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Article
Measuring Self-Reported Fidelity in Experiential Education: Exploring the Effectiveness of the Facilitator Characteristics and Program Contributions Scale
National Environment and Recreation Research Symposium
  • Ryan J. Gagnon, Clemson University
  • Barry A. Garst, Clemson University
  • Garrett A. Stone, Clemson University
Location
Annapolis, Maryland
Event Website
http://www.esf.edu/nerr/
Abstract

Social science researchers have called for evidenced based practices when implementing, delivering, and evaluating programs. One important component of these practices is to monitor program implementation. However, in experiential education and more broadly the social sciences this process is rarely assessed or evaluated; when it is assessed it is frequently resource intensive. As such, program providers have needed an implementation measurement approach more conducive to low-resource organizations. This paper introduces a self-report mechanism to measure facilitator characteristics that contribute to delivering a program as designed. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of 121 program facilitator responses to the Facilitator Characteristics and Program Contributions Scale (FCPC) indicated that the FCPC is a valid and reliable measure of facilitator characteristics and their pro-fidelity beliefs, and thus may be a promising alternative to other resource intensive approaches to implementation assessment.

Citation Information
Ryan J. Gagnon, Barry A. Garst and Garrett A. Stone. "Measuring Self-Reported Fidelity in Experiential Education: Exploring the Effectiveness of the Facilitator Characteristics and Program Contributions Scale" (2015)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/barry_garst/48/