Shaping assessment in the English language learning process: Enhancing academic motivation and accountability

Abstract

The study aims to provide theoretical substantiation and develop an integrated model of formative assessment as a tool to simultaneously enhance students' learning motivation and academic responsibility in online English language learning within Ukrainian higher education institutions. Methods. This study is based on a systematic analysis of international experience in implementing formative assessment in language education. The theoretical foundation is provided by self-determination theory, which serves as a conceptual framework for explaining the relationship between assessment and intrinsic motivation. Results. It has been established that traditional summative assessment does not meet contemporary educational challenges, as it fails to ensure the systematic development of student autonomy and intrinsic motivation. The findings indicate that the transition to formative assessment transforms the very nature of the learning process: students cease to be passive recipients of grades and become active participants in their own development. The cyclical nature of formative assessment has been substantiated, encompassing interconnected stages of learning activity and involving active student participation at each stage. It has been demonstrated that regular self-assessment, combined with feedback from multiple sources, develops students' ability to accurately evaluate their own progress, identify knowledge gaps, and independently plan next steps in their learning. The key role of digital tools as an environment for implementing assessment strategies has been identified, as they expand opportunities for interaction among participants in the educational process and ensure flexibility and accessibility of learning. It has been shown that elements of gamification and collaborative learning help foster a sense of belonging to a learning community, which is particularly important in a distance-learning context. Specific conditions for implementing the model in the Ukrainian context have been outlined, in which the educational process takes place amid heightened uncertainty and psychological strain, and academic responsibility assumes the characteristics of an internal ethical stance rather than external control. Conclusions. An integrated formative assessment model has the potential to transform students' attitudes toward learning, from externally motivated compliance with requirements to conscious, responsible learning. Such a transformation is particularly significant for training professionals capable of lifelong learning and adapting to conditions of constant change. The model is open to further empirical testing in various educational contexts.