Tia Navelene Barnes

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Dr. Tia Navelene Barnes is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of early childhood education, cybersecurity, and human-robot interaction. Her work focuses on developing innovative, age-appropriate methods to teach foundational cybersecurity concepts to young children, a critical yet underserved area in digital literacy. Dr. Barnes’s major contribution lies in her groundbreaking use of social robots as pedagogical tools, demonstrating how interactive storytelling and human-robot interaction can make abstract security principles tangible and engaging for elementary-aged learners. Her most cited work, “Teacher Views on Storytelling-based Cybersecurity Education with Social Robots” (2021, 10 citations), explores educator perspectives on this novel approach, while her earlier paper, “Social robot teaches cybersecurity” (2020, 6 citations), presents a proof-of-concept program that leverages robotic capabilities to deliver foundational cybersecurity education. Though her citation counts reflect the emerging nature of this field, Dr. Barnes’s research is highly influential for its practical, interdisciplinary approach, directly addressing the urgent need to raise digital awareness from an early age. Her work is paving the way for a new generation of engaging, technology-driven curricula that prepare children to navigate online risks safely.