Research Proposal:-How the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya affects on the study of both male and female students. Abstract The question of “does the social background of the university of Peradeniya affect on the study of both male and female students of the art faculty of the University of Peradeniya” is hoped to do research by using randomly selected 20 male and 20 female participants, who will be given both closed and open format questionnaires for collecting data that will be analyzed qualitatively to test hypothesis: “the social background of the art faculty of the university of Peradeniya affects negatively on both male and female students’ study.” The main objective of this study, taking one month time is to find out whether those two variables-the social background of the art faculty of the University of Peradeniya and the study of both male and female students- interact with each other and how and why social background affects on their study. Introduction In this research, I hope to study whether the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the university of Peradeniya affects on the study of both male and female students (faculty of arts) or not. There are many students who come to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya from different social, economic, political and religious backgrounds. So, their concepts, thinking styles or patterns are various. Because of that the influence caused on individual may differ according to their views. Actually, it is very difficult to cover the whole university according to my research proposal. But in my research, I hope to investigate the special social backgrounds that affect on the study of university students: both girls and boys. Here, by specific social background I mean the society in which they keep very close relationship as friends, classmates, batch mates, boyfriends, girlfriends etc. So, it specifies only about the specific group. Here, I mentioned the meaning of specific social background as the reader may misunderstand by the words “social background” as it is a very broad category. According to sociology and social psychology society is a very broad and widespread and it is very hard and very difficult to study. Here, I should mention when it is said social background of the Faculty of Arts of the university of Peradeniya, I do not direct my attention towards the influence come from lectures, academic staffs and non academic staffs, but the student’s colleagues, boy friends, girl friends etc. Actually, the students come to the Faculty of Arts of the university of Peradeniya have built their personality in different social, political, cultural, and religious backgrounds. So by doing this research I hope to find out whether the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya affects in any kind of way on the study of students. Actually, I have personally experienced that a large number of students who study in various institutions are very lazy to study. Specially, when they come to face ordinary and advanced level examination states, they try to ignore their studies. Formally, I had no a broad idea about the reason for that. But after I came to the university, I felt that there is some kind of social influence on student’s studies in which they live. Really, it is very sad and unfortunate to say that the most of the students (both male and female) who come to the university after passing a very competitive exam ignore their studies. Even though they have enough resources including human resources, provided by the government such as electricity, water, and other enough resources and facilities for the well being of their studies they ignore their studies. Though all those facilities and resources are provided why do they ignore their studies? Why their results are poor? Considering above mentioned questions, I was motivated to find out whether does the social background in which the university students live affect on their study of not. Research question? Does the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya affect on the study of both male and female students? Research problem: - Impact of the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya on the study of both male and female students. Hypotheses: - Background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya negatively affect on the study of both male and female students. Review of literature. Research title: - The effect of socio-economic background of undergraduates on their academic performance: A developing country perspective, done by: D. U. A. Galagedera on 1, 1991, Department of Industrial Management, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. This paper reports the results of a survey of socio-economic background and the academic performance of undergraduates at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. Socio-economic background of entrants differed significantly between the science and arts streams. Students in the Faculty of Science were more likely to be from the urban-affluent families whereas the students in the Faculty of Arts were more likely to be from the rural—low-income families. A significant variation in academic performance between male and female students was observed only among the science stream. No significant associations between socio-economic indicators such as place of residence while attending university, family size, level of education of parents, living standard at home, family income, university education in the family, and rank order in family and examination performance were found. Research title: - The Influence of Social Background on Application and Entry to Higher Education in Scotland: a Multi-Level Analysis by Teresa Tinklin, 9 Oct 2008, University of Edinburgh,Scotland. This paper assesses the influence of social background