Exploring Mixed Methods Approaches to Arts-Informed Research: A Systematic Literature Review Cherie D. Edwards (cherie87@vt.edu) , Doctoral Candidate, Educational Research and Evaluation, Virginia Tech Dr. Elizabeth G. Creamer (creamere@vt.edu), Professor, Educational Research and Evaluation, Virginia Tech

Arts-Informed Methods

Arts-Informed Research Arts-informed research is the systematic use of art making as method to examine social phenomena (McNiff, 2007).

Commonly Used Arts-Informed Methods Photo Elicitation Participant Drawings Researcher Art Work Portraiture

Arts-Informed Research Arts-informed research has become an increasingly popular method utilized in educational research, health studies, marketing, and various other fields of study. Although the use of art-informed research methods has grown, the integration of arts-informed methods in mixed methods studies are rare.

The Study

Purpose Statement The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review examining the use arts-informed methods in empirical mix methods studies. In addition, this study aims to contribute to the literature on mixed methods approaches to arts-informed research.

Research Questions How are arts-informed methods in mixed methods studies analyzed and integrated with quantitative strands? What is the value added in using arts-informed methods in mixed methods studies?

Methods

Literature Search Literature searches were conducted in Google Scholar, EBSCO, and Virginia Tech Summons databases. An additional search was conducted on the reference lists of articles collected through the database search. 11 articles were assessed for quality. Of those 11 articles, 8 articles were chosen for inclusion in the study.

Analysis Articles were coded for the following: Arts-Informed Method Used in Study Participant Group Discipline of Study Quantitative Strand Mixed Methods Design Additional Qualitative Phase Integration Level Stated Value Added Articles were coded for the following: Arts-Informed Method Used in Study Participant Group Discipline of Study Quantitative Strand Mixed Methods Design Additional Qualitative Phase Integration Level Stated Value Added

Emerging Trends

Quantitative Strands In all studies reviewed quantitative strands were limited to: Likert Type Scales Frequency Counts In 75% of the studies reviewed mixing between quantitative strands and arts-informed strands occurred in the analysis stage and inference making stage. Two studies used the themes that emerged from the arts-informed stages to inform their quantitative methods. All studies prioritized qualitative strands or arts- informed strands. Quantitative strands were used to confirm and or quantify the emerging themes from the qualitative and or arts-informed stages.

Arts-Informed Strands 87% of the studies reviewed used photo elicitation or participant drawings as the arts-informed method. All of the studies employed a qualitative method to inform or support the emerging themes from the arts informed methods.

Value Added Through Arts-Informed Method Enhances ability to communicate with audiences outside of academia Brings the research alive for policy makers Provides more complex insight into phenomenon Enables participants to connect to conscious and unconscious images related to the phenomenon.

Tentative Conclusions

Tentative Conclusions The fields of Health Studies and Education have produced a majority of empirical studies employing arts-informed approaches to mixed methods research When discussing value added of mixed methods approaches to arts-informed research, researchers tend to focus on the value add by arts-informed methods rather than the value added through a mixed methods approach More studies are needed in order to adequately examine the value and potential of mixed methods approaches to arts-informed research.

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