SLIIT International Conference on Advancements in Sciences and Humanities [SICASH] 2024
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/3833
Browse
Publication Open Access Adherence to the World Health Organizati on’s Pati ent Care Indicators in Outpati ent Department Dispensing at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Secti onal Observati onal Study(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Sanjithakrishna, S.; Liyanaarachchie, L.C.P.T.; Krishnananthalingam, D; Bagyawantha, N.M.Y.K.The World Health Organizati on (WHO) has developed good dispensing practi ces (GDPs) to standardize the performance of pharmacists. Hence, they can be used as indicators to assess the quality of dispensing services. Evaluati ng the quality of dispensing is pivotal in improving dispensing practi ces in a healthcare insti tute. The objecti ve of this study was to assess the adherence of outpati ent department (OPD) pharmacists to WHO’s pati ent care indicators. This was a cross-secti onal, observati onal study conducted at the OPD pharmacy of the Teaching Hospital, Jaff na. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics review committ ee, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya. Eight pharmacists named A to G in the OPD were evaluated using a checklist by a single observer for about 10 dispensing cycles assessing average dispensing ti me, percentage of pati ents’ knowledge of correct dosage, percentage of drugs adequately labelled, and percentage of drugs dispensed resulti ng in the observati on of 78 dispensing cycles. Pati ent knowledge was assessed using a structured questi onnaire administered postdispensati on. These assessments were carried out in the real dispensing environment at the OPD, and the results were infl uenced by multi ple factors in the dispensing environment. The average dispensing ti me was 41.8 sec. Pharmacist A showed the highest dispensing ti me (55.7 sec) and pharmacist E showed the lowest dispensing ti me (31.0 sec). The percentage of drug knowledge among the pati ents varied between 50.0% to 65.0%. All the pharmacists adequately labelled the drugs during the dispensati on except pharmacist A (68.9%). Pharmacists B and C dispensed 100.0% of prescribed drugs. While adherence to certain WHO pati ent care indicators such as drug labelling and dispensing percentages were sati sfactory, the average dispensing ti me and pati ent knowledge were below WHO recommended standards.Publication Open Access An Analysis of Creati vity, Criti cal Thinking, Communicati on, and Collaborati on Skills in the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) General English Textbook in Sri Lanka(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Lawrence, D; Wijesekera, H.DThe Advanced Level General English (GE) Course in Sri Lanka aims to prepare students for success in higher educati on, work, and social life. To achieve this objecti ve, it is necessary to equip students with “21st century skills” in additi on to language skills. A crucial factor that determines the success of the programme is the teaching material. The Advanced Level GE textbook is the primary teaching material for the GE course in schools nati onwide. This study explored the representati on of 21st century skills in this textbook by employing Qualitati ve Content Analysis (QCA) to systemati cally categorize and evaluate instances of 21st century-related acti viti es and discussions within the textbook. Although the study investi gated twelve 21st century skills, in this paper, we focus on the 4Cs (Creati vity, Criti cal Thinking, Communicati on, Collaborati on). The results indicate that although the 4Cs were the most visible skills and consti tuted the majority of occurrences (85.27%), some important aspects or subskills were not adequately represented. In additi on to other outcomes, the presentati on will mainly contribute to English Language teaching material development and evaluati on at both policy and implementati on levels.Publication Open Access Analysis of Functi onal Properti es of Jackfruit Seed Flour and Formulati on of a Jackfruit Seed Flour-Based Snack(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Gunarathna, R. W. M. M.; Samarakoon, E. R. J.; Janith, R.M.L.Most deep-fried snacks, which are currently in high demand, contain high calories and fat. Contrarily, Jackfruit seeds are rich in carbohydrates, and proteins but low in fat. Therefore, it is observed that jackfruit seed fl our can be used as an alternati ve ingredient to make deep-fried snacks. This study explored the functi onal properti es of jackfruit seed fl our and its potenti al in snack producti on. The fl our was prepared by roasti ng, oven drying, and boiling. Boiled jackfruit seed fl our exhibited the highest moisture content (7.04%), water-holding capacity (2.08 g/g), bulk density (0.81 g/cm³), oil-holding capacity (2.04 cm³/g), swelling power (6.91%), and the lowest solubility (7.69%). Accordingly, the lowest oil-holding capacity (1.84 cm3/g) was found in roasted jackfruit seed fl our. Snacks were prepared using the extrusion technique with a composite fl our mixture of 4:1:1 (jackfruit seed fl our: