Guides: Teacher Education Guide: Find Resources Online

Finding Resources on the Web

Below you'll find a list of open access, web resources pertaining to teacher education.

ETS (Educational Testing Services) Test Collection
Database of more than 25,000 tests and other measurement devices most of which were created by authors outside ETS. It makes information on standardized tests and research instruments available to researchers, graduate students and teachers. With information about tests from the early 1900s to the present, the Test Collection at ETS is the largest compilation in the world.

U.S. Dept. of Educaiton
Teacher Resources available through the Dept. of Education. PLEASE NOTE: Some of these resources may no longer be accessible or maintained under the current administration.
Data portal at CT State Department of Education
EdSight is the interactive data portal for Connecticut’s public districts, schools, and programs
MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

ERIC (Education Resource Information Center)
Educational Resources Information Center - definitive education database indexing articles and ERIC documents.
- Basic Search: Preform a basic search by entering keywords into the search bar then clicking on the green "SEARCH" button.
- Advanced Search: Click on the blue "Advanced Search" link below the search bar to add filters and multiple keywords before you begin searching.
- Boolean Logic & Filters: All EBCSO hosted databases allow you to narrow and expand your search using Boolean operators and filters. Access them in the advanced search option or on the left side of the results screen.
- Citation Tool: Access the citation tool by clicking on the title of an article or record, click on the file icon labeled "Cite" located in the "Tools" bar, then select the correct citation style from the dropdown menu.
- Saving Records: All saving options can be seen by clicking on the title of an article, viewing the detailed record, then looking at the righthand bar labeled "Tools." EBSCO allows users to print, save PDFs, email articles and create permanent links to the record.

National Center for Education Statistics
Hosted by Internet Archive
Public data at NY State Education Department
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is committed to making data available and easy to use. This site provides a first step in publicly reporting educational data so all interested parties can be better informed as they work to advance student achievement.
US Department of Education
Hosted by Internet Archive
Alternative Access to Federal Data - Guide
Since the inauguration on January 20, 2025, many federal resources that were commonly available are no longer viewable online, and URLs in library records may not resolve properly. While some change is normal during executive transition, the sheer number of sites that have been affected is significant.
This guide provides alternate links to those sources as they are identified. In instances where alternate links to missing data cannot be provided, links to similar resources are.

It's a vital skill, for any student, professor, or independent researcher, to be able to evaluate the sources they come across in their research. You need to be able to determine if sources are useful to you and your project and whether or not they contain reliable information.

To understand the basics of evaluating sources of information you find on the web, watch the video below:

From the kinds of sources available, to the way each is designed to search, Academic Databases and Google operate very differently. Knowing these differences will allow you to use each resource to your full advantage, because being able to do so will directly affect your success in navigating college-level academic research!

Check out the video below to see some of the key differences between Academic Databases and Google!

Using Google Scholar for Research

You may have heard of, or even used Google Scholar in the past to search for articles. Like base Google, it can be a great tool when used correctly. Not everything that appears on Google Scholar will be accessible to you, so to make sure that it is, watch this video, or read the description below, to see how to connect the WCSU Libraries' catalog and list of databases to your search function:

Step-by-Step Google Scholar Guide

In addition to WestSearch and the libraries' subscription databases, Google Scholar can be a great way to find articles for your research. But if you want to be able to access full-text articles, you must update your settings in Google to link the search results to our libraries' databases.

1. Go to Google Scholar

2. Log in to your Google account

Google Scholar Sign-in Link