10 Online Principal Preparation Interventions and the Impact on the State Licensure Exam: A Lamar University Model
Dr. Vance Cortez-Rucker, Dr. Nancy Adams, Dr. Gary Martin, Ms. Sandy Cortez-Rucker

Abstract
Technology can be a means to merely upgrade current pedagogical practices or an opportunity to redesign entire preparation programs. One problem faced when the latter is chosen is how to explain the relationship between variables when numerous interventions were implemented in a major redesign of a preparation program. In reviewing state principal exam scores, it was readily apparent that students completing the Educational Leadership and Technology Leadership degree program through the Lamar University online program were scoring significantly higher than many of their counterparts in other programs. The obvious question was which of the ten new strategies or interventions (independent variables) related to the higher passing rates and overall scores (dependent variable). A causal comparative design yielded no definite answers due to the inability to isolate independent variables. Yet, the overall success of the Lamar students, comparison to the state wide students clearly implied many or all of these strategies have an impact on learning.

Despite the inability to report a definite cause and effect relationship between any one or group of interventions implemented and the significant higher results on state text scores, the authors of this paper deemed it worthy to share the ten strategies in the new redesign of the program to inform the field and possibly guide further research and practice. Key Words: state principal exams, educational leadership and technology, education on-line program.

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