Ousl Journal最新文献

{"title":"How the COVID-19 Outbreak Shapes the Education of School Children: A case of Engineering Technology Students in the Mulatiyana Educational Zone, Matara, Sri Lanka","authors":"D. Sandeepani, S. U. Wagachchi, P. Harshana, G. Samaraweera","doi":"10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7520","url":null,"abstract":"In Sri Lanka, the conventional learning in schools has been disrupted with the COVID-19 lockdowns. Even though the government has introduced an online learning system with the hope of making a concerted effort to maintain the continuous learning of school children, the grass-root level’s feedback has not been adequately explored yet. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Sri Lankan school education system and locate the obstacles of the online education system with special reference to the Advanced level Engineering Technology students in the Mulatiyana Educational Zone, Matara, Sri Lanka. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey directed to the purposively selected 84 Engineering Technology students in the selected educational zone. Data analyzed using SPSS showed that 88% of the students have continued their academic process via online learning. Among these students, 39% had the capability to learn 02 hours per day. Student exhibited their highest consent (48%) to use mobile apps for online learning while illustrating a significant gender difference (Mmale=4.38, Mfemale=3.50; t=2.553, p=0.015). Interestingly, the majority of the students (59%) were satisfied with online education though with a significant gender difference (Mmale=2.84, Mfemale=3.75; t=3.716, p=0.000). The study revealed that lack of access to devices is the major drawback for the majority (40%) of students for online learning. Accordingly, the study adds Asians’ voice to the existing literature to implement future online classes in a more efficient and effective manner. Present study suggests the need for future research in this direction while addressing representative samples from whole country, if possible, to generalize the current findings.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"62 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127218818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of Blue Carbon Stock of Mangroves at Malwathu Oya estuary, Sri Lanka","authors":"K. Perera, M. Amarasinghe","doi":"10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7519","url":null,"abstract":"Mangroves occupy tropical and subtropical inter-tidal areas and provide numerous ecological functions and services. One such function is sequestration of atmospheric carbon, especially in their anoxic soils. This study is an attempt to quantify the total blue carbon stocks in vegetation and in soils of mangrove areas in Malwathu Oya estuary located in the dry/arid climatic zone in Sri Lanka. Plant biomass and the total organic carbon (TOC) content were estimated using allometric relationships available between biomass/TOC and stem diameter of constituent mangrove species. Published data on soil TOC of the same locality was used to estimate the total blue carbon stock associated with this mangrove area. Total biomass of the mangrove plants in Malwathu Oya estuary was 377 Mg ha-1 which contained 191 Mg C ha-1 of organic carbon sequestered by the plants. Above ground plant components contained 5 times more biomass and 5.5 times more carbon than those below ground. TOC in the mangrove soils was 346 Mg C ha-1 which was 1.8 times more than that in the vegetation. Total blue carbon stock of the mangrove ecosystem in Malwathu Oya estuary therefore was 537 Mg C ha-1, out of which 64% was sequestered in soils. Despite being in low rainfall coast this mangrove area retains more carbon than most other areas which may be possibly due to its pristineness and vegetation structure characterized by unique dominance of Sonneratia alba, which is considered a rare species among Sri Lankan mangroves.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"93 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131009562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of Silver(I) Complexes Containing N and P Donor Ligands","authors":"S. D. Perera","doi":"10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v16i1.7518","url":null,"abstract":"Treatment of one equivalent of 3,4,5,6-tetraphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine (tpbpy) with AgClO4 afforded [Ag(tpbpy)]ClO4 (1a). Similarly, [Ag(tpbpy)]BF4 (1b) was prepared using AgBF4. Reaction of two equivalents of tpbpy with AgClO4 yielded the homoleptic Ag(I) complex [Ag(tpbpy)2]ClO4 (2). The four-coordinate heteroleptic Ag(I) complex [Ag(tpbpy)(xantphos)]ClO4 (3) containing both N and P donor ligands was prepared by treating AgClO4 with a (1:1) mixture of tpbpy and 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9′-dimethylxanthene (xantphos). [Ag(dmbpy)(xantphos)]ClO4 (4) (dmbpy = 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) was prepared in a similar manner. Reaction of one equivalent of xantphos with AgClO4 in acetonitrile produced the labile three-coordinate Ag(I) complex [Ag(xantphos)(MeCN)]ClO4 (5). Treatment of (5) with one equivalent of tpbpy or dmbpy afforded the heteroleptic complexes (3) and (4), respectively. Reaction of (5) with one equivalent of 4′-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (ttpy) afforded the five-coordinate Ag(I) complex [Ag(xantphos)(ttpy)]ClO4 (6). Treatment of AgClO4 with one equivalent of bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) in a (1:1) solvent mixture of chloroform and methanol resulted in the formation of [Ag2(μ-dppm)2][ClO4]2 (7). Reaction of (7) with one equivalent of 3,6-di(2-pyridyl)-4,5-diphenyl-pyridazine (dppz) gave the binuclear complex [Ag2(μ-dppm)2{μ-dppz}][ClO4]2 (8). Above complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, IR, Mass and NMR spectroscopy.