By Jeffries F. Epps, Staff Writer
I was born in the late 60s, during a time when television went off at 2:00 a.m. In the late 70s, I remember watching my first HBO movie, Flash Gordon. By the 80s, MTV—our version of YouTube—had burst onto the scene, bringing music videos into our living rooms. A decade later, the internet began making its way into homes, signaling the early stages of a global digital transition.
Fast forward to 2006: smartphones were in their infancy, Wi-Fi was becoming widespread, and satellite TV dominated the entertainment landscape. Schools had high-speed internet access and at least one computer lab, and Apple’s iPod was changing the way we listened to music. Students born in 2006 are now high school seniors. They entered kindergarten a year after the iPhone was introduced. Unlike previous generations, they were born into a digital society.
Today, we live in an interactive, highly visual world, which explains why so many students are gravitating toward career pathways focused on audio and video production. This trend is evident in classrooms and career seminars nationwide.
Recently, I conducted a Career Pathway seminar with middle schoolers in two districts. Each student completed a pre-survey to uncover their hobbies and skills, participated in hands-on robotics activities to validate their learning styles, and explored career pathways that matched those styles. In the post-survey, students in both districts overwhelmingly chose audio and video production as their preferred pathway.
This trend isn’t confined to middle schoolers. During a Saturday session with high school students, one participant worked on digital sculpting while others used 3D modeling to solve design challenges. These students represent a growing generation of visual learners who thrive in creative, technology-driven fields.
Why Visual Learners Dominate
Research shows that visual learning is the most common learning style. Here’s why it’s so impactful:
• Dominant Learning Style: Many researchers agree that visual learning is the most prevalent way people absorb and retain information.
• Brain Processing Speed: The brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, making visual content an incredibly effective tool for learning and communication.
• Educational Importance: Teachers who design lesson plans with visuals—infographics, videos, diagrams—enable students to grasp complex concepts more easily and retain them longer.
A Trend with Staying Power
As the world continues to transition into a digital age, the demand for skilled professionals in audio and video production will only grow. Digital content shapes how we work, play, and learn. For students who are already immersed in this visual, interactive world, these career pathways feel like a natural fit.
It’s all by design: from the days of Flash Gordon to today’s smartphone-dominated society, technology has redefined how we create and consume information. And for the next generation, choosing careers in audio and video production isn’t just a trend—it’s the future.