You have teaching methods, but what are your learning methods?

I graduated from art school a long time ago, so at one point I did know how to paint. I hadn't painted in quite a while though, so when I went to Paintnite and picked up a brush after such a long time, it stirred something in me. I want to paint again, but how do I go about it?
I bought a few supplies and got a bunch of books out of the library, but what really helped me was watching a few YouTube videos of painting techniques. It made me think about learning methods. I could have read about painting, I could look at other people's paintings, or even talked to other painters, but I found watching someone paint, and copy the process was the most effective.
It got me to thinking about my learning, and how best I acquire skills. I searched through multiple resources and tried each one. I took something from each, but I found the most effective for me and went with it.
Shouldn't students have the same freedom? Test out different methods and find the most effective? With multiple intelligences, you could go with your usual methods, but they might not always be best for every application.
This idea also worried me because it could someday make teachers obsolete. I only had one person in front of me teaching me to paint for a few sessions. Most of my learning was spent with books and online. Kids are already searching YouTube for help with their math homework, and Khan academy is covering more material everyday. I may not have a job soon. I should go work on my resume. Or maybe my paintings?