This paper presents the design of a novel and engaging collaborative learning activity for handwriting where a group of participants simultaneously tutor a Nao robot. This activity was intended to take advantage of both collaborative learning and the learning by teaching paradigm to improve children's meta-cognition (perception of their own skills). Multiple engagement probes were integrated into the activity as a first step towards fostering long term interactions. As a lot of research targets social interactions, the goal here was to determine whether an engagement strategy focused on the task could be as, or more efficient than one focused on social interactions and participants' introspection. To that effect, two engagement strategies were implemented. They differed in content but used the same multi-modal design in order to increase participants' meta-cognitive reflection, once on the task and performances, and once on participants' enjoyment and emotions. Both strategies were compared to a baseline by probing and assessing engagement at the individual and group level, along the behavioural, emotional and cognitive dimensions, in a between subject experiment with 12 groups of children. The experiments showed that the collaborative task pushed the children to adapt their manner of writing to the group, even though the adopted solution was not always correct. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the strategies in terms of behaviour on task (behavioural engagement), satisfaction (emotional engagement) or performance (cognitive engagement) as the group dynamics had a stronger impact on the outcome of the collaborative teaching task. Therefore, the task and social engagement strategies can be considered as efficient in the context of collaboration.

As noted in this monograph, marriage forms a central element of social life for Egyptians. Marriage in Egypt is nearly universal, and parents invest heavily to establish their children in married life. Once married, couples are faced with social pressures to begin childbearing immediately, a reflection of the high value placed on parenthood and children. But not all marriages begin with the same prospects for stability and satisfaction. This study draws attention to the problems faced by women who marry at very early ages in parts of rural Egypt. Despite a legal minimum age of 16, significant numbers of young girls marry below that age, and many experience social, emotional, and health-related difficulties. This study tells why these young women married early and how that decision affected their later life. The study points to areas where the aspirations of these girls have been clearly thwarted—to go to school, delay marriage, and postpone childbearing until they feel physically and psychologically ready. A related picture emerges of the social and economic forces that propel rural girls into marriage at very young ages. Each of these problems suggest areas for policy attention.