Communications in Information Literacy - Issue 2 - Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study

Oct 15, 2026

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Academic libraries underpin colleges’ teaching and learning missions but face ongoing constraints when scaling sustainable instructional efforts, particularly for information literacy. This article reports a phenomenographic study of Purdue University Libraries faculty members participating in the IMPACT faculty development program. Results indicate that academic librarians can function as faculty developers, facilitating dialogue with instructors about teaching practices that may support student-centered learning environments.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Literature Review

Communications in Information Literacy | Volume 13 Issue 2 | Article 4 | | --- | --- | | 2019
Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study
Michael Flierl
The Ohio State University, [flierl.1@osu.edu](flierl.1@osu.edu)
Clarence Maybee
Purdue University, [cmaybee@purdue.edu](cmaybee@purdue.edu)
Rachel Fundator
Purdue University, [rfundato@purdue.edu](rfundato@purdue.edu)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit](https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/comminfolit)
Part of the Information Literacy Commons
Let us know how access to this document benefits you. | | Recommended Citation Flierl, M., Maybee, C., & Fundator, R. (2019) . Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study. Communications in Information Literacy, 13 (2), 184-204 . [https://doi.org/](https://doi.org/)[ ](https://doi.org/)[10.15760/comminfolit.2019.13.2.4](10.15760/comminfolit.2019.13.2.4) This Research Article is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Communications in Information Literacy by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact [pdxscholar@pdx.edu](pdxscholar@pdx.edu). Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study Michael Flierl, The Ohio State University Clarence Maybee, Purdue University Rachel Fundator, Purdue University Abstract Academic libraries are integral to the teaching and learning missions of colleges and universities. Yet, libraries continue to face substantial challenges in their work to advance student learning, especially regarding the sustainability and scalability of their instructional efforts. This paper describes a phenomenographic research project that investigated the varied experiences of Purdue University Libraries faculty members participating in the IMPACT faculty development program. The findings suggest that academic librarians are capable of acting as faculty developers who can engage faculty in conversations, which mayor may not relate to information literacy, to advance student-centered teaching and learning environments. Keywords: faculty development, phenomenography, teaching and learning Flierl, M., Maybee, C., & Fundator, R. (2019). Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study. Communications in Information Literacy, 13(2), 184–204. Academic Librarians’ Experiences as Faculty Developers: A Phenomenographic Study Introduction Academic libraries are integral to the teaching and learning missions of colleges and universities. While many libraries make significant contributions to address general education needs on their campuses, they often encounter obstacles when trying to provide instruction that supports student learning within disciplinary curricula. Some librarians adopt the role of faculty developer, consulting with faculty about assignments or course design, information literacy (IL), and other aspects of teaching and learning. How librarians perceive their role and expertise while engaging with faculty on pedagogy may influence the ways in which they can contribute to campus learning goals. This paper describes a phenomenographic research project that investigated the varied experiences of Purdue University Libraries faculty members participating in the IMPACT faculty development program. IMPACT aims to create more student-centered learning environments by facilitating a 13-week faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors redesign a course. The FLC models active learning activities and engages participants in discussion on various topics, including student motivation, learning outcomes, and learning activities. Librarians work in teams with instructional developers, educational technologists, and instructors to help instructors redesign a course. The current study was conducted to unders

FAQs

What problem does the study address about academic libraries’ instruction?

Academic libraries face substantial challenges sustaining and scaling instructional efforts to advance student learning, especially regarding information literacy.

What program is investigated in this phenomenographic research?

The study examines Purdue University Libraries faculty members’ experiences participating in the IMPACT faculty development program, a 13-week faculty learning community.

What do the findings suggest about librarians’ roles?

The findings suggest academic librarians can act as faculty developers who engage faculty in conversations that may relate to information literacy and promote student-centered teaching and learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore