By Siddarth Tumu’18

When you walk into a classroom at Newark Academy, you will notice many attentive students listening to their engaging teacher. Most of these students will be taking notes on their laptop devices.

Technology is a big part of Newark Academy and in part makes NA what it is. It is a doorway to many opportunities for students to enhance their learning and go above and beyond their teacher’s expectations. Technology makes everything more efficient at Newark Academy. Teachers utilize their technological devices to ensure that their students receive the best education around. Technology creates an environment in which both students and teachers can thrive.

I had the pleasure to sit down and talk to the man behind it all, the head of the Technology Department, Mr. Marquis Scott. Mr. Scott has been on the job for seven years. Mr. Scott says that technology creates partnerships, not only in the classroom environment but also in the international environment. Mr. Scott said that if there was no technology whatsoever at NA, it wouldn’t be that bad. Mr. Scott says that students would simply use furniture to be face to face and discuss the same things they would if they had technology. According to Mr. Scott, kids create learning environments. Mr. Scott says that the one downfall of technology is not understanding the added benefits. When people don’t understand the full benefits of technology, there is a lack of partnerships and team approach. Mr. Scott thinks that it is important for teachers to get new technology first, then students. Since teachers would have already had experience with the technology, they would be better able to guide their students to be as efficient as possible.

Ms. Tavares, a sixth grade Science teacher, says that since the time she first started teaching at NA, NA had gone into a paperless state. Everything was online now, from assignments to documents. Ms. T says that technology is a tool to use and that it isn’t good or bad. She says that technology is here to stay.

Seventh grader Anne Ruble says that she likes the fact that there are ILCs but she thinks that if teachers are using technology so much and if there are some classes that you need laptops in then it should be made official and a rule that students are required to have a laptop. According to Anne, her parents are not buying her a laptop until she’s in high school. She says that she is at a disadvantage when in class situation she is the only person without a laptop. Her point is that she likes the fact that there is so much technology but would appreciate it if it were made official that all students needed laptops so she, among others, wouldn’t be put to a disadvantage by not having a laptop.

Technology will definitely take this school far in the years to come. I would like to see the day when students in a classroom in NA and have a discussion with a class in a different country via Skype so that students can have exposure to all types of classroom environments. Technology is definitely a tool to be used. It is neither good, nor bad. Newark Academy definitely utilizes technology well now, let us hope that NA continues to do so in the years to come so that all its students may completely immerse themselves into the opportunities provided by it, technology.