English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM)
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): English Language Teaching Method

User Experience in Digital English Assessment: An Exploratory Comparison of Duolingo English Test and EnglishScore

Samsul Khabib (Universitas PGRI Adi Buana Surabaya)
Las Johansen B. Caluza (Leyte Normal University (LNU), Philippines)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2026

Abstract

Digital language assessments expand access and speed up the reporting of results, but user experience can introduce variance that is unrelated to language constructs. This study compared user experiences of the Duolingo English Test (DET) and EnglishScore among Indonesian Professional Teacher Education (PPG) participants. A convergent mixed-methods design was used, combining a five-point Likert-scale survey and open-ended comments. The analysis included 264 completed responses, with 130 responses for the DET and 134 for EnglishScore. Twenty-five survey items were organized into five dimensions: access and ease of use, clarity of instructions, confidence in the score, usefulness of feedback, and technical readiness. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and open-ended comments were examined thematically. The overall mean for EnglishScore (M = 4.34) was higher than for the DET (M = 3.99) across all dimensions. The largest gap was found in clarity of instructions (4.31 versus 3.89), especially in understanding the test sections. Participant comments highlighted four main sources of difficulty: instructions and navigation, time pressure, audio or recording issues, and connection or device glitches. Bringing together the findings suggests that technical accessibility alone is not enough; procedural clarity and the usability of score reports also shape the assessment experience. Since the two platforms were assessed by different groups and individual data are not available, these results are not meant to provide evidence of psychometric superiority for either test. The findings support the use of pre-test orientations, device checks, interactive sample tasks, and more diagnostic result reports when implementing digital assessments in EFL contexts.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

eltm

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

English Language Teaching Methodology (ELTM), Provides research results related to teaching methods that refer to general principles, pedagogies, and management strategies used in the classroom during the teaching and learning process related to language development. The ELTM journal also Formulates ...