rice fl our: wheat fl our). The frying ti mes for snacks made with roasted, boiled, and oven-dried fl ours were 15, 17, and 10 sec, respecti vely. A proximate analysis showed that the boiled jackfruit seed fl our-based snack contained, 83.61% carbohydrate, 4.74% moisture, 6.46% fat, 2.90% ash, 1.70% fi bre, and 0.59% protein. It was found that snacks made from boiled jackfruit seed fl our received the highest consumer acceptance. This study demonstrated that jackfruit seed fl our is a promising ingredient for creati ng nutriti ous and lowfat snacks.Publication Open Access An Analysis on Word Formati on Processes among Young Adults in Sri Lanka(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Yasisuri, W.G.S.; Sivaji, K.The history of the English language identi fi ed two core varieti es: Briti sh English and American English. However, World Englishes have gained presti ge over the decades. English, therefore, has become the lingua franca in the world. As a result, Sri Lankan English has fascinati ngly become a specifi c variety. The people of a parti cular region or a country adapt English in specifi c ways, which are visible in their regular acti viti es such as at college, at supermarkets and at workplaces. Novel words can be found among several groups of people, which support the functi on of proper communicati on. Moreover, social media platf orms spread varied English morphemes. The younger generati on of Sri Lanka plays an innovati ve role in the process of word formati on. Therefore, this research focuses on specifi c word formati on processes in the Sri Lankan context among young adults. The objecti ves of this research are to recognize innovati ve word formati on processes in English in the Sri Lankan context and to analyse the use of these processes which are commonly used among young adults in Sri Lanka. The data relevant to word formati on processes were gathered by observing young adults’ speech on social media platf orms and daily speech practi ces of the parti cipants. The data collected were analyzed both quanti tati vely and qualitati vely. Furthermore, data was gathered via a questi onnaire distributed among the parti cipants. Eleven diff erent word formati on processes which were identi fi ed are analyzed in this research and they are also categorized under the most-used formati on processes and generally-used processes. The fi ndings indicate that novel word formati ons in English are explicitly visible among young adults in the Sri Lankan context. It was also found that most of these formati ons occur unintenti onally. This study is thus useful in identi fying the key word formati on processes prevalent in present Sri Lankan society and in understanding the future directi on of Sri Lankan English.Publication Open Access Anglo Saxon English: A Linguistic Overview(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Karunanayaka, K. N. C. P.; Amaraweera, S; Wickremasinghe, S.SOriginated in England, English language is a West Germanic language that belongs to the Indo-European language family. From its introducti on to the Briti sh Isles, the tremendous changes it experienced shaped and developed it into the current lingua franca. In order for English to become a dominant and signifi cant language as it is now, it has gone through a development marked by signifi cant historical events and cultural exchanges. This study analyses Anglo Saxon English/Old English which is considered as the foundati on of Englishes that are spoken and studied today. The key area that is analysed in this study includes the morphological features of Anglo Saxon English along with its comparison to the Modern English translati on. Textual comparison is used for this purpose focusing on the historical poem: Caedmon’s Hymn. Furthermore, this research underscores how Old English morphology laid the groundwork for modern grammati cal structures. The study reveals a gradual simplifi cati on of infl ecti ons over ti me, which led to a more streamlined syntax. Understanding these historical transformati ons enhances our appreciati on of the language’s resilience and adaptability. The fi ndings of this study emphasise the signifi cance of historical linguisti c evoluti on in shaping English, highlighti ng the enduring impact of its Anglo-Saxon roots on contemporary language.Publication Open Access Assessment of ICU Nurses’ Knowledge and Identi fying Barriers in Preventi ng Venti lator-Associated Pneumonia in Adult ICUs: A Study at the Nati onal Hospital, Kandy(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Weerasinghe, I.G.T.J.; Srimali, U.H.I.; Herath, H.M.A.N.; Andarawewa, M.R.B.S.S.; Shopijen, E.; Priyanthi, W.N.Criti cal care services are costly, and the pati ents with indicati ons for prolonged intubati on are highly vulnerable to Venti lator Associated Pneumonia (VAP), which prolongs their hospital stay and raises the cost of treatment. In Southeast Asia, the prevalence of VAP ranges between 16.2% to 74.2%, with the mortality rate of 30 %. This study aimed to assess Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses’ knowledge of VAP and identi fy the barriers in VAP preventing on at the settings of adult ICUs in National Hospital Kandy. A descriptive cross-cti onal approach was used, and data were collected from 132 nurses working in diff erent Intensive Care Units from July 24 to July 30, 2023. Knowledge and practices regarding VAP prevention were identi fi ed through a structured self-administered questi onnaire. Results indicated that a significant number of nurses (73.48%) possessed good knowledge on VAP bundle and 25% were aware of radiological changes related to VAP. Additi onally, poor knowledge regarding cleaning and the changing frequency of venti lator circuits were identified among nurses, as 13.64% and 1.32% were knowledgeable in those areas respecti vely. Most ICU nurses adhered to the established infecti on control practices (86.36%), while some barriers were identified, including low visitor’s adherence to infection control, inadequate staffing and the absence of laminar airflow in ICUs. Despite the challenges all the ICU nurses expressed willingness to engage in VAP preventive strategies, and 93.2% of them were seeking further education. In conclusion the findings from this study emphasize the need for training and improved support for VAP preventi on in ICUs.Publication Open Access Assessment of Judgmental Validity of the Sinhala Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Selvaratnam, N.D; Selvaratnam, N.CSri Lanka lacks a suitable psychometric tool to assess water insecurity eff ecti vely. To address this issue, in the present study, the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale was translated into Sinhala language and tested for its face and content validity. Using established guidelines, fi rst, face validity was evaluated with the parti cipati on of two subject matt er experts (SMEs). Then, Cohen’s Kappa stati sti c (CKS) was calculated to obtain the interrater reliability to establish face validity. Second, the Delphi process was conducted with fi ve SMEs to assess the content validity of the Sinhala HWISE scale. Subsequently, the Content Validity Index (CVI) for individual items (I-CVI), the overall scale (S-CVI), and S-CVI/UA (Universal Agreement) were uti lized to quanti fy the output of the Delphi process. The results indicated that the HWISE scale was content valid based on the results of Delphi and S-CVI, while the I-CVI and S-CVI/UA indicated some departure from the expected thresholds. Fleiss Kappa Stati sti c (FKS) revealed minor inconsistencies in the quanti fi ed opinions of the SMEs in the Delphi process, which indirectly impacted I-CVI and S-CVI/UA. Overall, the HWISE scale has met sati sfactory face and content validity.Publication Open Access Awareness, Atti tudes, and Behavior toward Breast Cancer Screening Measures Among Female Teachers(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Athukorala, A.D.M; Wijesinghe, W.A.S.M; Hatanarachchi, H.A.W.S; Wickramasinghe, P.C; De Silva, D.K.M; Sriyani, K.ABreast cancer (BC), the most common cancer in women globally, signifi cantly impacts on health. Early detecti on through breast self-examinati on (BSE), clinical breast examinati on (CBE), and mammography is crucial for reducing mortality. This study examines awareness, atti tudes, and behavior toward BC screening among female schoolteachers in Giriulla Educati onal Zone, Sri Lanka. A descripti ve cross-secti onal study was conducted with 240 female teachers, aged 22-55, using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a self-administered questi onnaire and analyzed descripti vely. With a response rate of 93.7% (225 teachers), most parti cipants were aged 41-50 (38.2%), and 81.3% were married. About 45% held bachelor’s degrees. Awareness was notable: 53.1% knew about CBE, and 23.8% knew about mammography, but 65.5% were unaware of recommended examinati on start ages. Although 97.3% recognized the importance of screening, 68% hesitated toward BSE. Behavioral engagement varied, with 53.8% practi cing BSE monthly, but CBE and mammography were underuti lized (78.2% and 98.2%, respecti vely). The study highlights the need for enhanced awareness and educati on initi ati ves among female schoolteachers to address knowledge gaps and promote practi cal engagement in screening measures, crucial for early detecti on and reducing BC mortality rates.Publication Open Access Borrowings in Sri Lankan English Novels: An Analysis of Types and Functi ons(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Maheshika, H. P. G.The present research investi gates the types of linguisti c borrowings used in Sri Lankan English (SLE) novels and their role in shaping linguisti c and cultural identi ty. As a disti nct postcolonial variety of English, SLE has evolved through conti nuous interacti ons with Sinhala and Tamil, embodying a dynamic blend of linguisti c infl uences that highlight Sri Lanka’s multi lingual and multi cultural context. This study closely examines the use of borrowings in three Grati aen Prize-winning novels: The Jam Fruit Tree by Carl Muller, The Road from Elephant Pass by Nihal De Silva, and Playing Pillow Politi cs at MGK by Lal Medawatt egedera. Employing a qualitati ve content analysis framework, the borrowings in these novels