Developing a Training Program for Instructional Assistants within a Large-Scale Emporium-Based Environment: A Nine-Year Evolution towards Systematic Change

The Virginia Tech Math Emporium is a large-scale, computer-based learning lab supporting courses designed following the emporium model (Twigg, 2003). In this article the authors discuss challenges and solutions faced between the years 1997 and 2006 involved with hiring, training, and evaluating the staff of instructional assistants working in the Math Emporium. The discussion is grounded in literature from the fields of training and peer tutoring. Directions for future methods of training instructional assistants are suggested.