learn the characters without the authority of a teacher and to correct and to understand the mistakes that occur when learning Chinese characters.Item A Computerized System to Identify Sanskrit Verbs.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Indrajothi, B.In the present study, the scope of the research pervades primarily to ten gaṇas and lakāras of Sanskrit language. The structure of the verbs of the Sanskrit language is utterly complicated, which seems incomprehensible even for a student of advanced Sanskrit studies to identify the gaṇa of verbs; whether the given verb is parasmaipada, ātmanepada or ubayapada, whether the given verb is set, wet, or anit, and what the lakāra, puruṣaandpada are and so on. Sometimes, though someone has studied all the grammatical rules he/she might be unable to identify them due to reduplication rules and euphonic combinations. The research problem of this study is to find out a systematic way of identifying Sanskrit verbs and introducing a user-friendly computerized system for finding Sanskrit verbs. The proposed system will be a guideline to use Sanskrit verbs correctly. More than 200 students were tested on the issue and none of the students were capable of identifying Sanskrit gaṇas, and lakāra correctly. And it was seen that they did not have a proper understanding about gaṇas, and lakāra of Sanskrit verbs. The hypothesis of this research is "A computerized data base could be utilized in identifying gaṇas, and lakāra of Sanskrit". As the methodology in gathering data for the research, a class room test was held. The gathered data was subjected to content analysis using qualitative methodology. Further subject experts were consulted and literary and computer studies were done. Thus it was found that a Microsoft Access data base including all criteria of identifying gaṇas, and lakāras of Sanskrit could be used in solving the aforesaid difficulties.Item The Mirrored Choice: Exploring the Role of the Habitus in Selecting News in Converged Newspaper Organizations in Sri Lanka.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Gamage Don, T.In a world driven by technology, the media industry is experiencing a rapid transformation in its very structure of news production and dissemination. Though the print media has been steadfastly holding its ground in Sri Lanka, there seems to be a degeneration of its former vigour with the online and mobile platforms consolidating a hitherto untapped digital audience. Therefore, there is an increasing call to understand and redefine what entails news selection in a multi-platform delivery. The primary objective of this study is to explore how the working habitus affects news selection in converged press in Sri Lanka. More specifically, the study aims to identify how the working habitus affects the journalists’ perception of news values and how the journalists innovate and strategize news selection in the backdrop of media convergence. The study presented is a pilot study of a much larger study and uses the qualitative case study approach. In-depth interviews are conducted from participants comprising journalists and news editors of the daily and weekly broadsheet newspapers of the Wijeya Group. The study also includes content analysis of the print, online and mobile front/home pages of Lankadeepa and Times/Daily Mirror newspapers for a period of two weeks. Bourdieu’s habitus provides the theoretical basis for the study since it helps to capture the dispositions, schemas, competences and the know-how that affect news selection in converged newspapers. The findings point towards a journalists’ "instinct" for news and the internal socialization processes coupled with the platform specific requirements taking precedence in news selection thus leading us to demur our understanding of news selection in converged media as a routinized practice as well as a form of re-adaptation of the old media in the online and mobile platforms. The study also suggests that re-thinking news habitus in terms of habits, values, preferences and rules might help us more in enhancing our understanding of the news selection process as well as the quality of the media content.Item The Role of Text Book and Digital media in ESL Classrooms: An Analysis of Grade 11 Text Book and Its Impact on Teaching and Learning.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Kirushanthan, T.In post-war Sri Lanka teaching and learning English is given more importance than other subjects. Having realized the importance of learning English as a Second Language to survive in the global village, the government of Sri Lanka has taken several measures to improve the English language competency even in the rural areas of Sri Lanka. Colourful text books have been designed and issued to the school children. Since present generation is interested in digital media and as a part of the digital world, the usage of digital media is thoughtfully incorporated in the text books. Even though the text books contain activities dealing with digital media, and the government spends a lot of money on designing and distribution of the textbooks, only a limited number of students pass English in public examinations like O/L and A/L. This lack of performance of the students in the examinations, despite the introduction of digital media, poses the following questions. Is there any mismatch between the textbook and the way of its utility by the teachers as well as the students? How the digital media is used in ESL classes? Having these questions in mind this study is endeavoured to analyze whether the usage of text book and the digital media has an impact on the O/L results of the students. This research study was carried out in a rural school situated in Jaffna district. Participants for the data collection of this study were thirty Grade-11 students from a particular school and ten teachers who teach English for O/L students in different schools. Two questionnaires; one for the teachers and the other for the students and an observation protocol were used as research instruments. The result revealed that even though all the students are issued with text books, hardly anyone brings it to the school, as the teachers hardly use the text books especially in the O/L class. The classes are exam oriented. The students like to do activities using digital media, but the teachers focus mainly on activities which are expected in the exam paper. On the whole the usage of text book and digital media is neglected in the O/L classes. As language learning cannot be accomplished by memorizing, exam oriented teaching fails to improve the performance of the students in the O/L examination.Item A study of Digital music recording in Sri Lankan Music industry.