ICH 2017

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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.
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.
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.
Investigation of Digital Media trends in Commercial Advertising related to Marketing Communication: A special analysis of Unilever Sri Lanka & Ceylon Biscuits Limited.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Madhusanka, N. M. A.N.
When considering advertising as a concept, it has been changed over time with different social requirements. In the past, voices and sounds were used for effective communication, but later newspapers, radio, television and other electronic medias were introduced. It proves the above points when analyzing how 30 seconds television advertisements and the cost efficiency have been challenged by digitalization. Marketers and advertisers should trust on the power of digitalization before guiding companies and organizations towards it. Digital media can make a greater impact on the society when compared to traditional media. This research focuses on the digital media trends seen in advertising in advertising marketing. The main objective of this investigation is to analyze new marketing trends which are currently being used by Unilever Sri Lanka and Ceylon Biscuits Limited related to the concept of digitalization. Two advertisements have been taken randomly from each company for investigation. For this, the researcher selected Unilever’s Sunlight “Nill Manel Saban Kate” and “Laoji-Api Hamoma Lengathukam Handunana Minissu”, and the “Munchee Super Cream Cracker Super Hero” and “Lanka Soy I Cook” ad, from Ceylon Biscuits Limited. Content analysis and interviewing methods were used as methodology. Two marketing managers were interviewed from those respective companies. After an experimental investigation, it has been clearly identified that the marketers and advertisers have tried to understand the reality of the society by thinking beyond the tradition. A new range of technological devices have been introduced to local customers related to the concept of e-commerce while increasing smart mobile usage. Traditional concepts have been used extensively in advertising. There are digital signboards along the highways. In the concept of digitalization, usage of internet promotions, videos in internet and new technological developments have made a greater impact on advertising. It is a good suggestion that a higher promotion can be gained by further usage of digital media trends. Accordingly, further marketing advertising can be used as a suggestion to use these advertisements with more media, such as Facebook, YouTube, and the new media.
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.
Propensity and utility of Sitar sound in the field of applied music in Sri Lanka: A case study among undergraduate students, Sri Lanka.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Perera, P.C.D.; Pathmakumara, S.H.M.
Sitar is considered a leading musical instrument in the North Indian classical music among the musical traditions in the world and it is an excellent plucked stringed instrument with its own playing techniques. Currently, many modern virtual sound producing techniques are easily available in the world to generate Sitar sounds. Thus, the present survey was conducted to observe the propensity and utility of Sitar sound in the field of applied music among younger generation in Sri Lanka. The sample was selected from undergraduate students (n=78), Faculty of Music, University of the Visual and Performing Arts, Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were carried out among undergraduates representing all musical styles in Sri Lanka using a pre-tested questionnaire. Focus-group discussions were also conducted. Data were analyzed descriptively and presented with appropriate descriptive tools. The survey revealed that more than 73% of respondents liked Sitar as the North Indian classical music instrument and all the respondents (100%) have already listened to the natural sound of Sitar. The results showed those respondents among five grade scales, 76.5% mostly liked natural Sitar sounds following 20.6% were like, 2.9% were neutral and no respondents indicated dislike. 85.3% of the respondents have a clear idea about alternative virtual Sitar sound producing techniques and are aware about Sitar sound can produce using software (50%), North Indian classical music (50%) and keyboard (44%) respectively. The respondents have used Sitar sound of keyboard (35%) and software (35%) than the Electric Sitar (9%) for their music life as the alternative sitar sound. When considering the choices of respondents for future use of their music field, all the respondents (100%) liked the natural Sitar’s instrument sound for their music while secondly liked the Electric Sitar (70.6%), Keyboard (67.6%), Software (52.9%) and other methods (5.9%) respectively. However, the survey revealed that difficulty of transport (62%), difficulties in learning (50%), no money for afford Sitar (50%) and scarcity of Sitar players (38%) have kept away from the Sitar in their current music activities. The survey concluded that the natural Sitar instrument sound is the best expression sound for composing music or for an event.
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.
Impact of Digital Technology in the Graphic Design Process in Sri Lankan Context.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Amarakoon, A.
