Steve April, a dedicated Infographic Design tutor

Steve April, tutor at LaSalle College's Infographic Design AEC (Blended e-learning program), has been the president of the Association des Enseignants en Infographie et en Imprimerie du Québec (AEIQ) since 2018. As the president, he supports the organization and helps put together the AEIQ’s annual seminar. This event takes place over two days and offers training opportunities for teachers looking to update their knowledge and skills to stay current with changes in their industries.

Several different industries attended last year’s seminar in Cowansville, including web, printing and photography. Large companies such as Labelix were there representing the labelling standards industry. Teachers also led training sessions on important concepts such as taxation, tables, graphs and problem-solving. The 2020 seminar will be held in Verdun, but the date has not yet been set.

Steve April has been a tutor at the Infographic Design AEC (Blended e-learning program) since 2010. With more than 23 years of experience in the graphic design industry and 15 years of teaching under his belt, he aims to turn his students into the best graphic designers that Québec has ever seen by teaching them how to create reliable, technically sound concepts and documents.

Why teach online?

Online teaching has been around for years. It’s a great way to overcome barriers such as time and distance, which can hold many people back from studying in a field that interests them. I see it as another opportunity to pass on my knowledge and help shape Québec’s future graphic designers into the best the world has ever seen!

What catchphrase do you use to motivate your students?

“You constantly have to stay up-to-date. After all, software, trends and designs are always being updated too! That’s what will make you a great graphic designer and a cut above the rest!”

How do you ensure that your online courses have that “wow factor”? 

I try and incorporate real-world situations into my classes. These situations are usually based on things that I myself have experienced in the industry. I try my best to showcase the perks of the job, despite running into the odd bout of artist’s block, being proud of what you’ve created is what’s most important.

Working with the same online software as my students is a must. I couldn’t fathom only focusing on the theoretical side of things, online practice is essential for building a student’s confidence.

What do you like most about the E-learning School?

The fact that I can teach students from different cultures from all across Canada. That kind of diversity can be hard to replicate in a physical classroom.