Dr. DeLuca (PhD, Queen’s University) is an Associate Dean in the School of Graduate Studies at Queen's University and a Professor of Educational Assessment at the Faculty of Education. Dr. DeLuca leads the Classroom Assessment Research Team and is a director of the Queen’s Assessment and Evaluation Group. Previously, Dr. DeLuca was an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida (Tampa, USA) and has worked in the area of policy research in London, England.

Dr. DeLuca’s research examines the complex intersection of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment as operating within the current context of school accountability and standards-based education. His work largely focuses on supporting teachers in negotiating these critical areas of practice to enhance student learning experiences. In particular, Dr. DeLuca’s research centers on how pre-service and in-service teachers learn to engage the complexities of assessing student learning in relation to the evolving accountability culture in today’s classrooms.

Dr. DeLuca’s research has been published in national and international journals, and has been recognized through several awards including the Queen’s Faculty of Education Research Excellence Award, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Outstanding Paper in Classroom Assessment Award, and the R.W. Jackson Award from the Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Further, his research has received continuous funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Dr. DeLuca has served as the Chair of the AERA Classroom Assessment SIG, President of the Canadian Educational Researchers’ Association, and Editor of the Canadian Journal of Education. He is currently an Executive Editor of Assessment in Education: Principals, Policy & Practice.

Research Interests

Exploring pre-service and in-service teacher education in assessment (assessment literacy)
Rethinking classroom assessment theory and practice to support teaching and learning
Examining the intersection of assessment, curriculum, and pedagogy within accountability contexts of education
Using validity theory in educational assessment, programming, and research

Recent Publications

DeLuca, C., Ge, J., Searle, M., Carbone, K., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2021). Toward a pedagogy for slow and significant learning about assessment in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education 101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103316

Volante, L., DeLuca, C., Baker, E., Harju-Luukkainen, H., Heritage, M., Schneider, C., Stobart, G., Tan, K., Wyatt-Smith, C., & Adie, L. (2020). Synergy and tension between large-scale and classroom assessment: International trends. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. Online first: https://doi.org/10.1111/emip.12382

DeLuca, C., Pyle, A., Valiquette, A., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2020). New directions for kindergarten education: Embedding assessment in play-based learning. Elementary Schools Journal, 120(3), 455-479. DOI: 138.051.012.062

Bolden, B., DeLuca, C., Kukkonen, T., Wearing, J., & Roy, R. (2019). Assessment of creativity in K-12 education: A scoping review. Review of Education, 8(2), 342-376. DOI: 10.1002/rev3.3188

DeLuca, C., Willis, J., Cowie, B., Harrison, C., Coombs, A., Gibson, A., & Trask, S. (2019). Policies, programs, and practices: Exploring the complex dynamics of assessment education in teacher education across four countries. Frontiers in Education, 4. DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2019.00132

DeLuca, C., Coombs, A., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2019). Assessment mindset: Exploring the relationship between teacher mindset and approaches to classroom assessment. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 61, 159-169. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2019.03.012

DeLuca, C., Chapman-Chin, A. E., & Klinger, D. (2019). Toward a teacher professional learning progression for classroom assessment. Educational Assessment, 24(4), 267-285.

DeLuca, C., Pyle, A., Roy, S., Chalas, A., & Daniels, E. (2019). Perspectives on kindergarten assessment: Towards a common understanding. Teachers College Record, 121(3), 1-58.

DeLuca, C., Chapman-Chin, A. E, LaPointe-McEwan, D., & Klinger, D. (2018). Students’ perspectives on assessment for learning. The Curriculum Journal, 29(1), 77-94.

DeLuca, C., Valiquette, A., Coombs, A., LaPointe-McEwan, D., & Luhanga, U. (2018). Teachers’ approaches to classroom assessment: A large-scale survey. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(4), 355-375.

Coombs, A., DeLuca, C., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2018). Changing approaches to classroom assessment: An empirical study across teacher career stages. Teaching and Teacher Education, 71, 134-144.

DeLuca, C., Braund, H., Valiquette, A., & Cheng, L. (2017). Grading policies and practices in Canada: A landscape study. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 184, 4-22.

Pyle, A., DeLuca, C., & Danniels, E. (2017). A scoping review of research on play-based pedagogies in kindergarten education. Review of Education, 5(3), 311-351.

