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An eye for design, Brenda Quintanilla also fashions her own lawn as she enjoys working in the yard.
“I probably drive my husband crazy with my landscaping projects,” she said. “Hey, I think the yard looks pretty darn good!”
Married with two sons, Marcos age four and Nicholas age two, Brenda said her husband Gen must be the most patient man alive.
“I am so grateful that I have them in my life,” she said of her family.
Her boys are a “great source of joy,” she said. “It is awesome to watch them explore their world and grow into little adults.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Brenda said.
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....anywhere … anytime
learning with Brenda Quintanilla!
A world apart but so much in common.
Brenda Quintanilla has discovered the world is a small place with a universal link – education.
“If you didn’t know you were in Romania, you would think you were at a local college in the United States,” Quintanilla said. “The contrasts, however, could be seen once you left the campus and traveled into the city or into the small towns.”
Quintanilla was surprised at how up-to-date the information technology and the arts were at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Her trip was intended to encourage
a student/teacher exchange partnership, featuring new construction amidst historical buildings dating hundreds of years old.
“I love to travel, so the experience for me was awesome,” Quintanilla said.
Although her day job is director of the course design center at Lee
College, Baytown, TX, Quintanilla has embarked on several firsts launching distance learning pilot projects. Some of her work includes a Questionmark pilot, a hybrid implementation plan, a student resource website, as well as staff development and instructional design consultation.
“I’m the kind of person who likes to seek out new challenges,” Quintanilla said. “When something interesting is in the works or when there is an opportunity for me to learn and expand my horizons, I tend to volunteer and jump right in.”
Twelve years before pursuing her masters in instructional technology at the
University of
Houston, Clear Lake, Quintanilla had earned a degree in fashion merchandising and marketing. The same innovative traits that once aspired to tailored attire now suit her career interests.
“I guess creativity is a plus in both industries,” Quintanilla said. “It helps to think outside of the box.”
With a knack for getting others on board with her projects, Quintanilla attributes her background in the retail industry for honing customer service skills.
“This mindset is very helpful when working with my technology customers: the faculty and students,” she said.
Her most beneficial characteristics, being punctual and meeting deadlines, Quintanilla said stems from her German upbringing.
“These traits help me prioritize, organize and focus on what needs to be accomplished,
” she said. “I also believe in setting deadlines so that tasks can come to fruition and new ones can begin.”
When Quintanilla finds her colleagues a world apart on online course implementation, she has learned to seek out newer employees who are eager to take advantage of such tools to enhance their teaching and learning skills.
“Offering staff development opportunities online can help close the gap for adjunct faculty and satellite campus instructors who cannot make it to a face-to-face workshop or training,” she said.
Beyond the instructional logistics, Quintanilla has made the human connection with TxDLA professionals who share her dedication to promoting distance learning strategies.
“TxDLA is a network of educators who work at prestigious universities and in kindergartens,” she said. “When I collaborate with my TxDLA colleagues, I get this feeling of connection. It’s like we all work at the same place.”
Ed Note: Brenda is an active
member of TxDLA and served on the 2008 Conference Steering Committee as the
Program Chair. For the 2009 conference, Brenda will serve as
Conference Co-chair.
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