The transition from analog to digital technology has affected both the design process and the working environment of graphic design industry. While the digital technology enhances the production process, it also has a negative impact in the elementary stages of design process such as ideation and conceptualization. This has created a conflict between the realization of the design concept and the enhancement of the production on demand in the modern society. Thus, the present study aims to identify the factors that affect the design process of commercial graphic designers in Sri Lanka, and to determine the impact of digital technology in the ideation and conceptualization. The study is mainly based on a literature survey on the history of design and the impact of digital technology on design process, and a field survey based on a questionnaire with the aim of obtaining data about the implementation of digital tools in the design process of commercial graphic designers. Approximately about sixty commercial graphic designers working in small-scale design or advertising companies in Sri Lanka were participated in the data collection. The results suggest that most of the designers neglect the initial ideation and conceptualization process due to two factors: negligence or lack of awareness of the holistic idea of the design and its process, and over reliance in digital tools and techniques. Moreover, lack of proper training and understanding about the design process is evident in the extremely limited time spent on the creative process.
An Assessment of Urban Sprawl in Colombo District, Sri Lanka.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Jayathilaka, K.M.D.A.S.
Rapid urbanization is a common trend in developing countries with the movement of people from sparsely populated areas to densely populated areas in search of a better standard of living. As a result, the increase of the population in central business district and its suburbs leading to urban sprawl has now become a challenging matter to most cities in the world. Geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques are frequently used to analyze urban sprawl. The signs of urban sprawl appear in Colombo district, Sri Lanka with the population growth and better transport network. The problem of the research is the increasing growth of sprawl based on the fact that many lands being converted in to buildings at an alarming rate. The objective of this research is to examine how the application of GIS technology and remote sensing can be used to determine the spatial extent of urban sprawl in Colombo district between 1997 - 2016. To achieve this objective, three satellite images in the years of 1997, 2007 and 2016 were classified using unsupervised classification to determine the extent of four land use categories named water, built up areas, forest and others in the Colombo district. The pattern of urban sprawl was identified using built up area maps, built up area change calculation maps and using population density maps of 2001 and 2012. There is a significant difference at about 239 km2 (50 %) of built up areas in Colombo district over a period of nineteen years. Urban sprawl patterns of clustered and leapfrog sprawl patterns were also identified. The land has been converted in to build up areas in an increasing rate with future urban growth to the east where land is available for development.
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.
An insider perspective on Michael Meyler’s codification of Sri Lankan English Vocabulary: Towards a broadening of the standard.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Hettiarachchi, H. V. A.
Defined as “the language used by Sri Lankans who choose to use English for whatever purpose in Sri Lanka” (Gunesekera. 2005, P.11), Sri Lankan English is regarded as a newly institutionalized variety of English, with its distinctive phonological, morphological, and syntactic features capable of representing the unique socio-cultural and linguistic circumstances of the Sri Lankan speech community. Language codification is regarded as one of the most significant aspects in the institutionalization process of world Englishes, and mirisgala.net; the digitized, extended and an updated, up-to-date version of Michael Meyler’s A Dictionary of Sri Lankan English (2007), is considered one of the “very first steps” (Mendis, 2007) towards an elaborate codification attempt of Sri Lankan English. Though Meyler himself has highlighted that his dictionary is not intended as a prescriptive work but a descriptive one where his intention was to describe the way in which the English language is used in Sri Lanka, without attempting to make any judgment on whether it is ‘correct’” (Meyler, 2007), given that codification attempts are traditionally regarded as an attempt in legitimizing a language variety as the standard, there is the danger that meaning, spelling, and usage of codified lexical items in mirisgala.net to be perceived as standard and acceptable usages of Sri Lankan English. This situation is further intensified given the digital nature of the mirisgala.net dictionary with increased and flexible knowledge sharing, while allowing the lexicographer to update and upgrade the printed version anytime, “leaving the text malleable” (Earhart, 2012). However, given the codifier’s position as an “outsider” (Meyler 2007, p. x), where he essentially lacks comprehensive knowledge on the socio-cultural, political and linguistic facets of the Sri Lankan speech community, the credibility of the codification process is challenged and the inadequacy of insider’s perspective on codified Sri Lankan English vocabulary is underscored. Further, given that Meyler’s “outsider status” significantly hinders him from acquiring in-depth insights into the English language usage of the “majority “non-elite” average Sri Lankan English speakers”, whose English language usage is noticeably influenced by their L1 native language varieties, Meyler’s codification attempts display a propensity towards the codification of the language used by the “anglicized Colombo English speaking elite minority” where a noticeable lack of representation of the non-elite variety of the language is observed.Therefore, the research will attempt to identify how the outsider status of the lexicographer has affected the codification process, the existence or non-existence of a binary as “outsider” and “insider”, the specific aspects of the vocabulary in the dictionary which are limited by the outsider’s perspective and the effect of the digitized version in the codification process. Accordingly, this research study will utilize theoretical methodologies of reflexivity and positionality to offer a subjective perspective of an insider, who is linguistically, politically and culturally positioned within the Sri Lankan Sinhala Buddhist community, on the codified vocabulary of Sri Lankan English on mirisgala.net, in an attempt to contribute to the discourse on the need to broaden the standard of Sri Lankan English.
