Students byte into technology

Alex Miller, Class I, has been a member of the Technology Council since its inception last spring. “The council has been a great experience,” says Alex. “We not only have a forum in which we can rationally discuss our complaints about the proxy and other technology policy we disagree with or don’t understand, and work constructively on those issues with the administration, but also we have a great new way to really affect how learning at Milton can and will be enhanced through the use of technology by both students and faculty.

Phil Stice, chief information officer, started the CIO’s Technology Council in the spring of 2002 as he was planning for the Academy’s technology upgrade. Phil was already working closely with the administration and faculty on the use of technology to enhance the educational experience, but had yet to include the student perspective. The Council began with two representatives from each class and was at first a sounding board for student complaints about technology, and has now grown to a group of 12 students actively involved in the use of technology on the Milton campus.
The Technology Council meets over pizza and vanilla Cokes every other Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Wigg. Phil came to the first few meetings with an agenda, but says he is now starting to back out and let the students determine the agenda. This year the technology council is focused on research and has formed two sub-groups; one is researching technology at peer schools and the other is focused on how industry uses technology. Phil has asked the council to use their research and group discussions to work on a proposal outlining how they would like to see Milton proceed with the implementation of technology in the classroom.

The council is well-balanced, girls, boys, boarding students, day students, technology wizards and technology novices. A representative group of the school, Phil says the Technology Council will likely be the initial testing group for new technology pilot programs.

Student members of the council are also learning to write proposals and see a technology project through. Last year the technology council began a proposal to extend Internet hours in the dorms this year they are working on a proposal that includes extending Internet hours and telephone hours.

Any student is welcome to attend the semi-weekly technology council meetings.