on application and entry to higher education among Scottish school leavers using multi-level modeling. The context for the study is long-standing policy interest in widening access to higher education for under-represented groups. The analysis indicates that those from less advantaged backgrounds are disadvantaged at three stages in the process of entry to higher education: qualification, application and entry. The results support the need for explanations and interventions encompassing both individual and structural levels. Government initiatives aimed at widening access are discussed in light of the findings. Research title: - Social capital influences student achievement, by Lihong Huang NOVA, of Norwegian Social Research on 03.02.2009. Using data from the national survey ‘Young in Norway 2002’, the article explores the concept and measurement of social capital in the school context by applying factor analysis. The paper also tests an analytical model that links student home background, social capital at school and student academic achievement, using a structural modeling technique. Control variables in the analysis are student age, gender, school size and home community. Testing the analytical model with female and male student subgroup data takes gender perspectives into consideration. The study finds that student social capital, generated from student social relations with parents, teachers and peers, has a significant influence on student achievement. The statistical analyses show that factors in the home play an important role in building student social capital, a result that positively influences achievement at school. Home human and economic capital positively influences ‘good child-parent interaction’ and ‘good peer-teacher interaction’, which in turn have rather strong positive effects on student achievement. In the same way, scholars like Keith Trigwell: The Univesity of Sydney Pfofessor of Higher Education-Institute for Teaching and Learning, Mick Healey; the University of Gloucetershire Professor of Geography and Director of the Center for Active Learning, Jan Meyer; the University of Durham in Higher Professor of Education and the Director of the Centre for Learning, Teaching, and Research Education, Randall Bass; Georgetown University Assistant Provost and Executive Director, Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship also have done various reseaches how the social background affects on the study of university students. In the same, war researches like Clark Kerr, Frederick W. Obear, Julian Foster, Richard E. Peterssson, Robert Hassenger are also done similar researches on this matter. The objectives of the research. The main objective of the research is to find out whether the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya affects on the study of both male female students. Besides this main objective, the following objectives are also hoped to find out. *Generating knowledge that how those two variables- dependent variable(the study of both male and female students) and independent variable( the social background of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya) = interact with each other as how and why the social background of the faculty of arts affect on the study of students. *Willing to find out whether the social background of the faculty of arts of the University of the Peradeniya is the only reason that affects on the study of the students or are there any other reason or reasons that affect on their study. *Willing to know how the university students (both male and female) interact with their life (economic, political etc) and social associations in the University of Pradeniya. (Here, I mean by the “social associations” not only the associations in the faculty of arts, but also some associations of other faculties also as they are interconnected). *Intention to know whether my hypotheses will be proved or not. *Willing to know whether theories of psychology can be applied to my research or not, especially the social psychology theories and generate the knowledge how psychology works with society and how they solve problems. Methodology Research design Here, I have chosen experiment research design to investigate my research problem; the social background; the independent variable and the study of both male and female students’ study- dependent variable vary- interact with each other (correlation). Techniques of gathering data Selected instrument (Questionnaire) I have selected both Closed and open format questionnaires to structure my questions in the questionnaire which will save my money and time. By restricting the answer set, it is very easy to calculate the percentage and other hard statistical data. Actually, here I used the open format questionnaire as it is unable to get necessary information using only the closed format questionnaire. In the same way, the opinions and ideas may differ to person to person. So actually, the open format questionnaire is also very important. Students who study in the Faculty of Arts of the university of Peradeniya always might engage in various tasks. Some students may engage in political work and some in personal needed activities and other may engage in their educational works. For an example, if I use the observation method to get accurate data, I have to follow them always when they are engaging in their works and it may be very difficult to me to observe and in the same way, it may be a disturbance to my participants. But open and closed format questionnaires are easy to administer comparing to other methods. Procedure of Collecting Data After having completed the structuring questionnaire, the questionnaire will be administered by me, in the sense of collecting data and I will follow my time schedule too. The procedure will be followed step by step as listed following and the