Learning Community for Faculty
Clearly, a program like BIGs requires a substantial effort on the part of faculty teaching in the program, and BIGs provides a learning community for them. Faculty teaching BIGs seminars participate in orientation sessions and workshops as a cohort. Topics include: BIGs learning objectives, Teaching with cases and PBL, Effective small groups (teamwork that is inclusive), Chemistry and math course content/schedule, Practical advice from former BIGs instructors, Assessment of student learning, Feedback on case ideas. The orientation sessions are 1.5 to 2 hours each, and have been offered either clustered or distributed, depending on individual schedules, in the Spring/summer before the fall teaching semester. This book, BIGs Insights will provide discussion material. In addition, BIGs instructors meet biweekly during the teaching semester. Chemistry and math TA's and faculty participate. The meetings serve to give just-in-time help in problem-solving as well as information-sharing opportunities on what students are doing in the three linked courses.
So, what is the motivation to participate? Both the faculty and students who have completed BIGs courses have given their insights about the positive outcomes of this innovative program and this is addressed in the next section.
University of Wisconsin-Madison 
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