are categorized into three primary types: loanwords, loan blends, and loan shift s. Loanwords frequently represent culturally specifi c items, practi ces, and concepts within the narrati ve, grounding the stories fi rmly within a Sri Lankan setti ng and allowing readers to engage with the cultural specifi city of SLE. Loan blends, which combine English with local language elements, facilitate the expression of nuanced cultural concepts, making these terms more accessible to Sri Lankan readers while preserving local meaning. Although less frequent, loan shift s adapt idiomati c expressions and metaphors from Sinhala and Tamil, preserving their cultural signifi cance while integrati ng them into English. The study concludes that these borrowings signifi cantly enrich the authenti city and cultural relevance of SLE literature, highlighti ng the hybridity and adaptability of SLE within the broader framework of postcolonial Englishes and refl ecti ng its unique positi on in the evolving landscape of World Englishes.Publication Open Access The Case for Therapeutic Justice by Integrating the Practice of Private Mediation in Sri Lanka Throughout the Life Cycle of a Case(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Gamage, TThe concept of Therapeutic Justice focuses on the law’s impact on the emotional and psychological well-being of the people, thus calls for therapeutic methods of resolving disputes against the negative effects of an adversarial setting. Eleven (11) cases litigated in Sri Lanka during the years 2021 to 2023 form the basis of an interpretive case research in a naturalistic setting that captures the complex emotional and psycho-social impact of the adversarial methods of dispute resolution on the disputants. Despite most such cases having achieved a so-called ‘out of court settlement’ through the collaboration of lawyers, the interactions between the disputants during the post litigation phase reveal persistent lack of confidence and distrust between the disputants as well as lack of therapeutic impact of ‘out of court settlements. Contextualised data was collected through observations and interviews of the participants in the court and from interactions with the lawyers. Using a thematic analysis, patterns emerged from the qualitative date directed towards the negligible therapeutic impact of ‘out of court settlements’ on the disputants and the potential use of private mediation as a therapeutic method of resolving disputes. The findings assume that Therapeutic Justice and mediation closely share attributes such as not only resolving underlying issues in a less-adversarial set-up but more importantly managing emotions, empowering’ litigants to actively participate in rehabilitating relationships, to achieve outcomes that benefit all parties through mediation. The findings highlight the need to adopt and experiment private mediation in Sri Lanka through court referrals throughout the life cycle of a case and of the corresponding need to set up a vibrant mediation culture.Publication Open Access Combatting Non-Consensual Pornography: A Comparative Study(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Jayamaha, S; Harasgama, K; Mahingoda, Cconsensual pornography, colloquially known as “revenge porn,” has witnessed a troubling proliferation across various jurisdictions, carrying profound and often devastating repercussions for its victims. This paper conducts an in-depth review of the revenge porn laws with reference to identified key elements in such laws, namely, actus reus and the mens rea of the offence, rules relating to platform liability, victim protection and available remedies and penalties. As such the study is conducted in respect of laws in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Australia and Sri Lanka and finds that there is commonness as well as some diversity in the approaches. While the actus reus element underlying these legal frameworks exhibits some degree of uniformity, significant disparities emerge with regard to the mens rea requirement. Notably, jurisdictions such as the UK and US exhibit more limited scopes, a limitation compounded in the US by the provision of special immunities to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and website/platform hosts. The paper also highlights the importance of adopting a comprehensive two-pronged strategy, encompassing both civil reliefs and penal laws to effectively fight NCP. As such, the paper attempts to provide an overall account of what would be the most effective legal approach in relation to the key components identified therein in the background of some common challenges posed by the inherent nature of NCP in this digital age.Publication Open Access Commercializing Intellectual Property Rights Owned by Universities of Sri Lanka(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Thewahettige, TIn the context of modern business and innovation theories, the management of Intellectual Property Rights (Referred to as “IPO”) can be considered of utmost importance. Furthermore, it can be argued that the commercialization of these rights is a significant step among the mechanisms employed in the