Technology Mediated Education in Sri Lanka: Expectations, Challenges and Strategies

Abstract

The integration of technology into education aims at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of education in its organization, implementation and achievements. This remains valid for all countries across the globe irrespective of stratifications and hierarchies. The mediation of technology functions on the assumption that it leads to positive developments to education. Sri Lanka as a developing country in the South Asian region can be considered as one of the few countries that have always prioritized education in its national agenda. The development of technology in education is a key objective of the Sri Lankan development plan to cater to the local and global economy and its advancement. This chapter attempts to emphasize the aims and objectives for technology mediated education in Sri Lanka by the state, the challenges faced by various stakeholders in the field of education in planning, implementing and sustaining a technology mediated education system in the primary, secondary and tertiary tiers of education in Sri Lanka and the strategies used to overcome the key challenges in schools and universities through the implementation of local and international projects. A cross sectional study was conducted to investigate the technology mediated educational landscape in the country. A mixed method approach was used where both primary and secondary data was utilized. Secondary data was gathered under the thematic orientation of the chapter. In selecting the primary data, a stratified purposive sample was selected to gather data from key stakeholders involved in education in Sri Lanka including parents, school students, school teachers, university teachers, university students, planners through structured interviews. The findings reveal that while there has been a considerable development in technology mediated education in Sri Lanka, there are many challenges on the grass-root level that has to be tackled for an equitable system of technology education