PLUGGED IN: Forget about flipped classrooms. The Math Emporium at Virginia Tech has computers teaching students -- that’s right, thousands of students being taught minus an actual professor. The lab is open 24/7; classes in session are staffed with instructional aides 60 hours per week. The Washington Post dubbed the Emporium "the Wal-Mart of higher education" both because it has effectively scaled intro math classes and because the space was formerly a discount department store. Since its inception 15 years ago, the Emporium model has been embraced in about 100 higher ed institutions including LSU and the University of Alabama. Here’s its FAQ for dubious parents.
