Given the complex nature of the subject matter – student use of digital learning resources and how that shapes their learning and what implications that has for digital libraries – we are using a mixed methods approach and an iterative research design.

We started the project with a series of student focus groups conducted at a range of different universities and colleges. We supplemented this with a small number of interviews with STEM faculty at some of the same institutions. Prior to the start of each student focus group we had students complete a short survey.

After analyzing the qualitative findings from the focus groups and interviews, we conducted a large national survey of undergraduates and will be reporting the details of this survey soon.

Based on the data analysis from the survey and the additional questions this raises we will be doing follow-up surveys at a number of NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates sites as well at at the University of Illinois at at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We will also be conducting follow-up interviews with undergraduates to flesh out in more detail their motivations for and paths through digital learning materials.