Understanding our student learners

Purpose – This research project aims to provide an understanding of Mills College undergraduate students' experience of using information, which Mills librarians can use to develop effective information literacy instructional pedagogy.Design/methodology/approach – Using a phenomenographic methodology, 18 undergraduate students at Mills College in Oakland, California, were interviewed and the transcripts were analyzed to reveal the ways that undergraduates experience using information.Findings – Four distinct ways that Mills undergraduates experience information use are revealed in the paper.Research limitations/implications – The results of this research project share similarities with other phenomenographic research, supporting the phenomenographic premise that there are a limited number of ways that a phenomenon is experienced.Practical implications – Knowing the four ways that undergraduates experience using information provides Mills librarians with the necessary tools to develop effective learner‐cen...