Senior Lecturer (G I)
PhD (QUT- Australia), Master of Education (UOC- Colombo), Certificate of Teaching in Higher Education (OUSL), Post Graduate Diploma in Education (UOC - Colombo), Bachelor of Arts - First Class Pass (UOSJ)Secondary and Tertiary Education
Faculty of Education
Website FB Twitter RG GS
Senior Lecturer
Contact:
Central Campus,
Office: +942881425, Ext: 425 Mobile: +94704344884
E-mail: aiiru@ou.ac.lk
Web: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayomi-irugalbandara-1b9415114/
I completed my PhD degree in 2020, at the Faculty of Education, the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia. My thesis has shown the importance of developing creative thinking and adaptability skills through a drama-based teaching approach in junior secondary school students in Sri Lanka. My main area of research is Aesthetic Education and sub-specialty in Educational Psychology. Professionally, as a Senior Lecturer at the Open University of Sri Lanka, I have strong views on the value of creativity, imagination, and innovation in the aesthetic curriculum. I firmly believe that the ability to think creatively should be an outcome of all successful education. I have faith in the maxim: ‘free to think, empower to be’.
Areas of Specialization:Aesthetic Education, Secondary Education
Research interests:Creativity development, Aesthetic Education , Drama Education, Educational Interventions, Adaptability, Critical thinking
Affiliations:1. A member of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE)
2. A lifetime member of the SLAAED ( Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Education)
3. Visiting Lecturer, Department of Humanities Education, Faculty of Education, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
4. Visiting Lecturer (2014 -2017). Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka
5. A member of the Board of Examiners (2007- todate). Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, Sri Lanka
6. A member of the Selection Board (2008- todate). Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, Sri Lanka
7. A member of the Board of Examiners (2014- todate). Faculty of Dance & Drama, University of the Visual & Performing Arts, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Contributions:
- Preparation of lesson materials for distribution to students (Modules for Distance Education)
- Preparation of audio/video and online programmes
Programme Coordination:
Bachelor of Education (Drama & Theatre) Degree programme – 2004 to date
Course Coordination:Post Graduate Diploma in Education – Aesthetic Education/ Christianity Education/ Guidance and Counselling in Education
Bachelor of Education Honours in Drama & Theatre Degree programme – Aesthetic & Creative Study/ Educational Technology for Teaching Drama & Theater/ Teaching Practice/
Awards:
2019 – Awarded for taking part in the Doctoral Forum held in Canada (September 30 to October 4, 2019) at Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology (Australia), Beijing Normal University (China) and the University of Calgary (Canada).
2017 – Awarded full scholarship for reading PhD at Queensland University of Technology by National Centre for Advanced Studies in Humanities & Social Sciences, Sri Lanka and Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
2016 – A special certificate awarded by the Vice-Chancellor, the Open University of Sri Lanka for organizing the VCDVC cultural event.
2011 – Best Presentation award – International Conference on “Quality Enhancement in Distance Education for Lifelong Learning”, Bharthidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India.
2010 – A certificate awarded by the Vice-Chancellor, the Open University of Sri Lanka for a committee member in institutional development celebrations on the 30th anniversary of the university.
Researches:Research – PhD Thesis
Irugalbandara, A. I. (2020). Investigation of the Development of Creative Thinking and Adaptability Skills through Process Drama Techniques in Junior Secondary School Students in Sri Lanka [Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology]. Queensland University of Technology. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/203805/
Research – MEd Dissertation
Irugalbandara, A. I. (2010). Comparison of Conventional and Distant Teacher Training Curricula (A study based on Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Programme at the Open University of Sri Lanka and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka). [Master of Education dissertation, University of Colombo].
