+94 11 754 4801
info@sliit.lkCAREER SUMMARY
Harsha Wijesekera is a dedicated academic with over three decades of diverse teaching experience across primary, secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels in public, semi-government, military, and private institutions.
Currently, she is the Head of the School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology
Before taking the position at SLIIT, Harsha was
- a Senior Lecturer and Higher Degree Research Coordinator at the Postgraduate Institute of English, Open University of Sri Lanka [From May 2013 to March 2024]
- a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University [From 1 March 2023 to 1 March 2024] engaging with the School of Literature, Language and Linguistics
- a Senior Lecturer at Sir John Kotelawala Defence University [From Dec 2010 to May 2013]
Additionally, she was involved as
- Visiting Faculty at the National Institute of Business Management
- Edexcel Teacher Trainer
- English and English Literature teacher at various schools including Royal College Colombo and D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo
Harsha is dedicated to facilitating transformative learning. Her research interests encompass the medium of instruction, sociology of education, language and ethnicity, social cohesion, applied linguistics/sociolinguistics, curriculum development, and continuing professional development. Her most outstanding contribution to Sri Lanka is conceptualization, desing and implementation of the first-ever Postgraduate Diploma in Bilingual (English Medium Instruction) in Eduation. Recognizing the value of this postgraduate qualification, the Ministry of Education sponsor 50 tuition scholarships for teachers and teacher educators to enrol in this program at the Postgraduate Institute of English, Sri Lanka.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
- PhD. / Faculty of Education / Queensland University of Technology, Australia [Received the Outstanding Thesis Award]
- Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language [TESL] / Postgraduate Institute of English
- Post Graduate Diploma in Education (TESL) / University of Colombo, Sri Lanka (Awarded for High Standard of Excellence)
- Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations (Merit) / Bandaranaike Center for International Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English and English Language Teaching (Second Upper) / Open University of Sri Lanka
- Critical Thinking in Language Learning and Teaching / University of Oregon, USA
- Certificate in Senior Teachers in Higher Education / Center for Staff Development, OUSL
- Online Course Design & Development / Open University of Sri Lanka
- Professional In-Service Teacher Training
HONOURS AND AWARDS
- Outstanding PhD Thesis Award 2019 for highly commended thesis / Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
- The Ernest Perera Memorial Award for the achievement of High Standard of Excellence 2009/ Faculty of Education of the University of Colombo
- Visiting Fellow, Australian National University
- National Educator Award - Gold Award 2023 for the field of Language and Literature
RESEARCH INTERESTS AND MEMBERSHIP
Research Interests
- Sociology of Education
- Applied Linguistics/Sociolinguistics
- Language Policy/Ethnolinguistics/Social Cohesion
- Medium of Instruction in Education/English Medium/Bilingual Education
- Teacher Education
- Language Curriculum/Material Development
Memberships
- Member, The Association for Language Testing and Assessment of Australia and New Zealand (ALTAANZ)
- Member, ELINET (Education, Languages, and Internationalisation Network)
ONGOING RESEARCH
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A comparative study on Teacher beliefs, ideologies and practices: L1 in the Bilingual education classrooms in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Co-researcher Dr Naashia Mohomed, School of Curriculum & Pedagogy, University of Auckland.
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Medium of Instruction vs. Low Performances among undergraduates
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Needs Analysis of undergrduates [English Language]
PUBLICATIONS
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Translanguaging in Bilingual Education Secondary School classrooms during ESL cooperative group activities: Forms, functions and Learner Perceptions
PERERA, C. & WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Embracing Translanguaging: Empowering English Language Learners and Promoting Acquisition”
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Promoting equality in multiethnic BE classrooms by stimulating ‘linguistic communism’. In LLTT SIG Symposium #2 - The place of teacher agency amid constraining education conditions
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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“The paradox of the Sri Lankan public education system and language of instruction: From exclusivity to inclusivity through Bilingual Education.”
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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“Accruing ‘Inclusive Social Capital’ through Diversity Responsiveness in Multiethnic Bilingual Education Classrooms: Lessons from (and for) Post-conflict Sri Lanka
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Is going online a panacea for teaching/learning: Risking equity and inclusion at the time of the lockdown
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Assessments for Learning and promoting 21st-century skills through Alternative Assessments in English Language classrooms
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Heteroglossia in Bilingual Education classrooms: A 'third space' for investment in inclusive social capital and social justice
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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"Nurturing Assessment for Learning through Assessment of teachers: Praxis-pedagogy for teacher/student development
WIJESEKERA, H. D,
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Commissioned Report: Recommendations for the National Policy on Medium of Instruction in Schools
Sedere, U., Chandramohaan, K., Coperahewa, S., Mendis, D., Nanayakkara, P., Wickramagamage, C., & Wijesekera, H.,
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Report: (2024). Situational Analysis of Bilingual Education Approach (English Medium instruction) in Sri Lankan government and government-assisted schools: Towards informed policy recommendations. National Education Commission, Sri Lanka.
Wijesekera, H. D. & Nanayakkara N,
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Methodology for CLIL teachers
Wijesekera, H. D.,
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Teacher Continuing Professional Development, Mentoring and Supervision for TESL
Wijesekera, H. D.,
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Translanguaging in English Language Education in Sri Lanka: Social and academic grains
Wijesekera, H. D.,
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An Analysis of 4C Skills Representation in the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) General English (GE) Textbook in Sri Lanka
Lawrence, D. & Wijesekera, H. D., (SICASH 5th International Conference on Advancement in Sciences and Humanities)
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Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills in Sri Lankan English Medium Instruction Science Classrooms: An Action Research
Ruzaika, S.H.F. & Wijesekera, H. D., (SICASH 5th International Conference on Advancement in Sciences and Humanities)
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). EMI in South Asia
Padwad, A., Wijesekara. H., Phyak, P., Manan, S., & Mohamed, N. ,
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How Teachers of English perceive their In-Service Advisors: A root cause for the failure of ESL in Sri Lanka? The Learning Teacher
Wijesekera, H. D.,
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Education as a Tool of Ethnic Integration: Are we successful?
Wijesekera, H. D., (International Symposium, Sir John Kotalawala Defence University, Sri Lanka )
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| Improving the product through the process: using cooperative group tasks to improve accuracy in L2 writing of ESL students
WIJESEKERA, H. D, (Two hundred years of English language use in Sri Lanka: Trajectories of Language, Literature, and Pedagogy )
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Dreams deferred: English language teaching in Sri Lanka
Wijesekera, H. D., “VISTAS Journal Of Humanities And Social Sciences ”
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Forging inclusive practice in ethnically-segregated school systems: lessons from one multiethnic, bilingual education classroom in Sri Lanka
Wijesekera, H.D, Alford, J., & Mu, M. G, “International Journal of Inclusive Education” , pp. 23-41
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. Towards digital thinking and practices: Experiences of Sri Lankan teachers and students
: Karunanayake, S.P., Weerakoon, W. M. S., Wijesekera, H. D., Nawarathna, N. M. R. K., Ramathass, P. & Weerasinghe M. D. B. P, “Open Praxis.”
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When Discussion of Religion is Not Encouraged: Dont Ask, Dont tell.
Chan Alice, W. Y., Amarasingam, A., Couture, A, Wijesekera, H.D., Tiflati, H., & Matemba Y. H,
