This paper deals with the relationship between quantitative and qualitative methods in the social sciences in general and in the area of education in particular. It starts by focusing on the positivistic orientation that sociology and other social sciences had in their origin, but rejects a simple identification of quantitative methods and positivism. It then discusses the methodological dispute, highlighting three theses on the relationship between quantitative and qualitative methods: the thesis of opposition or incompatibility, the thesis of complementariness and the thesis of unity. The latter is seen as a unity in the perspective of Marxist dialectics. The paper finally suggests that instead of wondering what is the methodological competence that has the highest absolute value, we should ask whether and in which way different methodological competences can be brought together in the study of a particular object or social or educational problem.
quantity; quality; research methodology; education; Marxist dialetics