The Emporium Model
- Eliminates all class meetings and replaces them with a learning resource center featuring online materials and on-demand personalized assistance.
- Replaces multiple sections with one large section of all students.
- Depends heavily on instructional software, including interactive tutorials, practice exercises, solutions to frequently asked questions, and online quizzes and tests.
- Allows students to choose when to access course materials, what types of learning materials to use depending on their needs, and how quickly to work through the materials.
- Uses a staffing model that combines faculty, GTAs, and peer tutors who respond directly to students specific needs and direct them to resources from which they can learn.
- Requires a significant commitment of space and equipment.
- More than one course can be taught in an emporium, thus leveraging the initial investment.
Example with Open Attendance
- An open attendance model can be used when students are highly motivated, respond well to greater flexibility and are accustomed to scheduling work in the emporium around their other course responsibilities.
Virginia Tech: Linear Algebra
Examples with Required Attendance
- Elements of required attendance should be added when students are not highly motivated, flounder when faced with greater flexibility and are inexperienced in scheduling work in the emporium around their other course responsibilities.
- Mandatory attendance (e.g., a minimum of 3.5 hours in the emporium) ensures that students spend sufficient time on task.
- Mandatory weekly group meetings enable instructors to follow up where testing has identified weaknesses or emphasize particular applications. Group activities help build community among students and with instructors.
The University of Alabama: Intermediate Algebra
The University of Idaho: Precalculus
