Building Skills in the Interactive Schoolhouse

At Lady Bird Johnson Middle School, which opened in August 2011 in the fast-growing Irving Independent School District in Texas, the 950 students have firsthand experience with technology-enhanced project-based learning. The interactive school is a net-zero building, meaning it produces as much energy as it consumes, using a variety of geothermal techniques to conserve energy, including rain-water collection, gray-water harvesting, natural daylight in classrooms, and geothermal heat pumps. It also employs solar technology and wind turbines to produce energy. The school is divided into four learning modules in different wings of the building, each with a theme: geothermal, wind energy, solar energy, and water conservation. Through interactive digital displays in an informal museum-like setting, students learn about how those techniques help conserve and produce energy. The concepts are also incorporated into the curriculum, which emphasizes science, math, and environmental education. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/03/14/25newlook.h32.html Education Week Video