Examining the variation of fidelity across an intervention: Implications for measuring and evaluating student learning

ABSTRACT

Fidelity of implementation is a commonly used term that is not well understood yet frequently assessed in schools today. This paper will discuss the different approaches commonly used in schools (e.g., structural, procedural, etc.) and then present them in relation to student outcomes within a seven-month intervention study with at-risk kindergarteners. Variation across different types of fidelity measures (e.g., time, quality of delivery, student engagement, etc.) will be examined over intervention time as well as in relation to student academic achievement. Implications will be provided on how practitioners should consider measuring and monitoring fidelity of implementation within their schools with a focus on doing it to improve outcomes for students.

KEYWORDS:

• Assessment
• implementation
• literacy

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Drs. Deborah Simmons and David Chard for their support in the initial conceptualization of this paper. Additional thanks go to the numerous teachers, principals, and administrators who allow us to develop our evidenced-based programs in school settings.

Notes on contributors

Beth A. Harn is an associate professor at the University of Oregon. Her current research interests include early literacy assessment, instruction, and intervention development and implementation measurement.

Danielle Parisi Damico is a research scientist with Amplify Education. Her research interests include early literacy assessment, instruction, and measuring implementation.

Michael Stoolmiller is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. His research focuses on studying family and peer social influences on the development of antisocial behavior with a special emphasis on developing coding systems for observing behavior and statistical methods for the analysis of social and school-based interaction data.