When he was called to join Egerton University in 1994, Mr Dickson Karanja was sad. But his parents were overjoyed for having the first child attain university education.

Mr Karanja wanted to join the military or do a course in computer studies but the B- (minus) grade could only allow him to enroll for a Bachelor of Education Arts degree majoring in Geography and Economics at the university.

“My parents and three elder siblings were teachers; I wanted something else for my life. I tried changing my course but it was impossible. My parents insisted that I should do the course I was selected for; they were so happy but I was sad,” said Mr Karanja during an interview with the Nation.

In 1998, he graduated and started teaching at Aberdare Technical Girl’s Secondary School in Nyandarua. He later went to Skylink School in Nyahururu, Busara Forest View Academy then Mustard Seed schools in Nakuru.

He got his first posting in 2006 to St Theresa Girl’s Secondary School in Kilifi where he taught Geography and Business Studies. In 2008, he was transferred to Sacred Heart High School in Mombasa where he is teaching Geography and Business.

“When I came here, I was discouraged and worried because of poor performance. I had to improvise and spice up my teaching to ensure my students participate in class and learn. I went to YouTube and looked for innovating ways to teach and motivate students and I stumbled upon the use of technology,” he said.
In 2015, he bought a laptop to improvise his teaching through the unused school projectors. He started making PowerPoint slides and showing his students videos on different topics such as earthquakes and floods.

Mr Karanja would spend Sh1,000 per week to buy broadband internet to download videos to teach his students.

“It was expensive. But in 2016, I was introduced to Microsoft education centre where I got resources on online courses for 21st-century teaching and learning courses. I did my first exam in Microsoft and became a certified educator,” he added. By then, the school had also sponsored three other teachers. 
He started applying the skills in his teaching including collaboration, self-regulation, knowledge creation, innovation, digital literacy and communication. 

With the uptake of ICT learning, the school later bought 10 computers and another organisation gave them 15 laptops. Mr Karanja started a digital literacy club where he trained students in digital literacy during lunchtime and in the evening.

And during mid-term breaks, he spared two days to teach his students.

When schools closed, he enticed his students with lunch to attend the ICT lessons.

“I used Sh2,000 for the two days to buy them lunch to keep them in school up to 4pm. They were 55 students; they later started manipulating ICT gadgets to create lessons on their own using PowerPoint and present them in class,” he said.

His sacrifice paid off on November 20 when he was shortlisted for the global prestigious teaching award.

Mr Karanja is the only African to be shortlisted in the innovation in teaching and learning category in the Bett MEA awards.

The winner will be announced on December 10. He is battling for the award with Global Indian International School, Abu Dhabi and Shirin Farzana from Winchester School in UAE.

But Mr Karanja has never attended any course in ICT. He taught himself using YouTube and Microsoft educator centre where he did 79 online courses in ICT.

Bett MEA Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award is for educators who have created innovative approaches to driving excellence through innovation in education within the classroom.
He said he decided to participate in the award and was surprised when he was shortlisted.

“I am fasting, hoping and praying that I win. It will motivate me further. Nonetheless, I am a winner having reached this far with my students. If I win I will help other teachers to achieve the same in innovation. I am an ICT teacher-coach in Mombasa County through I Choose Life,” he added.

Innovation

Mr Karanja urged the government to provide schools with more resources like computers, saying most students share the gadgets.

He thanks his school principal, Mr Robert Kamau, for providing him with ICT resources whenever he needed them.

“Most importantly,  I thank my students who have been co-operative, and have made me reach where I am. This generation has many digital natives. We can only teach them using the language that they understand and that is the digital language,” he advised his colleagues.

He is elated because his Form Three students are progressing well in terms of academics, motivation, and class participation.

He has since collaborated with the Concordia University of Canada through the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.

“Concordia University introduced ePEARL encouraging active and reflective learning, where students can set learning outcomes, formulate criteria to use to achieve the outcomes; create content, share it with learners and present it and thereafter we do reflection,” said the father of one.

In March when the coronavirus pandemic hit the country forcing the government to shut all education institutions, he devised ways to continue teaching.

Mr Karanja started online classes with his students teaching them Geography and Business Studies during the lock down in Mombasa.

He used Google classroom, Zoom and podcasting to teach and revise with his students.

Mr Karanja would give them notes and assignments using these platforms.

“Most students lacked bundles for Zoom so I opted for podcast and post in Microsoft Kaizala so that they could listen to my voice and videos at their own time. Those who were able to afford bundles, I used to record myself on video using XRecorder and OBS studio and post at Kaizala. After viewing, I would send an online quiz where they would answer the questions,” he elaborated.

By this time, his colleagues were struggling with online classes. So he decided to help them out.

“Many teachers were not aware of online teaching so I opened a Facebook page called #OneTeacherOneLesson where over 350 teachers subscribed. I was posting online teaching materials and other innovating ways of teaching remotely. Over 30 teachers were from outside Africa,” said Mr Karanja who used the pandemic to attend international webinars.

He says his son, Elvis Karanja, 13, has been his inspiration, teaching him some ICT lessons.

“They had embraced online classes so he helped me,” said Mr Karanja.

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