Embracing hybridity: the affordances of arts-based research for the professional doctorate in education

Figures & data

Table 1. The theoretical similarities of the EdD and ABR.

Theoretical similarities	EdD	ABR
Practice	The researcher explores their own practice, which is an embodied, dynamic experience (Dennis, Chandler, and Punthil 2023)	The researcher explores their own practice as an ongoing, embodied ‘living enquiry’ (Irwin et al. 2018)
Knowledge	The knowledge produced by the researcher is cross-disciplinary and mode 2 (Gibbons et al. 1994)	The knowledge produced by the researcher is transdisciplinary, ‘covering expansive terrain’ (Leavy 2018b)
Relationality	The research can be participatory as research into practice foregrounds the relationships between the researcher and their participants in a practice context (Costley 2013)	The research is participatory as the researcher explores their relationship with their audiences through practice within an ‘aesthetic intersubjective paradigm’ (Chilton, Gerber, and Scotti 2015)
Reflexivity	Research into practice foregrounds greater self-awareness (Robinson 2018), a critical understanding of power structures and positionality (Costley 2013), leading to identity development (Savva and Nygaard 2021)	Research into practice is ‘reflexive in character’ (Irwin et al. 2018), involving ‘identity work’ and ‘promoting critical consciousness’ and ‘social justice orientated research’ (Leavy 2018b)
Audience	The audiences for the research can include those situated in practice to impact upon future actions (Boud and Lee 2009)	The audiences for the research can be diverse as the research is marked by ‘public scholarship and usefulness’ (Leavy 2018b)
Modes of expression	The research is presented using modes of expression informed by participants and stakeholders in the specific context of practice (Stephenson et al. 2004), meaning that the resulting thesis can be ‘hybrid’ (Vaughan 2021; Wisker 2017; Wisker and Robinson 2014)	The research embraces format freedom (McNiff 2018) to engage audiences and be open to multiple interpretations (Gergen and Gergen 2018)

Table 2. Included articles with their methodology and focus.

Article	Article methodology and focus	ABR and EdD programme
Atabay et al. (2017)	Reflections from students and supervisors on the EdD	Programme ethos encourages students to find ‘voice’ in writing; one student also uses other ABR methodologies for data collection (e.g. art, chanting, meditation)
Borkoski and Roos (2021)	Evaluation of the EdD by programme leaders	Storytelling taught to all students
Chan et al. (2014)	Supervisors’ analysis of dissertations by 3 EdD students	Programme ethos promotes narrative; narrative used in by 2 students in their dissertations
Kiili (2017)	EdD student reflection on practitioner research	Programme ethos influenced in general by ABR; one student reflects on becoming an ‘artist practitioner’
Kramer (2022)	EdD student reflection on using ABR in their dissertation	‘Non-fiction fiction’ writing adopted by one student
McGregor et al. (2010)	Ethnography of student experiences on EdD taught module	‘Reflective narrative’ used as a methodology by supervisors to illuminate identity transformation of students

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