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"75 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127086984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Induction and Socialization of New Teachers in Institutional Schools","authors":"Dhanapati Subedi, Beni Bahadur Karkee","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7471","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this paper is to explore how schools in Kathmandu practice the ideas of induction and socialization among new teachers appointed to the organization. The major focus is on exploring how newly hired employees become adjusted to the organization's culture, their work group, and how they learn the information necessary for effective job performance. The paper is developed on the basis of information collected through narrations shared during our interviews with administrators, human resource managers and teachers in the institutional schools of Kathmandu based on few guiding ideas like: framework institutions apply for teachers’ induction and socialization during the transition and the issues and challenges inherent in the teacher induction process. In our engagement with the participants, we understood that the new entrants tend to struggle with their tasks; are seemingly nervous of the new work challenges, and tend to fail in conducting day-to-day activities in the absence of proper orientation about the job they are supposed to perform. Therefore, we conclude induction and socialization as strategic human resource management tools that help employees to connect to the new working environment through their head and heart. It could have direct influences on the quality of work expected from the new intake. Thus, it is undeniable that only those new intakes who are well oriented about organizational goals, who have prior information as to what is expected of them, who possess mechanisms to counter their early anxiety through familiarizing themselves with the working environment with the help of senior staff are able to deliver the service as per the expectation of the organization.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"98 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128121748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Claims on Sri Lankan Food Labels: A Comparative Legal Analysis with Selected Jurisdictions","authors":"Charith Amidha Hettiarachch, J. Wardle, M. Arnold, Niroshika Liyana Muhandiram","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7484","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7484","url":null,"abstract":"Claims on labels are one of major marketing strategies in the food industry. Health of consumers may be affected by inaccurate and misleading claims and therefore, such claims need to be regulated by state legislation. The Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations, 2005 made under the Food Act of 1980 is the main law governing food labelling claims in Sri Lanka. This study is a desk review which analyses the relevant regulations in the Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations, 2005. The study further critiques the existing regulations and compares with international standards (Codex Alimentarius) and regulations in developed countries such as Australia which have a broad local and international food market with modern technology. The objective of the study is to identify the scope of the ‘claim’ and its current legislative pitfalls under the existing Sri Lankan legal domain together with its permeability and restrictions. This study finds that the regulations on claims are not precisely structured and less strong in Sri Lanka. The scope of the definition of ‘claim’ is vague. Only limited types of claims are stated within the legislation and are often wrongly classified. Certain claim types are not defined at all in the Sri Lankan regulations. Therefore, this study suggests that in order to improve public health, future amendments to the existing regulations are necessary with broader, stronger and clear regulations.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123690348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Employee Perceptions of the Electronic Procurement System (EPS) and Rate of Adoption of EPS by the Federal Public Hospitals in Edo State of Nigeria Based on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory","authors":"Omoregbe Omorodion, Samuel Jesuorobo Osifo","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7479","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7479","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated the perception of electronic procurement (e-procurement) system and rate of adoption in the federal public hospitals in Edo State of Nigeria. The rate of adoption is premised on Rogers’ diffusion of innovations approach using the process of innovation characteristics: relative advantage, trialability, compatibility, observability, and complexity of e-procurement system to evaluate the rate at which organizations adopt new innovations. The degrees of difficulties faced by the hospitals in the adoption of e-procurement system and the benefits of the e-procurement system adoption were also studied. The study used convenience sampling technique to select 45 management staff of procurement departments of three federal public hospitals spread across Edo State. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) technique was used to estimate the model that was developed. The findings showed that the greatest challenge faced by the hospitals in the adoption of EPS was the lack of e-procurement system infrastructure due to inadequate funding. On the benefits of adopting EPS in the hospitals, the findings showed that reduction in wastage in the time lost in the process of procurement of materials and mistakes that emanate from retyping and exchange of documents, increased efficiency of business operations were the major advantages of e-procurement system adoption. The regression results demonstrated that all the exogenous variables were significant and positively influenced the rate of adoption in the federal public hospitals in Edo State, except complexity of e-procurement system that had a significant negative predictor on management of the hospitals’ policy decision to adopt electronic procurement system. The relative advantage of e-procurement system score was the best predictor of respondents’ attitudes toward rate of adoption of new innovations in the hospitals. It is therefore recommended that innovations that are simple and user-friendly in design should be adopted. Simpler the innovation, quicker the adoption by the employees of an organization. Management of the hospitals’ procurement department should deploy the necessary information technology infrastructure, personnel with requisite expertise, digital skills, and knowledge for the successful adoption of the e-procurement system.