Mastering Cognitive Computing as a tool for Information Design in E-marketing Strategies.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Abeysinghe, A.
The emergence of the paradigm of Internet marketing (E-marketing) has created new avenues in marketing strategies required for the Internet age. While traditional marketing strategies are replaced by Internet based strategies, a parallel transition in information design and representation has been a cornerstone in E-business ventures. Ephemeral buyer perception towards the current volatile market creates an urgency to identify what cognitive skills are required by marketers to successfully design marketing strategies and how information should be represented. Cognitive computing using artificial intelligence is a prospective solution where customer behavior could be observed and suitable strategies towards promoting content could be designed. This research paper thus focuses on how cognitive computing could be applied in an E-marketing context to design and represent information. The research uses an online survey as the source of gathering public opinion about existing E-marketing techniques. Then, the research identifies weaknesses in current E-marketing standards with respect to social media marketing and search engine marketing (SEM) techniques. Information gathered from survey results and recommended approaches to overcome aforementioned weaknesses are then processed using learning algorithms to choose appropriate information design concepts for the chosen target market based on user age, internet literacy and purpose of using E-marketing resources. The research further explores the magnitude to which cognitive computing is currently used in websites and mobile apps associated with E-marketing and provides recommendations on how the gap between existing standards and user perception could be abated to successfully apply the prospects of information design towards E-marketing.
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.
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.
Digital Classics and the future of Humanities.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Boange, H.
Digital classics is the digitization of classical studies to enhance the learning process of the discipline through the implementation of technology. This area is an important focus because internationally the digitization of classical studies is seen as an efficient medium to preserve and enhance the subject matter for appeal and accuracy. As the trend is fast evolving it is necessary to be aware of the possibilities that digitization may bring, to assess viable implementation in the local academic circle. Studying and researching the technological models and enhancements offered in the digital platform is vital in digitizing learning resources and in the implementation of interactive dissemination of knowledge. Classics departments can come together to create a local digital consortium emulating the international model. With the incorporation of international affiliations to help link the small but thriving local classical community with the latest digital innovations in the field. These sites can be hosted by respective departments for Classics or IT and this partnership gives academics and students a platform to conduct research, catalogue digital projects, provide online tools for researchers, list events, bibliographies, databases of publications online and offline. This is a new concept and given the relatively small number of people in the field such an interactive model seems challenging, but it is a concept worthwhile exploring. Digitization is a new territory for many disciplines but in light of the digital age Classics and the Humanities will eventually evolve in this direction.
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.
Impact of Digital Musical components on usage of Folk Music in Applied Musical Creations in Sri Lanka.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Bulathsinhala, H.
Folk culture in any community plays a major role in portraying the authentic and indigenous cultural elements, and many communities incorporate such elements to engrave their cultural identity in their creative work for that folk music is not an exception. Yet, in current Sri Lankan music compositions, it can be noted that, the Folk Music has been disregarded and as a result, the modern pieces of music appear more westernized than what it needs to be. Among the various factors, the use of digital devices in compositions has become more vigilant, due to the fact that many of the musical equipment and sound systems are embedded in one device and can be operated through computerized mechanism, thus by making it one person’s skill and the marvels of technological devices. The conflict behind such compositions is the use of western musical equipment rather than utilizing authentic Sri Lankan music patterns and sound that creates a recession in the usage of authentic elements. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study is to conduct an extensive study whether the use of digital music has become a reason to reduction in usage of folk music in applied music field. Music work of ten selected musicians were studied to examine their use of digital and folk music in their creative work. Data was gathered by interviews with the selected musicians, and listening to their creations. It could be highlighted that digital music has a considerable influence in reducing the use of folk music in their compositions, and many musicians have used digital music according to their potential. Further, it revealed that many musicians have created compositions which were influenced by western music and other music styles, while staying away from native music. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of digital music itself among the many factors that have affected the use and application of folk and native music in their productions. This situation needs extensive studies and discussions on further development of software like “Reason” which has used native percussion instruments and give more knowledge on the production and use of software that are based on native musical instruments in terms of bringing folk music towards their compositions.
