Developing Giftedness Awareness and Enhancing Self-Initiated Participation among Primary School Female Students in Light of the “Lights of Giftedness” Program: An Action Research Study

Abstract

The study aimed to examine changes in the mean levels of giftedness awareness and indicators of self-participation among elementary school female students following the implementation of the “Lights of Giftedness” program, which was introduced in response to the decline in participation and registration indicators in gifted identification programs during the 1445 AH academic year. The study adopted an action research methodology using a one-group pretest-posttest design, supported by a temporal comparison of registration and passing indicators between the 1445 AH and 1446 AH academic years. The study population consisted of 280 female students from Grades 3 to 6, of whom 228 participated in the enrichment program. To examine changes in the group’s mean responses on the giftedness awareness scale, an 18-item questionnaire was administered before and after the program to 83 female students from Grades 4 and 5. The same students participated in both measurements; however, the data did not include a consistent individual identifier that would allow each student’s responses to be matched across the two administrations. The program included diverse enrichment pathways and awareness-raising activities for students and their parents, aimed at broadening their understanding of giftedness and encouraging participation in related opportunities. The results showed an increase in the overall mean of the group’s responses on the giftedness awareness scale from 1.83 in the pretest to 2.57 in the posttest, along with increases in the mean scores of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions. The number of students registered for the National Giftedness Identification Test also increased from 6 to 29, while the number of students who passed increased from 6 to 24. In addition, self-registration was observed among 23 students after it had not been recorded at baseline. The findings indicate a consistent pattern of descriptive increases that coincided with the implementation of the program in awareness levels, participation indicators, and self-initiative, while emphasizing the need to interpret these changes within the limitations of the action research design, the absence of a control group, and the lack of individual matching between pretest and posttest responses. The study recommends sustaining data-driven enrichment and awareness programs, improving procedures for establishing the validity of the instruments and for individual matching in subsequent measurements, and developing measurement and follow-up tools for future school-based studies.