When teaching video editing and camerawork, I have found that students learn faster when they are creating a story. If the student has both a short-term moment-by-moment goal, as well a longer-term goal, they hyperfocus on capturing and sharing the essential material. CityScape Motion Picture Education, founded by two former co-workers of mine from the Boston Film/Video Foundation, provides students with a unique motion picture production and training program by directly engaging them hands-on in real-life film projects written and structured by the teachers. Roger Schank's company Socratic Arts is approaching learning with the use of a "Story-Centered Curriculum." From the Socratic Arts website:
The idea behind the Story-Centered Curriculum (SCC) is that a good curriculum should consist of a story in which students play a key role (for example, VP of Information Security at a financial services company). These roles are selected to be ones that the graduate of such a program might actually do in real life or might need to know about (because he or she will manage or collaborate with someone who performs that role). Students, working in groups, are given detailed information about the simulated company they are working for together with detailed and authentic projects. Supporting materials and resources are available and faculty and online mentors are available to answer questions and point students in the right direction on an as-needed basis.
The effect of the SCC model is that as students work through the story to achieve the missions the story puts forth, they learn the critical skills they need to successfully accomplish their tasks. The SCC implements true learning-by-doing across an entire curriculum, not just within the scope of a single course. In fact, the SCC is about the elimination of courses in favor of a curriculum that tells a meaningful story that the student is likely to engage in again after graduation.
As this model is widely adopted globally by film and TV programs, and students leave school as multi-skilled digital storytellers, we will begin to see the democratization and decentralization of television and cinema. Furthermore, niche digital screening venues, spot-beam satellite distribution (meaning you can send your broadcast to a 6-mile radius, as in most of New York City), and innovative distribution strategies will provide ways people can make money making media.