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"187 ","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120970052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work Stress and Job Satisfaction among Nursing Staff in Public Hospitals in Nigeria","authors":"O. Iyayi, Alasa Paul Kadiri","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7481","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7481","url":null,"abstract":"Stress is an everyday reality regardless of occupation or profession. In the past decades, work-related stress has become a major source of health-related issues among workers in organizations around the globe. Numerous research studies have examined this biological phenomenon given its negative consequences on employees' wellbeing, and threat to organizational survival and competitiveness. Job satisfaction is a key work attitude that is highly desirable in the workplace if organizational goals and objectives are to be achieved. This study investigated the relationship between work stress and job satisfaction among nursing staff in selected public hospitals in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The dimensions of work stress examined include role ambiguity, role conflict, job overload, poor social support, and poor work environment. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted for the study. Three hundred and five (n=305) nurses in public hospitals in Benin City were selected for the study. Data generated for the study were analyzed with ordinary least squares regression techniques. The results indicated that except for role ambiguity, other work stressors investigated, which are role conflict, job overload, poor social support, and poor work environment, had a significant and negative relationship with job satisfaction of nurses. It was recommended that more nurses should be employed in public hospitals in Nigeria, and that management of public hospitals in Nigeria should ensure that the physical work environment is conducive for nurses to perform their job tasks and responsibilities.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"377 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131724521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Status of Intimate Partner Violence-related Education for Nurses in Sri Lanka: A Cross-sectional Survey of the Nursing Curricula","authors":"S. Seneviratne, S. Guruge, S. Sivayogan, J. Jayasiri","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7490","url":null,"abstract":"Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) results in serious short and long-term health consequences, and is a global health problem. Nurses can play a key role in identifying and addressing the health concerns of women subjected to IPV. Yet, nursing curricula often do not adequately-cover this topic. The objective of this study was to examine and describe the current status of the IPV-related education for nurses in Sri Lanka. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. A purposive sample of nurse educators from the 24 educational institutions that conduct pre- and post-registration nursing programs in Sri Lanka reviewed their curricula using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire with closed questions and one open question. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and manifest content analysis. Results show that none of the curricula included contents on IPV except for two pre-registration programs. Some institutions reported that the topic was addressed sometimes by resource persons during student clinical or field experience. The nursing educators expressed the importance of including IPV content in the nursing curricula. Lack of content, curricular time, nursing educators’ lack of competence to teach the topic as well as attitudinal problems, ethical concerns related to women survivors, and lack of continuing education opportunities for nurses were identified as barriers to IPV-related education. The current IPV education in nursing in Sri Lanka is inadequate. There is an urgent need to incorporate IPV content into nursing curricula and train nursing educators in order to improve nurses’ preparedness to care for women experiencing IPV.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121363714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When Generous Gods Offer “Backhoe-Arm Load of Gems”*: Folk Ideas Found among Gem Miners of the Sabaragamuwa Region","authors":"L. Medawattegedara","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7502","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7502","url":null,"abstract":"Global research into folkloric speech acts, like folktales, folksongs and folk drama, have revealed a rich body of concealed cultural conventions and concepts, prompting the folklorist Alan Dundes to identify such events as ‘autobiographical ethnography,’ or the way in which a group of people would portray themselves. The present study focuses on potential cultural conjecture that could be located in a body of regional folktales found among a group of people engaged in a specific vocation, gem mining. These folktales are published as Sabaragamuwe Menik Kathandara saha Sinharaje Withthi (Gem-related Tales from Sabaragamuwa and the Happenings of the Sinharaja Forest) by their collector Tharindu Sudharshana Abeysinghe. This study intends to locate the folkloric postulate of ‘folk ideas’ embedded in the tales with the objective of cultural comprehension, especially considering the important role attributed to the gem industry in Sri Lanka’s contemporary economy. Texts in public circulation tend to reproduce the material sphere of their surroundings—literally and metaphorically—and could lend themselves to an analysis of the social conditions of their production. This study intends to achieve such an objective through a close-reading of a group of texts whose creators/raconteurs/audience were people involved in gem mining in the Sabaragamuwa province. Through a close analysis of ‘folk ideas’ this study intends to understand how the miners involved in extracting valuable stones from the bowels of the earth position themselves against their material conditions.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116285689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Academia and Medical Education in a Post-COVID-19 World","authors":"P. Karunanayake","doi":"10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4038/OUSLJ.V15I2.7504","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic will become an important event of our lives, due to the change and disruption it will bring through both direct and indirect ways and the resultant responses and adaptations we make. These will also invariably impact education, including higher education in general and medical education in particular. In this keynote address, I will make an attempt to explore the uncertainties, venture to make predictions and propose actions in relation to higher education in Sri Lanka, in order to find ways to face the situation successfully.","PeriodicalId":105560,"journal":{"name":"Ousl Journal","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127120262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}