The aim is not to blast our educational programs. We all know there is a lot of room for improvement. However, my questions go deeper than reading, writing, and arithmetic. You see, while these are the building blocks they are not the end.
VIDEO PRODUCTION AS A SKILL-SET
To be productive in today’s world you should have some mastery in multimedia skills. These skills will be critical to the success of our children. We are globally connected, business today can be as easily conducted on the other side of the world as if it were next door. Therefore, our students will need the skill-set to communicate across language and cultural barriers. One of these skills will be the ability to create and produce video presentations on a professional level. Having an eye for design will help, and understanding composition and storytelling is a must.
The way we communicate today is constantly evolving. As technologies improve and new innovations are continuously developed, we can expect more changes in the conduct of business, education, and social interaction.
THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATION
New multimedia is so widespread that it was included as one of the six drivers of change in the report created by the Institute for the Future called Future Work Skills 2020. The report states that “we are literally developing a new vernacular, a new language, for communication.” They are speaking about the language of video production.
The report also states, “The next generation of workers will need to become fluent in forms such as video, able to critically “read” and assess them in the same way that they currently assess a paper or presentation. They will also need to be comfortable creating and presenting their own visual information.” The word “comfortable” rings out; therefore, it is essential that our children learn storytelling techniques, video production techniques, and good communication habits early.
TECHNOLOGY READY
The greatest part about all of this is that most of our children already have what they need to start practicing. That’s right… A smartphone with a camera, a tablet with a camera, a laptop with a camera, or a small digital camera and a computer There are some free programs and apps to download that will enable you to edit. When you get better, you will have to pay a little more for an app or program. Just getting your child started is a good thing.
Yes, we know that some of our children are already posting videos on social media sites like Facebook and YouTube. However, this is not what we are talking about. We are talking about creating content that has a professional look and feel. That has great shots, audio, and maybe background music. The student has planned that video production to purposely tell a story. Maybe about their neighborhood, best friend, favorite pet, a news story, or just tell a story.
This is the kind of skill that translates into the ability to produce advertisements to sell products, video resumes, or present a business idea. How about creating an opportunity for those students who go all the way and become the next great cinematographer, movie producer, or director? Let’s find out!