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Tennakone, T.M.M.K.This research study aims to identify the reasons for the recession of the creative range of Digital music recording in Sri Lankan music industry. Though many researchers have generally examined the benefits of Digital music recording, they have not paid attention to examine the recession and human quality due to stereotyped melodies. The present study thereby stands significant since it allows examining the courses and effects of Digital music recording in Sri Lankan Music industry. The study mainly applies the literary and field survey, interviews and interactive discussions with professionals involved in the music industry, music composers, audio engineers, and voice and instrumental artists. The study revealed several factors affecting the gradual recession of music industry such as technical knowledge, lack of the sense of sound and music, time management of sound engineers and music composers. Therefore it is important to examine and identity remedial measures to overcome the course of gradual recession of music industry and enhance the standards of music compositions with a Sri Lankan identity.Item The Impact of Using Digital Multimedia in Creating an Effective Image of the Target Culture and the History in Foreign Language Learning.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Udayamali, S. A. T. S.With the rapid growth of science and technology, the use of multimedia technology has evolved into an effective tool in language teaching. The rapidly growing popularity of learning foreign languages including German, French, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean in Sri Lanka has paved the way for new teaching methods being developed to teach the target language. The aim of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of using multimedia in teaching culture and the history of the target country, namely German for Sri Lankan learners. The research question is to examine how the digital multimedia technology can enhance learner motivation and their performance. Data were collected from 30 undergraduates of German as a Foreign Language in the second year at the University of Kelaniya. The sample was divided into two groups. The same lesson was presented to the two groups with and without multimedia technology. The results of the study show that there is lack of motivation resulting in underperformance of students when teaching German culture and the history in the traditional teaching method. Multimedia technology with audio, visual and animation effects motivate the students to learn a language more effectively.Item Cultural and Social Value of Sri Lankan Music Videos on You Tube.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Jayalath, P.M.; Kumara, U.E.S.; Samarakoon, S.M.R.K.In recent years, You Tube has become a very popular social media for sharing videos on various aspects. The production of music videos and releasing them in to the You Tube is becoming a fashion among artists. The audience of the music videos on the You Tube tends to comment upon them, and perhaps, such views are shared with each other in conversations or social media such as Facebook. These comments may reflect the cultural and social value of the videos. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the audience’s engagement with Sri Lankan music videos on You Tube in order to evaluate their cultural and social values. The results of such an evaluation may lead key people in the music video industry to different thoughts, and provide insights to the national level policy makers. The number of views for each video was taken in to consideration when selecting a sample of videos, and accordingly, top ten videos produced in Sri Lanka were the study’s focus. Qualitative Media Analysis (QMA) technique was used in analyzing the users’ comments in different languages. It was observed that the majority of videos had been criticized by the audience and sometimes it had become a means of sarcasm. Further there were some arguments in terms of adverse impact such videos have towards Sri Lankan culture, and social impairment.Item Impacts of the use of space in the art of Digital Advertisement.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Rathnasiri, R.The present study aims to identify and examine the impact of compositional elements and the techniques of contemporary Sri Lankan digital advertisement on marketing purposes. It is apparent that the advertisements and the art of advertising play a major role in attracting its customers/clients. The task of the artist is to utilize the space in terms of attaining the expectations of his client as well as the audience as well. The space is twofold: inner space and the outer space. The artist has to pay his attention to both these spaces. Whereas the inner space is reserved to implement and portray the thematic and conceptual elements of the product, the outer space is the catching point of the audience. The significant task of the artist is not to violate the natural compositional elements in the environment, the audience and the objective of the client and the product itself. The concern of the artist is, therefore, multifunctional: the awareness of colours, shapes, forms, as well as the space, and the environment is included in it. However, what is lacking in today’s trend of the advertisement is the unawareness of such concepts and elements. The present day artists are less aware of the background and the lighting aspects of the artwork, integrating natural shapes and forms often in the artwork. Further, the constructional errors: oversized hoardings, inconsistency of organizing information, inappropriate use of typography causes miscommunication of the message to the audience. Thus, the particular situation provides a background to examine to re-generate and re-cultivate a culture that beautifies and enhances the society and encompasses the message of the art work as well. Twenty digital advertisements that have been posted along the highway stretch of the Kaduwela-Kollpity were examined as the specimens of the particular study. The study proved that the disintegration of the thematic and conceptual elements and the constructional flaws have made a significant impact on present day Sri Lankan digital advertisements and the art of digital advertising.Item Sri Lankan Dance and Digital Technology: A study based on choreography in Sri Lankan dance in 21st Century.(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Silva, R.D.The focus of the study is to identify the issues which arise from the use of digital technology in the present day dance choreography in Sri Lanka. Many researchers have examined the authentic aspects and conception about Sri Lankan traditional dance when they move towards the performing stage. However, what is evident is the non-compliance with the fundamental ideology and, as a result the issues that arise from the use of digital technology in choreography to attain the expectations of the dance, dancer, theme and the audience, in modern day choreography practice in Sri Lanka. The obvious reason is the lack of resource persons who are well versed in the particular subject.ie; the choreographers who have the proper background knowledge. On the other hand, choreography is a scientific engagement in that the dancer must portray the authentic and original elements of the tradition he represents.With the application of the modern technological devices it has become a challenging process for the dancers. The conflict between the conception of choreography and the misconception of the digital technology is the most affecting factor according to the findings of this study. Thus, the present study aims to identify the risk factors of the application of new technology in the choreography in Sri Lankan dance tradition.