Melanie DiLoreto

Dr. Melanie DiLoreto is an Instructor (Lecturer) in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Research at the University of West Florida's School of Education. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in foundations, research, assessment, measurement, and advanced data analysis. Her office is located in Building 85, Room 193 on the Pensacola campus.

Dr. DiLoreto holds a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment from the University of Southern Mississippi, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership (specializing in curriculum development and school counseling) from UWF, and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from UWF.

Her research focuses on:

• Engagement in online learning environments
• Educational assessment and measurement modeling
• Program evaluation and scale development
• Research methodology, applied statistics, and psychometrics

Dr. DiLoreto's publications predominantly explore educational assessment methodologies, online learning efficacy, and teacher training frameworks. Her work employs both quantitative (structural equation modeling, instrument validation) and qualitative approaches, with recurring themes in K-12 assessment challenges and higher education pedagogy.

She secured $540,000 in grants from the Florida Department of Education to develop assessment methods for hard-to-measure K-12 courses (physical education, music, art) and two faculty research grants for online engagement studies.