Skip to Main Content

Environmental and Sustainability Education

This guide has been designed for all University of Toronto researchers, students and educators working at the intersection of environmental sustainability, climate change, and education.

Journals, Databases, Summon, & Search Engines

What is a database?

A library database is an online searchable collection of information which contains scholarly peer-reviewed articles, newspaper articles, books, book reviews, magazine articles, dissertations/theses...etc. There are some useful education databases listed below, but you can also see a complete list of subject databases available at the University of Toronto Libraries by subject here: https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/subjects-a-z

Why search in a database?

Databases are an excellent tool in the research toolkit and should be explored in addition to tools like LibrarySearch and Google Scholar. Subject-specific and interdisciplinary databases, such as the examples listed below, are a vital part of a robust literature search strategy.  As opposed to LibrarySearch or larger search engines like Google Scholar, searching, in smaller subject databases can help anchor your searching in a particular field of study (eg. education). Instead of finding everything on the web available on Google Scholar, you could try using an education database like Education Source, to more simply explore the research published in the field of education.

Major education databases at the University of Toronto Libraries

Enhancing Your Database Searches

Advanced Search Techniques

Consider using the following techniques to make your search more efficient:

  • Boolean Operators: Link key concepts and related terms with AND/OR.
  • Thesaurus: Most databases have a thesaurus that lets you selects subject terms specific to that database.
  • Phrase searching (""): Use quotation marks to search for a phrase (i.e. "experiential learning", "higher education")
  • Truncation (*): Use the asterisk when you would like to search for different endings of a word (i.e teach* =  teach, teacher, teaching; Canad*= Canada, Canadians, Canadiana). 

Subject terms and keywords

Subject Headings that may be of use to you include:

  • Environmental education
  • Environmental and sustainability education
  • Environmental education -- research
  • Global warming--study and teaching
  • Climatic changes--study and teaching
  • Sustainable development--study and teaching
  • Children and the environment
  • Children and the environment--juvenile literature
  • Environmental protection--juvenile literature
  • Global warming--juvenile literature
  • Climatic changes--juvenile literature

Other key terms and related terms that you may want to include in your article searches:

  • "Environmental and sustainability education"
  • teaching
  • sustainability
  • "outdoor education"

Searching Multiple Databases

Searching multiple databases at the same time can make your searches more efficient, particularly when you have a research question that crosses multiple disciplines.

Has it Been Cited?