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"What firsthand experience do Sri Lankan schoolers have of science? How do Sri Lankans of all ages relate to the environment? Did the X-Press Pearl accident change their habits? These are three apparently un-related questions. We will engage schoolers all over Sri Lanka in the pursuit of the answers. For most, this will be their first real research project. This is an outreach initiative promoted by Sri Lankan and Norwegian universities in collaboration with many local schools, as a part of the Nor-Lanka Blue project. Blue is the color of water, lakes and oceans."
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Our purpose
Social research is the branch of science that studies how individual humans and groups behave in society. Like any form of science, social research contributes strongly to the development of countries. We designed a youth-focused project called “Social Science for Schoolers” to motivate high schoolers to perform research of any kind. We focused our effort on students between 13 to 16 years of age because this is period of self-discovery and exploration of abilities and limitations. This is also a time when youth take important decisions for their future working life. We hope to offer a unique opportunity to quench their thirst for exploration and knowledge. In addition to improving basic competencies, we hope to develop their critical thinking, analytic reasoning, rhetoric and communication skills, as well as an enthusiasm for teamwork. These are skills that have not been promoted enough in the traditional Sri Lankan education system. There are strong disparities in Sri Lanka regarding access to science and development of modern skills, and these disparities are often related to culture, gender and socio-economic backgrounds.
Social research is the branch of science that studies how individual humans and groups behave in society. Like any form of science, social research contributes strongly to the development of countries. We designed a youth-focused project called “Social Science for Schoolers” to motivate high schoolers to perform research of any kind. We focused our effort on students between 13 to 16 years of age because this is period of self-discovery and exploration of abilities and limitations. This is also a time when youth take important decisions for their future working life. We hope to offer a unique opportunity to quench their thirst for exploration and knowledge. In addition to improving basic competencies, we hope to develop their critical thinking, analytic reasoning, rhetoric and communication skills, as well as an enthusiasm for teamwork. These are skills that have not been promoted enough in the traditional Sri Lankan education system. There are strong disparities in Sri Lanka regarding access to science and development of modern skills, and these disparities are often related to culture, gender and socio-economic backgrounds.
Sri Lankan Schoolers
The case study
The X-Press Pearl is a container ship that caught fire and sunk off the Colombo harbor releasing great amounts of smoke and toxic chemicals. This happened in May 2021, at a time of curfew owing to the pandemic, when Sri Lankans and the world watched powerless the fire at home in the news. The accident triggered activities among scientists, academic professionals, university students and international organizations. Our own research project has followed the accident with popular-scientific chronicles, (https://pearlinblue.weebly.com/). But, owing to the circumstances, this was not followed with the same energy and depth by the traditional schooling system. Now, six months past the accident, there may be lasting consequences, both in nature and society, but the case is not making the headlines anymore. There is a danger of forgetting the past. But the questions remain open: what happened? What have we learned? What to do if it happens again? Despite its tragic consequences, this is an excellent case study to raise environmental awareness and social participation of schoolers. We will use the accident and its consequences as a case-study in social sciences, to analyze what happened to them and to the society around them.
The X-Press Pearl is a container ship that caught fire and sunk off the Colombo harbor releasing great amounts of smoke and toxic chemicals. This happened in May 2021, at a time of curfew owing to the pandemic, when Sri Lankans and the world watched powerless the fire at home in the news. The accident triggered activities among scientists, academic professionals, university students and international organizations. Our own research project has followed the accident with popular-scientific chronicles, (https://pearlinblue.weebly.com/). But, owing to the circumstances, this was not followed with the same energy and depth by the traditional schooling system. Now, six months past the accident, there may be lasting consequences, both in nature and society, but the case is not making the headlines anymore. There is a danger of forgetting the past. But the questions remain open: what happened? What have we learned? What to do if it happens again? Despite its tragic consequences, this is an excellent case study to raise environmental awareness and social participation of schoolers. We will use the accident and its consequences as a case-study in social sciences, to analyze what happened to them and to the society around them.
X-Press Pearl - Fire on board
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Biological, Ecological and Social impacts
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The design
This project will be implemented as an out-of-school activity. Orientation about the different team-tasks will be given in simultaneous zoom sessions to the different schools. We intentionally selected five schools located throughout the country, including Jaffna, Colombo, Ratnapura, and Pollonnaruwa. From each school, five students will participate, making a total of 25 young scientists. We will ask and help each group developing a unique research question somehow related to the XPP accident, its antecedents, or consequences. To analyze each research question, we will develop two survey questions together with each team. All the teams will then share their surveys questions, making it a single questionnaire with 10 survey questions. These will be used by the seven teams in their neighborhoods. The questionnaire, the interviews and the way one treats the information obeys strictly scientific criteria that we will inform about.
The questionnaire focuses on respondents’ perceptions, experience, and environmental awareness related to the X-Press Pearl incident and its aftermaths. To gather information, each student will purposively interview a representative stratified sample of people using the questionnaire survey. This sample will consist of interviews to five people belonging to different age and gender groups. Data analysis will be done using qualitative or quantitative analysis. Among the statistics, one can use counts, mean, median, and percentages. Results will be tabulated as a bar chart, pie chart, or other types of simple charts adequate for the data at hand. In the end, students will write brief reports and communicate their findings. Formulation of research questions, design, sampling, analysis, and communication of findings are all parts of the scientific process.
