A holistic experience matters: Factors drive gifted students to recommend residential summer enrichment programs in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The study investigates the impact of three aspects of the residential summer enrichment program (RSEP) on gifted students' decision to recommend the program to friends. The research was conducted at a public university in Saudi Arabia, with 356 gifted students from grades nine to 11. The study used Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to examine the causal connections between these factors and students' intention to advocate for the RSEP. The findings show that students' satisfaction with logistics arrangement, soft-skills program, and science program significantly influences their intention to promote the program. The logistics arrangement had the highest unique contribution to this intention, followed by soft skills and science programs. The study suggests that RSEP can enhance motivation, participation, program quality, and provide valuable input for decision-makers in Saudi Arabia. Enrichment programs should prioritize creating a secure learning environment while considering individual well-being and growth.