Will they become engineers, without knowing how to collaborate and work with a team ?
Part of the online engineering course that I am doing actually includes carrying out a group project with five other students. Such technologies as Skype, Dropbox etc. now make this possible. Practical exercises are also a regular feature of this course, using a technology called "Virtual Lab." This is veryreal: - the only thing missing is the electric shock you would otherwise receive if you were being a bit careless!
Distance Education has come a long way since the days of International Correspondence Schools (ICS), and similar such institutions of the "Snail Mail" age.
All this may be derided by some, and I can quite see their point. However, on-line education does give the likes of myself a second chance
i.e. Having missed out on going to university for reasons all of us here are all too familiar with, and now working full time on remote sites, far away from any college.
Bill.