This project will be implemented as an out-of-school activity. Orientation about the different team-tasks will be given in simultaneous zoom sessions to the different schools. We intentionally selected five schools located throughout the country, including Jaffna, Colombo, Ratnapura, and Pollonnaruwa. From each school, five students will participate, making a total of 25 young scientists. We will ask and help each group developing a unique research question somehow related to the XPP accident, its antecedents, or consequences. To analyze each research question, we will develop two survey questions together with each team. All the teams will then share their surveys questions, making it a single questionnaire with 10 survey questions. These will be used by the seven teams in their neighborhoods. The questionnaire, the interviews and the way one treats the information obeys strictly scientific criteria that we will inform about.
The questionnaire focuses on respondents’ perceptions, experience, and environmental awareness related to the X-Press Pearl incident and its aftermaths. To gather information, each student will purposively interview a representative stratified sample of people using the questionnaire survey. This sample will consist of interviews to five people belonging to different age and gender groups. Data analysis will be done using qualitative or quantitative analysis. Among the statistics, one can use counts, mean, median, and percentages. Results will be tabulated as a bar chart, pie chart, or other types of simple charts adequate for the data at hand. In the end, students will write brief reports and communicate their findings. Formulation of research questions, design, sampling, analysis, and communication of findings are all parts of the scientific process.
Schoolers are working on the social science project
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Who are we?
Students at this age require personal and emotional support. We will lead the participants step by step on how to conduct social science research through six sessions. This will be ensured by both Nor-Lanka Blue students and local schoolteachers, who are strongly committed to new experiences and educational formats in education.
The Blue School project was designed and implement by a group of Master of Philosophy students associated with the Norlanka Blue project, including Dhanushka(Ratnapura), Ilmi(Colombo), Saruga(Jaffna),Vishmila( Trincomalee) and Chanaka (Pollonnaruwa).
Associated with this initiative, we have the great and voluntary participation of school principals and teachers, including Mr. W.S. Lakmal Siriwardhana (St. Aloysius College Ratnapura), Mr. Jagath (Ayagama Janapada Vidyalaya Ratnapura), Ms. G.K. Shashini Sithara (Kolonnawa Balika Vidyalaya Colombo), Mrs. Saruga Siva (Chavakachcheri Grils College and Chavakachcheri Hindu college Jaffna).
The supervisors of this project are Prof.Jorge Santos from UiT - The Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway, as well as Prof. W.N. De Silva, and Prof. K.B. Suneetha Gunawickrama from the University of Ruhuna.
Students at this age require personal and emotional support. We will lead the participants step by step on how to conduct social science research through six sessions. This will be ensured by both Nor-Lanka Blue students and local schoolteachers, who are strongly committed to new experiences and educational formats in education.
The Blue School project was designed and implement by a group of Master of Philosophy students associated with the Norlanka Blue project, including Dhanushka(Ratnapura), Ilmi(Colombo), Saruga(Jaffna),Vishmila( Trincomalee) and Chanaka (Pollonnaruwa).
Associated with this initiative, we have the great and voluntary participation of school principals and teachers, including Mr. W.S. Lakmal Siriwardhana (St. Aloysius College Ratnapura), Mr. Jagath (Ayagama Janapada Vidyalaya Ratnapura), Ms. G.K. Shashini Sithara (Kolonnawa Balika Vidyalaya Colombo), Mrs. Saruga Siva (Chavakachcheri Grils College and Chavakachcheri Hindu college Jaffna).
The supervisors of this project are Prof.Jorge Santos from UiT - The Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway, as well as Prof. W.N. De Silva, and Prof. K.B. Suneetha Gunawickrama from the University of Ruhuna.
THE TEAM
Supervisors
Prof. Jorge SantosUiT - The Arctic University of Tromsø
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Prof. W. Nilantha De SilvaUniversity of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
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Prof. K.B. Suneetha GunawickramaUniversity of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
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Finally
students will get rich experiences throughout this project. We envisage to give them the chance to work with social research and reinforce their strengths as scientists and citizens. We expect them to keep their commitment. They are our future!
students will get rich experiences throughout this project. We envisage to give them the chance to work with social research and reinforce their strengths as scientists and citizens. We expect them to keep their commitment. They are our future!
Session - 01
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1st December 2021 The first session of this project focused on students acquiring knowledge to identify research questions and formulate objectives. The introductory session made positive attitudes about the importance and engagement of schoolers in social science. The research ideas have arisen from each school related to the X- Press Pearl incident and its aftermaths. Thereby, research questions become more feasible, easily adopted and implemented for schoolers. Research questions: - Did the XPP make people more environmental awareness? - Did the XPP affect the local community? -Were the right actions taken to deal with X-Press Pearl accident? -Did the XPP make people change their attitudes toward plastic? -Did the XPP accident affect the fish consumption? 
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Session - 02
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8th December 2021
The second session focused on the different types of questions, designing a questionnaire to conduct the survey. The session highlights the need for collaborative work to create survey questions in order to guide schoolers engaging in social science research authentically. From this work, each team developed two survey questions for the fulfillment of their research objectives.
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Session - 03
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15th December 2021
The third session focused on discussing survey questions with supervisors and getting feedback to correct students' work. Students gained a great deal of experience to ask their survey questions from supervisors by interview method. This session was supported to motivate students for interviewing people, improve their survey questions, build cooperation among students and supervisors. |
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Session - 04
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5th January 2022 The fourth session focused on performing different data collection methods including a face-to-face interview, telephone interview, online survey. Students were guided to select respondents representing gender and three different age categories of <30 years, 30-50 years and above 50 years. Supervisors were advised to select samples from different streets or cities to avoid the error of pseudo replication during the field data collecting process. Furthermore, students learned to enter the data with variables using Microsoft Excel 2016. This implementation ensured to guide schoolers to collaborate with the community on the data collection process in scientific research.
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