Lightning Squad: Assessing the Dosage Effect of Computer-Assisted Tutoring with Cooperative Learning for Struggling Readers

This quantitative study examines the dosage effect of a computer-assisted tutoring approach, Tutoring with the Lightning Squad, on the reading achievement of struggling students. Using a multi-site, cluster-randomized controlled trial design, 188 students in Grades 1-3 from six schools in Minnesota and Virginia were randomly assigned to receive either Lightning Squad tutoring or regular reading instruction between November 2016 and January 2017. Implementation results revealed that many students in the treatment group did not receive the full intended dosage of treatment. Dosage analyses indicated that high attendance in the intervention had a significant positive effect on reading outcomes, including Passage Comprehension and Word Attack. The findings emphasized the critical role of implementation fidelity in program effectiveness and suggested that a higher dosage of the Lightning Squad intervention may lead to better outcomes for struggling readers.