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Spotlight on Professor Howard Rambsy
Posted February 22, 2022
[Picture Source: SIUE English Department website for Dr. Rambsy]
SIUE Distinguished Research Professor Howard Rambsy II is a trailblazer.
When most of the campus was settling in for their well-deserved holiday break at the end of Fall 2021, Professor Howard Rambsy graciously accepted my request for a Zoom meeting. On December 21, to be precise, we met over Zoom. About a week before we met, I received an email from the SIUE Black Faculty and Staff Association announcing some exciting Black History starring Dr. Rambsy. Being relatively new myself, and as the sole (but not the first) Black instructional designer at SIUE, I absolutely needed to meet him. So, I asked him to meet and he made time for me. Like, the week of Christmas. Like, after grades were due. He is a saint.
The first African-American to hold the highest academic rank at SIUE, Distinguished Research Professor Howard Rambsy II has been a devoted educator, mentor, and advocate for students since his arrival in 2003. A scholar known for his research focused on Black arts and humanities, Dr. Rambsy is also an instructional design innovator.
His Blackboard course websites include linked and embedded media files that enhance assigned readings and in-class discussions. His use of technology creates a multi-modal experience for students–which makes him a very popular professor. A highlight of Professor Rambsy’s tenure at SIUE is his affiliation with the FAME and GAME programs, which provide academic and cultural support to first-year Black students. As part of the program, Dr. Rambsy teaches courses that feature African-American literature, arts, and media.
This spring, Dr. Rambsy is engaging with students in a creative project where students remix existing media using cloud-based image and audio editing tools. He calls this technology-enhanced project “Black Tech Sandbox.” Students have an assignment prompt which includes available editing tools, a curated selection of media to remix, and a list of questions to respond to that require reflection regarding their design decisions. Professor Rambsy says, “The idea is that they are experimenting and playing like in sandbox.” Speaking of sand, summer break is coming up. After the grades are due and summer break has officially started, I’d like to meet with Dr. Rambsy again to hear how The Black Tech Sandbox went. He can pick the date.