Feminist Implications of the Instagram Content of Rupi Kaur.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Mallawaarachchi, I.A.
Rupi Kaur is a Canada-based activist, poet and a prose writer with an Indian origin whose main platform of expression is Instagram. Kaur’s artistic expressions include poetry which are often coupled with complementary illustrations, prose pieces and photographs all of which are published online. Often critiqued as a feminist poet, her pieces are concerned with the struggles and various experiences that are faced by the women of color living in the West. Moreover, her photographs speak of a female experience that ought to be taken into account. My main focus in this study is to decipher the feminist implications of the written and illustrational pieces of Kaur. In this endeavor, a textual analysis is conducted considering the content posted on Rupi Kaur’s Instagram account during a time span of twelve months as the primary source. The study employs Alice Walker’s theory on Womanism and Michel Foucault’s views on docile bodies as a theoretical foundation on which the research is based. Additionally, I also incorporate postcolonial viewpoints on exile and diasporic identity. In this study, the researcher observes the way Kaur discusses and celebrates a female experience vis-à-vis femininity, which goes beyond the stereotypical representation of femininity as an equivalent to fragility. Thus, while acknowledging the specific cultural and historical causes that resulted womanism, the study argues that her work is feminist, furthering the argument to trace womanist implications in her work. Secondarily, the study also observes Kaur’s work in relation to the content created by the other web-based activists.
Difficulties in indicating equivalent digital materials for German literature in the German language classroom.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Nanayakkara, K.A.D.N.S.A.
Language and literature are strongly connected to each other. Learning a language without literature takes the learner away from appreciating great literary works in the target language. The aim of foreign language teaching is the orientation towards action (Handlungsorientierung). The learners should be able to speak and be competent in the new language in authentic situations. A foreign language should enrich the communicative aspects of their language combined with literature. It is important to use digital as well as printed materials in teaching literature. This paper attempts to reflect on the difficulties in indicating equivalent digital materials to achieve the goals of teaching German literature in the German language classroom. The main objective of this research is to indicate equivalent digital materials for German literature. Data for the study were collected through classroom observations, interviews with students and German language teachers and own experiences in teaching literature. Secondary data were collected through printed and electronic sources. The results of the study reflect that through digital materials including videos, films, songs, animated pictures and paintings, comics and by listening to authentic texts on the internet from the recommended sites can be used as digital materials for effective teaching of German language to enhance the oral and listening competencies of the students in the literature classroom. Through films and short video clips, it is easy to emphasize the important aspects of the literary texts. As recommendations, it is suggested that the German language literature teachers should refer to the digital materials which are available online, before recommending them to the students. Moreover, there should be an equivalent bond between those digital materials and the printed materials to achieve the learning outcomes of the lessons.
An Online Course to improve Academic Writing Skills of Undergraduates.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH), 2017 Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Gamage, A.W.M.
The rapid development of technology has dramatically affected the entire world. Since technology has influenced education, numerous scholars focus on integrating technology; Learning Management Systems, Virtual Learning Environments with education. Existing literature suggests that activities done in an online classroom reduce stress and it motivates the students to participate attentively and actively in learning (Jung & Kim, 2004) and also the online learning environment has a significant effect on the academic improvement of students (Hewagamage: 2012). Therefore, the online medium has already become an essential part of education. Thus, this study explores how undergraduates from different proficiency levels use an online learning environment to improve their academic writing skills. The online platform Edmodo was used as the method of delivery in this study. Four major areas related to academic writing; academic vocabulary, tense shift, linking words and paraphrasing were chosen and an online course was designed with four modules including extra materials and activities. Five third year students who represent different proficiency levels took part in this academic writing course. Analysis of this study indicated that students had a positive perception towards their learning environment. They engaged with all the activities given and completed the course successfully. Although a major improvement was shown in the areas of academic vocabulary, tense shift and linking words, the same level of improvement was not visible in the area of paraphrasing. Another significant finding was that although they were comfortable with the teacher and the online environment, the lack of peer interaction was clearly visible. Therefore, it can be concluded that a well-structured course and a friendly online environment were helpful for academic writing.