management of IPR. Commercialization can be defined as the process of bringing intellectual property to the market with the aim of generating future profits and fostering business growth.1 Sri Lankan universities are rich in intellectual properties; therefore, it is essential to transform these assets into business opportunities to develop the country’s economy. This study explores the significance of commercializing IPR owned by universities in Sri Lanka, with a focus on the role it plays in the nation’s economic progress.Publication Open Access A Computati onally Effi cient Bad Posture Detecti on Method to Alert Computer Users in Real Time(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Sewwandi, M. G. L.; Bandara, M.R.H.E.; Wicramasinghe, I. P. M.These days lot of people spend long hours at a computer, so they face lot of health issues because of wrong sitti ng postures. Good posture is crucial for human well-being. A vision-based system is proposed to minimize the poor ergonomic practi ces among computer users. It can be installed in the corresponding user computer, and it runs with low computati on burden. The proposed system is based on image comparison with a reference image. The reference image is an image, that the user uti lizing their webcam or computer camera to capture themselves in the correct seated posture. Initi ally it has been a converted into grayscale and applied a Gaussian fi lter before store in the memory. Aft er making the reference image, the proposed system is stared to capture user’s image at a free defi ned frequency. The captured user’s image is fi ltered and converted to a binary image using a predefi ned threshold. Aft er that, two parallel processes are applied to same resultant image to identi fy the moment of left and right side and bending of forward and backward. The decision of both processes has been esti mated by comparing the calculated blackto- white pixel rati o with a predefi ned threshold. The noti fi cati on has been generated via a pop-up message on corresponding computer screen. To test the eff ecti veness, the proposed system has been implemented on a laptop computer in a Python environment with the support of OpenCV library. The test has been conducted of four diff erent bad postures such as over leaning to the right angle, left angle, forward and backward postures with 150 att empts. The test results shows that it has high potenti al to identi fy the bad postures of computer uses.Publication Open Access Determinant Factors of Hospital Food Waste in Surgical and Medical Wards at the Teaching Hospital, Kuliyapitiya(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Nawarathna, N.M.J.K.; Bodhirathne, B.A.K.; Iddamalgoda, I.G.C.J.; Jayamaha, J.H.N.P.; Jayathilake, S; Priyanthi, W.N.Food waste is a global health issue challenging sustainable development. The Ministry of Health has reported that the monthly wasted food amount in Teaching Hospital Kuliyapiti ya as six thousand kilograms per month and 30% of that food is provided by the hospital. Hospital food waste has significant social, economic, and nutritional impacts. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting g hospital-supplied food waste among in-patients of medical and surgical wards at Teaching Hospital Kuliyapiti ya (THK). This was a quanti tati ve descripti ve study. The patients of age in between 20 to 60 years admitted to medical and surgical wards at THK who were having hospital diet as the meal, was selected as the sample for this study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive stati sti cs were computed to analyse data using SPSS version 23. The results showed that 48.5% of the participants were dissatisfied with Lunch and 57.8% of the participants were dissatisfied with chewing status of the food. The findings of the study concluded that the most common factors for hospital food waste as; timing of dinner serving, courtesy of the staff who serve food, dissatisfaction with the dining places, poor venti lati on of dining places and the dissati sfacti on of the hygienic condition of serving food. Moreover, inappropriate temperature of serving food and dissatisfied taste of the food were also reported as the most common factors for food waste.Publication Open Access Development of an ARIMA Model to Predict the Monthly Price of Bitcoin in USD(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Kapukotuwa, R.W.M.C.L.B.; Muthuranwela, M.M.P.L.; Samarakoon, H.G.I.L.; Dilshan, P.G.S.; Sajeewani, A.K.R.K.; Peiris, T. S. G.This study examines the bitcoin price in USD in the world by developing a suitable ti me series model to identi fy its future trends. This data set consists of monthly bitcoin prices from August 2010 to July 2024. It was found that the original series is not stati onary and not seasonality. The stati onary was achieved by the fi rst diff erence. Of the parsimonious models identi fi ed based on the Parti al Autocorrelati on Functi on (PACF) and Autocorrelati on Functi on (ACF) of the stati onary series, an auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) (2,1,2) model was identi fi ed as the best-fi tt ed model. The signifi cance of the model and its parameters and informati on criteria such as the Akaike Informati on Criterion (AIC), Schwarz Criterion, and log-likelihood was used to identi fy the best-fi tt ed model. The model was trained using data from August 2010 to March 2024. The residuals of the model were found to be white noise. