Beyond the canvas: a Delphi-driven rubric for unlocking artistic giftedness

Abstract

Introduction The current study aims to provide a reference and methodological evidence-based tool with particular criteria for identifying artistically gifted students at the intermediate and secondary levels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods To achieve the study goals, a modified Delphi design was used, which combined qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to obtain a consensus. The study sample included 120 experts—including art professors, professional visual artists, and art critics-who took part in three rounds. The first round involved thematic analysis of open-ended replies using NVivo 12 software (with an intercoder reliability coefficient of κ = 0.88), resulting in an initial set of criteria. In the second round, experts rated each criterion on a Likert scale and provided qualitative feedback. They then re-evaluated the criteria in the third round using statistical indicators (agreement rates, median, and interquartile range). Written justifications were provided for scores below 4. Results The pre-established consensus criterion was set at an agreement rate of ≥85%, defined as picking “agree” or “strongly agree”. The “Gifted Rating Scale for Artistic Talent” (GRS-AT) was created specifically to identify artistic talent in visual arts within Saudi schools; as such, it is the first performance-based assessment tool developed through expert consensus that provides teachers with a structured means for the systematic identification of artistically gifted students—a population that has long been overlooked. Discussion Future research is needed to empirically validate the scale through field testing, including an examination of construct validity, criterion validity, inter-rater reliability, and predictive validity.