Roadmaps for Reflection: Implementation Drivers to Bridge the Research-to-Practice Gap in Early Childhood Intervention

Abstract

Training alone will not enable early childhood practitioners to operationalize evidence-based practices. When newly learned practices do not immediately work as intended, the temptation to return to old ways can be great. Moving an innovation from research to practice may require the use of implementation drivers. The field of implementation science informs us of the need for ongoing support during the implementation process. Implementation guides using a flow chart design may assist practitioners to implement evidence-based practices with fidelity immediately after training. This article provides a framework for developing implementation guides to move quickly from knowledge to utilization after a training occurs as well as a means to consider the usefulness of flowcharts for driving implementation efforts.