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) for validati on data is 7.09%. The percentage errors for the validati ng set are all positi ve and varied from 3.5% to 12.9%. The predicted Bitcoin price (USD) from August to October 2024 are $59947.88, $60308.7, and $60669.53. Bitcoin price can be uti lized by market demand and supply, regulatory environment, and technology development.Publication Open Access Development of Time Series Model to Predict Daily Gold Price(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Gayashan, W. A. K.; Dayarathna, A. K. G.; Rajakaruna, R. W. M. A. P.; Perera, T. J. N.; Peiris, T. S. G.Gold is ancient and one of the most precious and popular commoditi es in the world. Gold price forecasti ng is criti cal in fi nancial decision-making, providing valuable informati on for investors in the gold market, sellers of gold items and stakeholders. Not much studies have been carried out in to forecast daily gold prices of Sri Lanka. The aim of this paper is to forecast the daily gold price rate (Rupees/troy ounce) using data from 2nd January 2018 to 14th June 2024 published by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The best fi tt ed model was identi fi ed as ARIMA (1,1,1) + ARCH (2). The model was trained using data from 2nd January 2018 to 31st May 2024 and validated using data from the 3rd of June 2024 to 14th of June 2024. The model was stati sti cally tested using standard stati sti cal procedure and errors were found as white noise. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) for the training data set and validati on data set were 0.748% and 1.002% respecti vely. The validati on confi rmed that the ARIMA (1,1,1) + ARCH (2) model eff ecti vely captures the dynamics of gold price movements, off ering robust predicti ve power. These results indicate that the model is highly accurate and reliable for forecasti ng, making it a valuable tool for fi nancial insti tuti ons and investors aiming to predict market trends and make informed investment decisions.Publication Open Access Digital Marketing Strategies for University Student Recruitments in Sri Lanka(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Bandara, K. M. G. C.; Jayasuriya, N.A.; Jayathilaka, RThis study aims to investigate the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in attracting students into the non-state higher education sector in Sri Lanka. Many students in Sri Lanka sit for Advanced Level Examination but a few of them enrol in the non-state higher education institutions due to the ineffectiveness of marketing strategies of these institutions. Hence, the objective of this study is to explore the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies for university selection, and the effectiveness of involvement excellence (which includes first impression, brand recognition, intuitive navigation, and application submission) arising from digital marketing strategies for university selection. This qualitative study utilised judgemental sampling to select marketing managers for conducting structured interviews as the data collection method. The collected data have been analysed through thematic analysis. Findings show the effectiveness of social media, optimised website design, and search engine optimisation for university selection and the effectiveness of involvement excellence consisting of first impression, brand recognition, intuitive navigation, and application submission experience for university selection.Publication Open Access Effectiveness of Spaced Repetition Techniques for Vocabulary Acquisition for English Language Learners in Maritime Industry(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Jayawardena, H. M. C. P.This study investigates the effectiveness of spaced repetition (SR) techniques for vocabulary acquisition and retention in adult English as a Second language (ESL) learners within the maritime industry. Twenty students conveniently sampled from a maritime English course participated. The research employed a mixed method approach with pre-test, posttest, and delayed post-test designs to assess vocabulary knowledge in both an Anki spaced repetition group and a rote memorization group. The classroom environment was observed to be friendly, supportive, and facilitated learning in the students’ first language. This likely contributed to a positive learning experience for both groups. Pre-test results confirmed the students in both groups were beginners (A1 level) in maritime English. Post-test results revealed that the rote memorization group achieved high scores in recalling exact definitions, demonstrating effectiveness for immediate recall. However, the Anki group displayed a deeper understanding of vocabulary concepts beyond simply memorizing definitions. A one-month delayed posttest highlighted the significant advantage of SR for long-term