QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES IN CRITICAL RESEARCH ON SCHOOL MANAGEMENT: CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORICAL-MATERIALIST DIALECTICS TO EDUCATIONAL POLICIES

Abstract

This article explores the integration of quantitative and qualitative perspectives in critical research on school management, focusing on the contributions of Historical-Materialist Dialectics (HMD) for the analysis and proposition of democratic educational policies. It is argued that the complexity of power relations and inherent contradictions in school management within the context of the capitalist State demands a methodological approach that transcends positivist empiricism. HMD offers a robust theoretical-methodological framework to unveil the underlying structures that shape management practices, educational inequalities, and challenges to democracy in schools. Quantitative research, when critically contextualized, can reveal macrostructural patterns and trends, while qualitative research deepens the understanding of lived experiences and microsocial dynamics. The symbiosis of these approaches, guided by HMD, allows for a more complete and transformative analysis, essential for the construction of educational policies aimed at emancipation and social justice.