0.14 Smith, p. (october 2011). using electronic portfolios to  (Page 3/4)

Capstone experience

The Capstone Project is a synthesis of learning and experience in educational administration completed during practicum. Practicum is a program of planned experiences in the field consisting of 250 hours of approved experiences. The capstone project consists of:

• Coursework summary
• EDAD Standards with evidence/reflection sections completed (printed from electronic portfolio)
• Dispositions Index (printed from electronic portfolio)
• 6 Key Artifacts—one for each ISLLC Standard (printed from electronic portfolio and job related sources)
• Resume (printed from electronic portfolio or other source)
• ISLLC Reflection (printed from electronic portfolio)

A comprehensive written examination is also required of all Master's degree candidates. It is usually taken either in the last term of candidates’ class work or in the session immediately following completion of class work.

After Program Completion

• Follow-up Survey – The Administrator Dispositions Index is also administered to practicing administrators in which they rate the candidates’ dispositions related to effective leadership.

Methodology

This study analyzed the pretest and posttest data from the ISLLC Standards surveys and the Administrator Dispositions Index surveys to determine their growth in knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The data were collected when the candidates first entered the program and again when they were enrolled in the practicum field experience. Additional research is being conducted to determine relationships between particular standards and sub-standards and particular ADI responses.

This research study addressed the following research questions: To what extent were the EDAD candidates' self-perceptions of their ability to apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions different at the end of the leadership program compared to their ability to apply the knowledge, skill, and dispositions when they first entered the program as measured on the ISLLC Standards survey? And, to what extent were the EDAD candidates' self-perceptions of their leadership dispositions different at the end of the leadership program compared to their leadership dispositions when they first entered the program as measured on Administrator Dispositions Index (ADI)? Repeated measure t-tests were used to compare the mean scores for candidates pretest and posttest scores. Table 1 shows the pretest and posttest mean scores and standard deviations for EDAD candidates ISLLC Standards scores as well as the results of the repeated-measure t -tests, significance, and effect size using Cohen’s d . Table 2 shows the pretest and posttest mean scores and standard deviations for EDAD candidates ADI scores and the results of the repeated-measure t -tests, significance, and effect size using Cohen’s d .

Participants

The participants in this study were the candidates in the Masters/Endorsement program in Educational Administration and Supervision at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (n = 135). The participants were in the EDAD program between the years 2006 and 2010 and include only those candidates who completed the program. The candidates were either seeking a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration with the elementary or secondary principal endorsement or just the principal endorsement if they already held a Master’s Degree.