We appear to be on the cusp of a major change in the way that information is being made available to our students. The number of web-based courses offering high quality instruction in a very convenient format is growing exponentially. Opportunities for distance education through television and other media appear only limited by our imaginations. The question naturally arises, "What impact is all of this going to have on Materials Engineering education in the short and long term?" This paper suggests that these new techniques offer an exciting potential to change the way we educate engineers to face the challenges they will face throughout their careers. At the same time, the role of academics can by made much more satisfying and interesting by moving from the classical lecture format to an involvement with the students in problem solving.
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