Publications

HEQCO conducts and commissions studies and evaluations, often in partnership with Ontario’s colleges and universities, on key issues in accessibility, quality and accountability. Various organizations and individuals have considerable and valuable expertise in postsecondary education research. The research publications below reflect this collaboration with some of the best thinkers on issues related to higher education. Join our mailing list and keep current with the latest HEQCO research.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

At HEQCO, we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. To request HEQCO material in alternate formats, please contact info@heqco.ca​​.

Writers in Action: Modelling and Scaffolding Second-Language Learners’ Writing Process

Video screen capture helps instructors understand students’ writing process By tracking activities that take place on a computer screen, video screen capture (VSC) technology makes students’ writing processes visible to themselves and to instructors. For students, this facilitates reflection on their writing behaviours and habits. For instructors, it opens a dialogue between them and students […]

Writing Assignments and Instruction at Ontario’s Publicly Funded Universities: A View from Three Disciplines

Writing instruction at Ontario universities lacks a systemic approach Ontario’s university writing instruction lacks a systematic, coherent approach according to a new report by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). The study examined sample programs in arts/humanities, sciences and applied fields at five Ontario universities and found that while many students are receiving […]

Hybrid Delivery of College Instruction in the Skilled Trades: Supporting Apprenticeship Completion

Hybrid apprenticeship courses can provide similar outcomes in reduced timeframe By combining online courses for theory and in-class learning, hybrid apprenticeship programs may be able to achieve comparable outcomes to traditional in-class programs, but in approximately half the required time according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). The […]

Is there a Best Fit? Assessing Alternative Entrance Pathways into an Undergraduate Degree for Non-Traditional Students at York University

Report examines alternate entrance pathways for non-traditional students There is no one-size-fits-all pathway into university for non-traditional students as they face different barriers and require varied supports, according to a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). Examining four entrance pathways into York University for non-traditional students, the report finds that […]

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Modified Peer Instruction in Large Introductory Physics Classes

Ryerson study examines learning activity in introductory physics course In the on-going quest for improved learning in large-class settings, an active-learning approach for an introductory physics course yielded mixed results, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Modified Peer Instruction in Large Introductory Physics Classes examined […]

Affiliated and Federated Universities as Sources of University Differentiation

Affiliated / federated universities valuable players in Ontario’s postsecondary system Ontario has 16 affiliated and federated universities that are historically church-governed but became associated with one of the province’s publicly supported universities as primarily secular institutions. A new study from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) says that these institutions provide a distinctive […]