Abstract:

The study examines how different assessment components, including formative and summative assessments, predict student achievement in an entirely online university course, Introduction to Educational Psychology. Formative assessment supports learning through reflection, ongoing tasks, and activities, while summative assessment measures the final level of knowledge through tests and written assignments. Understanding the contribution of both approaches is essential for improving assessment design in online higher education.

The study used a quantitative comparative approach, covering two consecutive cohorts of students from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic years, with a total of 145 participants. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were conducted for each year separately. In the first cohort, student success was determined almost entirely by summative elements, primarily an online test, while formative tasks had limited impact. In the second cohort, however, the redesigned formative tasks – reflection, application task, and a task focused on higher cognitive processes – became strong predictors of the final grade, nearly matching the influence of the test.

The findings reveal a clear shift from a test-oriented assessment model to a more balanced, process-oriented approach. When formative tasks are clearly linked to learning outcomes and integrated into weekly work, their predictive value increases significantly. A comparison of the two generations highlights the importance of thoughtful assessment design and confirms that well-designed formative activities contribute significantly to student success in online higher education.

Keywords:

Formative assessment, summative assessment, online higher education, student achievement.