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Instructor: Eric Westland

Eric Westland brings 38 years of classroom experience and a passion for helping educators grow their technology skills and confidence. He earned an MEd in Learning and Technology from Western Governors University and a BA in Industrial Arts from Washington State University. Throughout his career, he taught a diverse range of subjects, including math, engineering, architectural CAD, computer animation, web design, digital imaging, desktop publishing, and video production. His professional experience includes Marysville Pilchuck High School in Washington and Brussels American School in Belgium, where he also served as an educational technologist. Now retired from classroom teaching and living in Aiken, South Carolina, Eric designs practical, engaging online courses tailored to real-world classroom needs. He emphasizes flexible learning, ready-to-use resources, and a supportive environment where educators can build confidence and explore new ideas. Outside of education, Eric enjoys photography, hiking, travel, golf, church choir, and building ambitious projects.

Classes by this instructor

STEM-903: SketchUp for Schools

This course offers educators the opportunity to learn the best practices for SketchUp for Schools, a free version of the software that allows users to do 3D modeling in a 2D environment. Educators learn the best strategies for engaging students and supporting their use of 3D modeling for creative expression and skill development.

STEM-909: 3D Printing for Teachers

The Good News: Your school district purchased a 3D printer for your classroom. The Bad News: Training wasn't included. 3D printing technology has great potential in educational environments as course subjects can be brought to life. This equips the students with practical (and very valuable) real-life experience.

STEM-910: Teaching With Tinkercad

This course offers educators the opportunity to learn the best practices for Teaching With Tinkercad, a free collection of online software tools. By learning Tinkercad for teachers, educators can use tools to create 3D digital designs ready for 3D printing or incorporation into projects. It integrates with Google/Tinkercad Classroom and is 100% cloud-based, meaning it operates on any device that can run a web browser, including Chromebooks and iPads.

TEC-968: YouTube for Teachers

YouTube is a powerhouse in digital world and this course will cover how you can apply that same level of power into your instruction. We'll begin at the very beginning on how to discover and share content that is already online, then move on to how you can create your own content, and then easily improve it to look professionally polished for all viewers.

TEC-998: Photography for Teachers

You already own at least one great camera, whether it's a DSLR, smartphone, GoPro, or even a drone, but you may wonder why it produces such ordinary photos. In this class, we will unlock the potential of the gear you already have and transform those ordinary photos into extraordinary visual tools for instruction.

TECH-900: Video Editing for All Teachers

Unlock the power of video editing with this dynamic course designed specifically for teachers! Whether you're new to video production or looking to sharpen your skills, this hands-on class will guide you through the fundamentals of creating engaging, professional-quality videos using Clipchamp and CapCut, two of the most intuitive video editors available for both desktops and student Chromebooks.

TECH-914: iMovie for Macs, iPads & iPhones

iMovie is Apple's free video editing program for Macs, iPads and iPhones. It is very easy to learn and integrates very well with all Apple devices, yet also has many advanced features for easily creating captivating video content for educational and personal use. Educators can use iMovie to bring their lessons to life through video, sound, and pictures. iMovie has become a powerful and engaging tool to use in classrooms across the nation.

TECH-916: Canva for Education

With Canva for Education, teachers can collaborate with students and colleagues in creating visually appealing presentations for posters, infographics, videos, book reports, lesson plans, worksheets, and more. Canva's flexibility and ease of use, combined with over 60,000 ready-to-use templates, make it the go-to web-based tool for visual design for students and educators.

TECH-921: Canva Plus

Canva Plus is the next step after Canva for Education, created in response to Canva's rapid growth and powerful new features. As Canva continues to evolve - adding tools like AI helpers, photo and video editing, Sheets, and interactive apps - this course gives educators a chance to explore what's new and discover how these tools can support more engaging and efficient teaching.