CONCEPTIONS OF DEMOCRATIC SCHOOL MANAGEMENT: PHENOMENOGRAPHIC STUDY WITH DIRECTORS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Abstract

Given the scarcity of empirical studies on democratic school management in Brazil, the objective of this research is to analyze, in the light of phenomenography, the different conceptions of democratic school management and their implications for the management practices of public school principals. Data production took place through in-depth individual interviews with 19 principals of municipal elementary schools. Data were analyzed using a phenomenographic protocol established in the literature. Three different conceptions of democratic school management were identified: (1) as role fulfillment; (2) as input for decision making; (3) as meeting the needs of the community. The main contribution of this research is to show how these conceptions induce school principals to different democratic management practices. Another contribution is to offer an alternative interpretation to the role of street-level bureaucrats and other actors who modify a public policy when implementing it. The findings also show that the promotion of participation, through dialogue, fosters organizational authorship. Finally, phenomenography is presented as a promising research method for the field of school management.