0.14 Smith, p. (october 2011). using electronic portfolios to  (Page 2/4)

One result of this transition of school leadership has been the development of a set of standards for school leaders created by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium. In defining leadership standards, the Consortium relied on research which focused on the relationship between leadership and effective schools. (Council of Chief State School Officers, 1996).

It is helpful for the educational administrative program and the participating leadership candidates to trace the growth of future educational leaders as they develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for effective leadership (Reames, 2010). As Educational administration programs prepare school and district leaders, using portfolios can provide a means to monitor individual growth and attainment of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions outlined in the standards (MacDonald, Liu, Lowell, Tsai,&Lohr, 2004).

University of nebraska at omaha department of educational administration and supervision

The Department of Educational Administration and Supervision (EDAD) offers advanced programs leading to the Master of Science Degree in Education (M.S.), the Specialist Degree in Educational Administration (Ed.S.), and the Joint Doctoral Degree in Education (Ed.D.) in conjunction with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The department also provides a non-degree administration endorsement program for candidates who have completed a previous master’s degree, and meet all other criteria for admission

The EDAD Department has adopted the Educational Leadership Policy Standards: ISLLC 2008 . These standards are aligned with the standards outlined by Nebraska Department of Education in Rule 24and call for:

1. Setting a widely shared vision for learning;

2. Developing a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth;

3. Ensuring effective management of the organization, operation, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment;

4. Collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources;

5. Acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner; and

6. Understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, legal, and cultural context. (CCSSO, 2008)

Entering the program

Individuals seeking a Master’s degree or an endorsement must apply for formal admission. The following requirements must be met for admission to the program, to continue in the program and to complete the program successfully. Included in the application process are letters of recommendation, a personal letter outlining the reasons the candidate is pursuing an EDAD degree, and a professional resume.

Once all application materials are submitted, the EDAD faculty reviews each document to determine whether the candidate is eligible for admission.

During the program

• The University has adopted a Quality of Work standard that requires that a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) average must be maintained in all graduate work taken as part of a degree program.
• EDAD Students complete a survey based on the ISLLC professional standards. The survey offers EDAD candidates a graphic representation of their growth from their own perspective. The survey contains 61 questions grouped into the six general areas under consideration. Candidates are asked to respond to this survey at the beginning and again during their field-based practicum. Candidates are asked to indicate the rating of their proficiency for each standard by selecting the appropriate value on a 1 to 5 scale indicating whether the candidate strongly disagrees to strongly agrees that he/she could do what it describes.
• The Administrator Dispositions Index (ADI) used by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, College of Education, Department of Educational Administration and Supervision, is aligned with the dispositions of effective leadership identified by the Standards for Advanced Programs in Educational Leadership (Schulte&Kowal, 2005). Each candidate determines his or her commitment to each of the leadership dispositions on a 5-point scale ranging from "1," Strongly Disagree to "5," Strongly Agree. This survey is also administered at the beginning and end of the program.
• Candidates also create a Leadership Framework for their Educational Administration Digital Portfolio, and they complete a Diversity Dispositions Index twice.