Ongoing Research:
Research Supervisions:
PhD Supervision in Lincoln University, Malaysia. _ Application of Drama Psychotherapy as a Therapeutic Tool for Emotional Problems at Institutionalized Children in Southern Province in Sri Lanka (Reg. No. LUC202104240012)
Publications:Books
Irugalbandara, A. I. (2021). New Approach to Aesthetic Education. Sri Lanka: Shiksha Publications.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2011). Saundaraya Saksharathawa (Aesthetic Literacy). Sri Lanka: Shiksha Publications.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2011). Dha Ata Sanniye Sathara Abhinya. Sri Lanka: Shiksha Publications.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2011). Devadasi. Sri Lanka: Shiksha Publications. Shiksha Publications
Journal Articles
Irugalbandara, A. I. (2021). The potential of Zoom technology for enabling creativity in the drama classroom through peer-assisted learning and group collaboration in pre-service teacher education. NJ Drama Australia Journal, https://doi.org/10.1080/14452294.2021.2013630 (Press)
Irugalbandara, A. I., English R., & Campbell, M. (2021). Classroom space and creative student engagement: A focus on the Sri Lankan drama classroom. World Studies in Education, 21(2):45-57. https://doi.org/10.7459/wse/21.2.04
Irugalbandara, A. I. (2021). Best Practices in Bachelor of Education Honours in Drama and Theatre Degree in the Open University of Sri Lanka. In “Discover and Disseminate: Best Practices in Higher Education” – Good Practices in the Teaching Learning Process in Higher Education, National Action Research Conference on Higher Education. University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka.
Irugalbandara, A. I., Hou, Y., Trussler, P., & Carrington, s. (2021). Transformation through social interactions: International research collaboration. Research in Comparative and International Education (in press).
Irugalbandara, A. I., & Campbell, M. (2020). A new strategy for Sri Lankan drama education. Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 25(2), 256- 262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569783.2020.1730173
Irugalbandara, A. I., Campbell, M., English, R., & Lassig, C. (2020). Teaching drama differently in Sri Lankan secondary schools. NJ Drama Australia Journal, 44(1), 17, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/14452294.2020.1859945
Lekamge, G. D., Irugalbandara, A. I., & Fernando, M. N. C (2018). Analysis of the problems of and the suitable solutions for an initial teacher training programme conducted through the distance mode. OUSL Journal, 13(1), 115-133. https://ouslj.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/ouslj.v13i1.7428/
Conference proceedings
Irugalbandara, A.I. (January, 2021). Classroom Space and Creative Student Engagement: A Focus on the Sri Lankan Drama Classroom. Abstract Published in 3rd International Research Symposium on Social Sciences and Humanities (IRSSSH)-2020. Advances in Social Sciences and Humanities: Challenges and Opportunities, University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (December 2019). How could an educational intervention influence students’ creativity and adaptability skills? Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference (AARE), QUT, Kelvin Grove Campus, Brisbane.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (October 2019). Creativity as a right in drama education: Sri Lankan student experiences. Paper presented at the HDR conference, Griffith University, South Brisbane.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (October 2019). Fostering creative thinking through drama education: teacher perspectives. Paper published in Proceedings: 33rd Annual Conference of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), Pakistan.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (March 2019). Dramatic thinking as an open thinking strategy. Paper presented at the international conference of the 3rd Australia and New Zealand Conference on Advanced Research (ANZCAR, 2019), Melbourne, Australia.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (January 2015). Perceptions of senior secondary students on reproductive health education in Sri Lanka. In Proceedings: International Conference on “Quality Management in Education”, London, United Kingdom.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (October 2013). Perceptions of adolescents on reproductive health education. Paper presented at the International Journal of Arts & Sciences (IJAS) Conference for Academic Disciplines, American University of Rome, Rome.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (February 2012). Application of drama therapy to help students with disruptive behaviour to improve their education. In Proceedings: Annual International Conference on Cognitive and Behavioural Psychology (CBP 2012), Singapore.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (April 2011). The importance of teaching practice in teacher education curriculum. In Proceedings: International Conference on Emerging Trends in Teacher Education, Indra Ganesan College of Education, Tamilnadu, India.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (April 2011). A study on effective post graduate teaching in university through curriculum development: A guide to improve the teaching quality. In Proceedings: International Conference on “Quality Enhancement in Distance Education for Lifelong Learning”, Bharthidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India.
Published Articles Non-Refereed Journals
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2016). Importance of the medium of education in the teaching-learning process. Samvadi (3), 171-177. Sri Lanka: University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2015). Child Abuse and preventing methods. Adeeksha (5), 148-169. Faculty of Education: The Open University of Sri Lanka.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2012). Rote learning as a special teaching technique in the teaching of the dancing subject. Adeeksha (3), 33-43. Faculty of Education: The Open University of Sri Lanka.
Irugalbandara, A.I. (2011). Emotional Intelligence and Aesthetic Education. Adeeksha (2), 25-34. Faculty of Education: The Open University of Sri Lanka.