Vicki Jones

The Future of Robot-Assisted Learning in the Home

Abstract Imagine a home system where children can have an educational assistant with them at all times – a helper to ensure that they understand and are understood. The concept of robots interacting with humans is not new and was predicted in many movies and novels and on television long before the technology was available. With the robot revolution upon us, small-scale household robots are becoming more accepted and widespread. The majority of current household robot applications take the role of service robots in the home, undertaking menial tasks. However, their use in education has great potential. With human–robot interface (HRI) technology, this educational scenario is not only possible but also probable. In the future, household robots will provide the physical interface and mobility for these home-based e-learning systems. It is also envisaged that ubiquitous robots, which consist of embedded, mobile and software robots, will became essential in home network systems. In this paper we anticipate that the software robot, a type of virtual robot, will become the core of many robot-based e-learning systems which will be integrated with household robots. These e-learning software robots can traverse time and space and assist the child at any time and any place and connect to any device through a network. In this paper, we discuss the use of home robots, HRI and software robot-assisted learning which constitutes an e-learning system for young children within the home environment.

Wheel of B2C E-commerce Development in Saudi Arabia

Online retailing (a model of B2C e-commerce) is growing world-wide, with companies in many countries showing increased sales and productivity as a result. It has great potential within the global economy. This paper looks at the current status of online retailing in Saudi Arabia, with particular focus on what inhibits or enables both the customers and retailers. It also analyses the status of Government involvement and proposes a layered model, known as the “Wheel of Online Retailing” which illustrates how Government intervention can benefit the e-commerce in Saudi Arabia.

Measuring the Information Quality of e-Learning Systems in KSA: Attitudes and Perceptions of Learners

The introduction of e-learning, with the easy availability of course materials and related resources, has had a major impact on students and lecturers in higher education. However, few studies have been conducted to measure the information quality of e-learning on educational institutions in Saudi Arabia. This paper looks at the issues of using e-learning systems and the effect on higher education institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The findings of this study show positive attitudes towards e-learning systems in higher education, as well as learning improvement and the positive effect of employing a collaborative style of e-learning.