Educators and students living in the digital age are faced with complex problems that are forcing them to seek collaborative solutions. These problems can be addressed through the successful application of digital technologies and pedagogies that enhance the educational, social and economic prospects of students. The main aim of this study was to propose a blended synchronous learning model and to show how this model can be adopted for better supporting educational international collaboration. The paper describes how the authors have applied advanced synchronous learning technologies and pedagogies to maximise interconnectivity and social interactions to engage in a range of educational collaborations in the last seven years.

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This paper described the design of a new LongDistance-Controlled Robot (LDCR) System for distance education.Distance education is a teaching method with the aim of delivering teaching to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom. It is difficult to keep student's motivation for learning though an educational technique that uses various technologies is designed

This paper examines issues around learning ‘content’ and its place in the new digital learning culture. We focus on the increasing demands of digital learners for content that is relevant and the challenges this poses if educators are to stay relevant to them. We say ‘relevance’ is best achieved when content is negotiated with learners in collaboration with instructors. We describe strategies in which technology enhanced teaching and learning solutions have enabled learners to negotiate and create digitised learning content that is educationally, culturally and socially relevant. We cite two case studies that exemplify this approach: a trial of negotiated content with primary school aged digital learners at Brisbane School of Distance Education (BSDE), Australia, and the content decision-making processes used for the development of e-learning courses for hearing health professionals and Auditory-Verbal Therapy at Hear and Say WorldWide Brisbane, Australia. We focus on the changing demands and skill sets of digital learners, their learning managers and subject matter experts, and the use of technology enhanced teaching and learning solutions as the negotiating tool in the development of digital content that is academically rigorous and also learner friendly.

As momentum builds around the fourth industrial revolution, it is imperative that schools equip the youth of today to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow. The use of smart learning environments (SLE) is an optimal way to prepare students for the future because the use of innovative technologies and elements allow for greater flexibility, effectiveness and adaption, engagement, motivation, and feedback for the learner. It is envisioned that the “smart” learners of the future will operate in SLE that are contextual, personalized, and seamless. The learning process in the SLE will facilitate their problem solving and promote their intellectual growth as lifelong learners. This study, then, demonstrates how educational robotics can be used by educators to equip students in the UAE for futures in STEM fields of study and work. It is claimed that students who build robots build futures for themselves and their communities: a worthy goal for Emirati students in 2018, The Year of Zayed.