ERIC Number: EJ1168812
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 16
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2161-4210
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Actionable Steps for Engaging Assessment Practitioners and Faculty in Implementation Fidelity Research
Smith, Kristen L.; Finney, Sara J.; Fulcher, Keston H.
Research & Practice in Assessment, v12 p71-86 Win 2017
Implementation fidelity data indicate to what extent the delivered educational intervention (e.g., pedagogies, curricula) differs from the designed intervention (Gerstner & Finney, 2013; O'Donnell, 2008). Fidelity data help practitioners make more accurate inferences regarding program effectiveness (Dumas, Lynch, Laughlin, Smith, & Prinz, 2001). However, implementation fidelity research is underused in higher education (Berman & McLaughlin, 1976; Dhillon, Darrow, & Meyers, 2015). Institutional and programmatic assessment cycles typically omit implementation fidelity processes. Moreover, there are too few didactic examples of how to engage in implementation fidelity (O'Donnell, 2008). Thus, we provide actionable steps for gathering implementation fidelity data. Practitioners who adopt these steps will be well-positioned to conduct fidelity research as part of assessment processes. They will also be able to draw more valid inferences from assessment data and make more informed decisions regarding interventions. Fidelity research can help higher education evolve from an assessment culture to a learning improvement culture.
Descriptors: Fidelity, Program Implementation, Intervention, Higher Education, Data Collection, Educational Research, College Faculty, Evaluators
Virginia Assessment Group. Tel: 504-314-2898; Fax: 504-247-1232; e-mail: editor@rpajournal.com; Web site: http://www.rpajournal.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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