DeLuca, C., Bolden, B., & Chan, J. (2017). Systematic professional learning through collaborative inquiry: Examining teachers’ perspectives. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 67-78.

Pyle, A., & DeLuca, C. (2017). Assessment in play-based kindergarten classrooms: An empirical study of teacher perspectives and practices. The Journal of Educational Research, 110(5), 457–466.

LaPointe, D., DeLuca, C., & Klinger, D. (2017). Supporting evidence-use in networked professional learning: The role of the middle leader. Educational Research, Special Issue: Evidence-informed Practice in Education, 59(2), 136-153.

DeLuca, C., LaPointe, D., & Luhanga, U. (2016). Teacher assessment literacy: a review of international standards and measures. Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability, 28(3), 251-272.

DeLuca, C., LaPointe-McEwan, D., & Luhanga, U. (2016). Approaches to classroom assessment inventory: A new instrument to support teacher assessment literacy. Educational Assessment, 21(4), 248-266.

Bolden, B., & DeLuca, C. (2016). Measuring the magical: Leveraging assessment for emergent learning. Assessment Matters, 10, 52-71.

DeLuca, C., & Volante, L. (2016). Assessment for learning in teacher education programs: Navigating the juxtaposition of theory and praxis. Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education, 20(1), 19-31.

DeLuca, C., Shulha, J., Luhanga, U., Shulha, L. M., Klinger, D. A., & Christou, T. (2015) Collaborative inquiry as a professional learning structure for educators: A scoping review. Professional Development in Education, 41(1), 640-670.

Birenbaum, M., DeLuca, C., Earl, L., Heritage, M., Klenowski, V., Looney, A., Smith, K., Timperley, H., Volante, L., & Wyatt-Smith, C. (2015). International trends in the implementation of assessment: Implications for policy and practice. Policy Futures in Education, 13(1), 117-140.

DeLuca, C., Klinger, D., Pyper, J., Shulha, L., & Woods, J. (2015). Building school district capacity in assessment for learning: A study on the effectiveness of an instructional rounds professional learning approach. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 22(1), 122-139.

Supervision

Current PhD Students

Nathan Rickey, (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship, PhD)
Michael Holden, (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship, PhD)
Jenny Ge, (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship, PhD)
Christine Romain-Tappin (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship, PhD)
David Baidoo-Anu (International Fellowship, PhD)
Sumaiya Chowdhury (PhD)
Natalie Green (MEd)

Alumni

Heather Braund (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship)
Suparna Roy (SSHRC CGS Fellowship)
Adelina Valiquette (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship)
Andrew Coombs (SSHRC CGS Fellowship)
Amir Rasooli (International Fellowship)
Agnieszka Chalas (SSHRC Graduate Fellowship, PhD)
Murdoch Matheson (PhD)
John Duclos (MEd)
Andrew Coombs (SSHRC CGS Fellowship, MEd)
Lalai Abbas (MEd)
Bing Bai (MEd)
Jessika Diakun (MEd)
Meaghan Low (MEd)
Cheng Zhou (MEd)
Paul Vernon (SSHRC CGS Fellowship, MEd)

Courses Taught

Graduate

EDUC 940: Educational Assessment
EDUC 910: The Traditions of Curriculum
EDUC 809: Assessment of Student Growth and Achievement
EDUC 802: Contemporary Curriculum Theory
EDUC 895: Qualitative Research Methods
GDPI/PME 801: Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment
GDPI/PME 802: Program Inquiry & Evaluation
EDF 6931: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (Department of Measurement & Research, College of Education, University of South Florida)
EDF 7910: Doctoral Directed Research in Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (Department of Measurement & Research, College of Education, University of South Florida)

Undergraduate

EDST 408: Elementary Classroom Assessment Practices
EDST 409: Secondary Classroom Assessment Practices
EDST 210: Classroom Assessment Practices
EDST 410: Classroom Assessment Practices for Elementary & Secondary Teacher Candidates
FOUN 101: Foundations of Assessment
PROF 311: Critical Issues in Education
PROF 191: Theory and Professional Practice
PROF 150: Assessment and Evaluation Module (PJ)
PROF 155: Assessment and Evaluation Module (IS)
EDF 4430: Measurement for Teachers (Department of Measurement & Research, University of South Florida)

Continuing Teacher Education

CONT 811: Student Assessment and Evaluation