School leadership and management: a documentary study based on Master's theses in Education

Vela-Quico G.A.; Vela-Quico A.F.; Núñez Del Prado-Cuadros E.C.; Cáceres-Mendigure A.T. · Prisma Social (2026) · DOI: 10.65598/rps.5989

Resumen

School management has become established in recent years as a key factor in improving learning outcomes. This study aims to identify recurring conceptual and methodological trends in master's theses in education from a Peruvian university. A qualitative approach was used, with a documentary and exploratory design, through an in-depth analysis of six research projects tagged under the term "school management" in the institutional postgraduate repository. The findings show a marked orientation toward quantitative approaches, correlational designs, and the use of pedagogical leadership as an explanatory variable for performance. The predominant use of questionnaires, small samples, and references to Ministry of Education guidelines reflects research anchored in official models. It is recommended to broaden the scope to include critical research and mixed methodologies to understand the complexity of contemporary educational management.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa