This paper introduces the contemporary research on information behaviors and applies it to educational research activities. Information behaviors are defined as the processes by which information users formulate their information needs, seek and observe sources, evaluate the sources, and then act upon the information. It is suggested that because education is an information transfer process, it is appropriate to transfer the information behaviors approach from the information and communications field to the education field. The particular approach discussed here is user-oriented, and the methodological techniques considered include Brenda Dervin's Sense-Making Approach, and more specifically, the Micro-Moment Time-Line Interview. These techniques are compared to traditional research methods, and it is argued that the traditional methods do not work as well as the user-oriented approaches because the assumptions that underlie traditional methods limit user responses. (31 references/10 additional readings) (Author/EW)