Spare a thought for teachers. They are rapidly being superseded by machines, “Irish Independent, April 22nd 2009”.

This was the lead for an article which examined how technology has changed the face of education. Not long ago the teacher was seen as the all knowing oracle; today if you or I need an “oracle” we are more likely to turn to Google or Wikipedia. Students are no different – when presented with a question they are just as likely, if not more likely, to turn to a computer for help as to ask a person. To some this might seem like something out of an Arthur C. Clark science fiction novel,