retention. The Anki group performed exceptionally well, while the rote memorization group struggled with vocabulary activities. This suggests that spaced practice facilitated the transition of learned vocabulary from short-term to longterm memory. These findings support the potential benefits of SR (Anki1) for fostering deeper vocabulary 1 Anki is a free and open-source flashcard program. It understanding and long-term retention compared to rote memorization techniques in adult ELLs learning maritime English. While the small sample size and convenient sampling method limit generalizability, this research provides valuable insights for future studies exploring SR effectiveness across various learning contexts and proficiency levels in the maritime industry.Publication Open Access Enhancing Analyti c Writi ng Skills in the Context of English Literature through Guided Writi ng Strategies: Addressing Challenges Faced by HNDE Students in Craft ing Literature Responses(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Sivasankar, S; Pathmaperuma, P.A.S.G.The purpose of this study was to investi gate the impact of Guided Writi ng Techniques (GWT) on enhancing Analyti cal Writi ng Skills (AWS) among Higher Nati onal Diploma English students, focusing on their ability to respond eff ecti vely to English literature questi ons. From a populati on of 50 fi rstyear students, 25 parti cipants were selected through purposive sampling. This study employed a mixedmethods approach, combining quanti tati ve pretests and post-tests with qualitati ve structured interviews to gain insights into students’ challenges and progress in Analyti cal writi ng. The study commenced with pretests, which, along with structured interviews, highlighted specifi c diffi culti es students faced in craft ing responses to English literature questi ons and in AWS within this context. The interventi on acti viti es guided parti cipants through three stages, each designed to build essenti al skills for producing eff ecti ve literary responses: Literary Analysis Skill (LAS), Higher-Order Thinking Skill (HOT skill), and AWS, structured around GWT. Short stories, a form within the prose genre, were exclusively selected as the primary material for these acti viti es. Following each stage of the interventi on, individual post-tests were conducted to assess the development of core competencies. The fi ndings revealed a signifi cant improvement in students’ AWS, evidenced by a correlati on coeffi cient of 0.8914, underscoring the eff ecti veness of GWT. These techniques, mediated by LAS and HOT Skills, enabled students to craft focused, well-structured responses that thoroughly engage with literature questi ons. The study concludes that GWT, when integrated with LAS and HOT skills, is highly eff ecti ve in enhancing AWS in English literature, highlighti ng their potenti al as a valuable instructi onal approach in similar educati onal contexts.Publication Open Access Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills in a Sri Lankan English Medium Instructi on Science Classroom: An Acti on Research(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Hameed, R; Wijesekera, H.DThis interventi onist acti on research aimed to enhance Higher-Order-Thinking Skills (HOTs) which are essenti al for the 21st- century to face unprecedented challenges. The parti cipants were Grade eight students who learn Science through English Medium Instructi on (EMI) in a Sri Lankan public school. The study also aimed to address the examinati on-oriented mindset that prioriti zes memorizati on over criti cal thinking, and scaff olding language gaps. The pre-interventi on questi onnaires and pre-tests revealed that students grapple with higher-order questi ons and primarily rely on lowerorder thinking. To address this, “What If” questi oning and “Noti ce and Wonder” techniques were adopted in collaborati ve group work over fi ve 40-minute lessons to sti mulate curiosity and encourage deeper cogniti ve engagement necessitati ng peer feedback, consciousness-raising, and co-constructi on of knowledge. The study combined quanti tati ve stati sti cal analysis of test scores with qualitati ve themati c analysis of student percepti ons about their experiences elicited through questi onnaire responses and corroborated through teacher refl ecti on. Results demonstrated a signifi cant improvement in students’ use of HOTs, also evidenced by increased post-test scores and student self-refl ecti ve feedback. Students reported enhanced engagement, moti vati on, and confi dence in tackling complex problems, showing the eff ecti veness of the interventi on in initi ati ng, and developing a more analyti cal/curious mindset. The fi ndings suggest that incorporati ng these pedagogical strategies into the curriculum can eff ecti vely shift focus from rote memorizati on to criti cal thinking, bett er preparing students for 21stcentury challenges. This study contributes valuable insights into eff ecti ve pedagogical approaches for developing HOTs in secondary science educati on, with potenti al implicati ons for curriculum development and teaching practi ces in similar educati onal contexts.