place is where the data is collected will be the Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya. *First I introduce myself to the test takers (my participants) and the purpose of my study. *Get the permission of participants and give them the questionnaire to fill as they like. *I give my telephone number to contact me if they are not aware or not clear of any question. *Finally, I express my gratitude to them. Sample Size of sample: - 40 participants included 10 from first yaer10 from second year 10 from third year and 10 from fourth year, including 5 male students and 5 female students from each year. First I divide 40 students in to 4 groups including 10 ( both male and female) from each year. Data analysis. Qualitative approach: In data analysis I hope to use qualitative approach to analyze data got from sample. After getting data, I will divide them into 4 categories: as data of 1st year students, 2nd year, 3rd year students, and 4th year students. Then classify various reasons, ideas, opinions or data given by each year student and analyze, testify and do a comparative study using those data by using social psychological and psychological theories, concepts and knowledge. Again, take all data which have been analyzed and classified, together and put them into parts: negative reason and positive reason. Then test my hypothesis. Here, I would like to mention that above criteria is the main analytic procedure supposed to use for data analysis. Significance of the study This research will help participants to understand their real life, problems and obstacles related to education and guide us and other people to help them if there is life related problems in terms of social and psychological factors. This particular research will be beneficial to people who are in outside the university to understand the life style: the way the university students interact each other, their feelings and emotions etc. of the university students studying at the particular university, and as a result of this, it helps people not to misunderstand university life. In terms of fieldwork, it helps us to understand how psychological theories apply to particular problem and how important they are. Limitations and Delimitations The limitations and Delimitations of my study are listed as the following: • Being unable to spend much more time and money than what I supposed to do. • Analyzing only the two variables (experimental design) using qualitative approach with assistance of psychological theories. • Testing the hypothesis comparing with information has been collected.(as the sample is very small). • Doing research with university students (40 participants) Faculty of Arts of the University of Peradeniya. • Being an outsider may also limit what is revealed to me, that is, I will not be with them when the questionnaire is being filled. • Using only two questionnaires which are closed format and open format to collect the data, and using books, internet, and computer for analyzing the data. • The participants may not include correct data when filling the questionnaire. Ethical consideration The research have conducted was designed to have well-recognized ethics that acknowledged by everyone. Before, giving the questionnaire I will explain how to fill it and tell them not be afraid of and subjective in filling the questionnaire. In the clear sense, I will not insist them or forcibly make them uncomfortable and deceive them in filling. Likewise, I will not say anything that affects on their personality and mentality. In selecting sample I will not be subjective, unfair discriminated, and biased to select my participant and I should follow the method I mentioned. In occasions of collecting data, recording data, analyzing data, and communicating the results, I hope to protect personal and private information of my participants. I will maintain the confidentiality and privacy during the data is being collected, analyzed and after result is issued. Especially, in analyzing data, I will encode the ideas of intellectuals as theirs. Time schedule:- 1. Preparing and submitting research proposal First week of November 2. Re-preparing literature review Second week of November 3. Preparing questionnaire Second week of November 4. Selecting sample Second week of November 5. Collecting data Third week of November 6. Analyzing the data Fourth week of November 7. Writing and completing research report First week of December 8. Submitting research report Second week of December References Brown R., (1963). Social psychology. New York: The Free Press. Charon, J. M. (2004), Ten questions: - A sociological perspective (5thed.), Belmont: Wadsworth/ Thomson learning. Galagedera. D. U. A., (1991). The effect of socio-economic background of undergraduates on their academic performance: A developing country perspective. International journal of educational development,11, 13-17. Retrieved December, 15, 2010, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science http://www3 springerprotocols.com. Lihong, H., (2009). Social capital influences student achievement. NOVA, Norwegian Social Research, retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www.nova.no/?id=18740&language=1. Long, D. & Foster, J., (1970), Protest: Student Activism in America. New York: William Marrow& Company, Inc. McBurney, D. H. & White, T. L.(2004).Research methods. Belmont: Wadsworth/ Thomson learning. Merrillf, E., (1957). Society and culture.USA: Prentice. Hall. Inc. Michael, W. & O’Gorman, J., Heald, R., (1983), Sociology; A new approach (2nded.). London: Causeway Books. Teresa. T., (2008).The influence of social on to application and entry higher education in Scotland: a Multi-Level. background Analysis Wiley InterScience,54,367 – 385, Retrieved November,30.2010,fromhttp://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal.