The Impact of the Tutor’s Role and Technology on the Knowledge Transfer to the University Students: Developing a Conceptual Model

The advancement of technology and the integration of digital tools into the learning process have had a profound impact on knowledge transfer within universities, including both traditional and online institutions. However, it is widely recognized that successful knowledge transfer relies not only on technology that facilitates the creation, acquisition, transfer, sharing, and utilization of knowledge, but also on individual factors such as the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of both tutors and students. In recent years, there has been extensive research into the transformation of the role of university tutors in terms of their competencies and behaviors. Furthermore, some research underscore the importance of considering institutional characteristics, tutor features, and student profiles when designing and evaluating university-tutoring programs. The theoretical framework of this study is based on three main perspectives for evaluating tutoring: 1) the structure of the tutoring program; 2) the skills and functions of the tutor; and 3) the benefits received by the students. The objective of this paper is to develop a conceptual model that hypothesizes interdependencies among these three areas, all of which are significantly influenced by digital technologies and tools. Drawing from a review of the literature and relevant previous studies, a set of latent variables and their representations through measurable items have been selected for analysis using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) statistical technique. Finally, the conceptual framework developed has led to the formulation of several hypotheses that will be examined in subsequent stages of the study