{"id":98316,"date":"2020-01-27T00:56:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T06:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=98316"},"modified":"2020-01-26T17:52:46","modified_gmt":"2020-01-27T00:52:46","slug":"adapting-to-modernization-in-a-dynamic-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2020\/01\/27\/adapting-to-modernization-in-a-dynamic-society\/","title":{"rendered":"ADAPTING TO MODERNIZATION IN A DYNAMIC SOCIETY"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

When\nI look at opinions, readings and human behavior regarding the concept of modernization\nit seems that policymakers in Sri Lanka are in a difficult situation without a\nclear understanding of how it should be adapted to the society of Sri\nLanka.  Not only in a theoretical sense\nbut also in practical application modernization has become a difficult,\ngigantic, complex, critical and essential task. In the past, many viewed that\nSri Lankans have been misunderstood modernization and many young absorbed\nnegative message or changes as modernization in relation to many areas.  From different points of view and practical\nnecessity, modernization defines as an essential task and a process of adapting\nto the future environment and to change the existing environment.  However, it is observed that the risk level\nof the modernization process is quite significant and the assessment of risk\nlevel should be a vital condition as modernization might be misinterpreted and\nrepresented by different persons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nhad an opportunity to watch a video on an intended or already published book\n(Hathe Ape Potha) on the internet on sex education.  The video showed a discussion among\npolicymakers, and the specific publication intended as an apparatus for\neducators in the primary context of education in the country. When I was\nwatching the videotape, I had a feeling that modernization in the education\nfield has been misunderstood by some policymakers and it is mixed with either\npolitics in the country or with ideological fallacies of a small group of\nso-called educated personnel. There is a vital problem in the country on how\nshould people guide to be adapted to modernization. The other significant\nproblem observed was the communication of modernization in the electronic and\nfree media era is giving the right message to the mass community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\nis the meaning of modernization? It is a dynamic term that encompasses a\nbroader spectrum of views. I researched a variety of points of view published\non modernization and adapting to it and found that many scholars expressed\nhomogeneous views but expressing views using different terms different points\nof view. Irwin (1975) expressed that modernization as a construct plays an\nimportant role in theories of social change”  This definition attempts to relate the\nmodernization to social change and if anything that is not related to social\nchange but is a significant theory that will make change in scientific or\nreligious fields could not consider or dictate as a modernization?  The modernization is a process that observes\nat present and not an assumption which might occur in the future.  The understanding of the term modernization\nrelating to the idea of Irwin’s concerns with theoretical speculation and\nconceptual definitions of the phenomenon than empirical references.  However, the term modernization is understood\nby Sri Lankans generally referring to practical changes in society they are\nliving and they can observe it is effective in the society. The negative effect\nof the understanding of Sri Lankans seems that positive and negative\nconsequences of change are considering or taking into practice as\nmodernization.  Is its right way of\npractical understanding of modernization? What is the role of academics and\neducated professionals to scrutinize the society educating the right practice? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benson\n(1971) referred to a total transformation and universal pattern that integrated\nwith assumptions of modernization theory, which encourage the attempt to relate\nto each other, the different types of changes within and between levels.  There is no problem with the idea of Benson\n(1971) regarding the assumptions of modernization theory because modernization\ncould refer to a total transformation and a universal pattern. The practical\nexperience is that the transformation and universal pattern might relate to\neach other despite the opinion he expressed, it is difficult to clearly\nunderstand the point modernization is a process which relates to the past and\ncould modernization begin with new inventions without relating to the past.  For an example, suppose science discovers\nhuman in another planet and they arrived in this planet and introduces a method\nwhich they use in their planet to generate human and such human will be more\nintelligent and capable of thinking different way and the practice could be\napplied in earth with its human. Could the new orientation support a\ntransformation and such a sudden change be regarded as modernization?   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tipps\n(1973) viewed modernization as a response to change, which might be a discrete\nprocess than a response to change.  If\nthis definition accepts the correct meaning of modernization may be accepted as\nthe right process of modernization expressing various views on sex education in\nSri Lanka. In the past, people in Sri Lanka were not motivated to express views\non sex education in public, now people talk on the subject and it reflects the\nchange of society and it may regard as modernization of education.  Halpern (1966) pointed out a view that the\ncapacity of the institution to adapt or to control rapid and continuous change\nis also a significant consideration in modernization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calla\net al (2006) attempted to look at modernization with an operational point of\nview to place the locals as a continuum in an order. It is acceptable that\nmodernization needs an operational process and a continuum as an order in\nsociety.  For example, sex education and\nincluding it to the school curriculum as an assessable component or not could\nbe considered as modernization in the school curriculum in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nis observed that broad views expressed in the conference on sex education may\nhave useful to educators and policymakers, however, some points expressed by\nparticipants who aligned to political parties or politics in society appeared\nas brainstorming which directly or indirectly attempting bog down the show to\nexpress irrelevant views and divert the main purpose of discussion to\nirrelevant area. Sometimes, it may have an attempt to justify what they believe\nor the education policymakers done as the right way of modernization of\ncurriculum in the primary context. Legalization of prostitution and whether\nBuddhism is a religion or a philosophy or sexual infiltration or enhancements were\nnot points should have been discussed as sex education for grade seven students\nby the discussion group. Adapting to modernization is a dynamic process but it\nis not a process that pursuing irrelevant points or going along the wrong way.\nThis is the point that I mentioned before, some people in Sri Lanka\nmisunderstood the modernization giving priority to wrong practices.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nother vital point is that modernization should work in society as a relevant\nmatter.  Although the incorporation of\nsex education to the school curriculum is an adapting to the modernization of\neducation the implementation of the curriculum has limits and irrelevant points\ngiving students and misleading students highlighting points that may not\naccurate or not comprehensible to students could not be considered as adapting\nto modernization.  The ability of\nstudents in grade seven to comprehend points that are involved in science,\nculture or behavior or philosophy is comparatively lesser than a person who\nstudied in a university and integrated wider experience in social and other\nactivities.  The education psychology\nguides that students at different levels should be educated comprehendible\nlevel of subject matters and adapting modernization would be successful if curriculum\nand teaching methods of education context are relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legalization\nof prostitution is not admissible subject matter for students of grade seven in\nthe primary context the career choice in Sri Lanka would be students’\npreference after completing secondary education and no schools in the world\ntrain students for a career choice in prostitution. The education process in\nthe world has focused to educate kids in the primary contexts of relevant\nmatters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nworld popular dictionaries define religion is a specific fundamental set of\nbeliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects and\nreligions involve in devotional and ritual observances and often containing\nmoral code governing the conduct of human affairs  Same dictionaries define that the\nphilosophical examination of the themes and concepts involved in religious\ntraditions as well as the broader philosophical tasks of reflecting on the\nmatters of religions.  Therefore, some\ndefine love for wisdom as philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religions\nin Sri Lanka act within the meaning of definition and the definition of\nphilosophy of religion is not relevant to the education level of students in\ngrade seven.  When the government\nconsults irrelevant people in education policymaking it would not be adapting\nto modernization. Attracting different points of view regarding various matters\nacceptable and policymakers should be wise enough to make considering\nappurtenant matters in the brainstorming process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapting\nto modernization is a hard task in a dynamic society. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS When I look at opinions, readings and human behavior regarding the concept of modernization it seems that policymakers in Sri Lanka are in a difficult situation without a clear understanding of how it should be adapted to the society of Sri Lanka.  Not only in a theoretical sense but also in practical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-edward-theophilus"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98316\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}