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Rapid developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) over the last decade have resulted in a continually increasing use of technological devices for teaching and learning (Hyman, 2012). Tutors are coping with ‘disruptive change’ on a level that they have never experienced, in an attempt to master new approaches for transmitting knowledge such as the ‘flipped classroom’ where students prepare course materials prior to the class in order to use class time for interacting and applying the new knowledge (Green, 2015). Today’s students live in a totally connected world in which personal messages are spontaneously broadcast to vast numbers of viewers through Chat Apps, Instant Messaging, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media. The proliferation of these technological devices in the classroom raises the ethical issue of how much the trend is being driven by the technology industry’s needs, rather than the students’ needs (Leonard, 2013). Furthermore, while students are comfortable divulging personal information online among peers, they are aware of the commercial value of their data and increasingly reticent about using geo-localisation apps (Lévy, Lancrey-Javal and Rey, 2014). This discernment seems to suggest that young Internet users are adept at compartmentalising digital tools.
Many tutors regard social media as an informal channel of communication whose role in higher education has yet to be defined (Draskovic, Caic and Kustrak, 2013). The dynamic evolution of ICT calls into question the extent to which technology could and should be integrated into the pedagogical approach today. Whether tutors have a preference for traditional or innovative pedagogy, they still need to be aware of the changing technology trends and user preferences, since the way in which individuals interact with technology is a constantly evolving process and tutors have a responsibility to understand how students engage (or not) with technology for learning and sharing knowledge.