students were conscious that their messages were public and exercised mature self-editing in their online behaviour, with no incidences of inappropriate content being posted during the project. Although students were aware that their messages were being monitored by academic staff, in survey responses they stated that they did not regard this as an intrusion, and indeed frequently used Twitter in preference to alternative channels such as email to contact tutors to ask questions or arrange meetings. Approximately half of the students involved in the project have continued to use Twitter without the iPod Touch devices.