STEM: Scientific Database for Technical Vocational Education and Training at the Secondary Level

Objective: the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) influence economic, social, and scientific development. Research on these subjects is mostly found in primary, secondary, and higher education, as compared to vocational education and training, especially in secondary technical programs. The absence of a national classification that enables the identification of STEM courses limits the advancement of knowledge at other levels. This article proposes a method and a scientific database for secondary technical courses that facilitate the identification of STEM-related courses at the national level. Method: the design science research methodology was employed to propose a method and instantiation (base), wherein courses in the 4th National Catalog of Technical Courses were classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education Fields of Education and Training 2013. A longitudinal case study (2018-2021) was performed to evaluate the adoption of the database in the context of Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology. This study examined the representation of women in STEM fields within secondary technical courses, illustrating the usefulness, applicability, and efficacy of the artifacts. Results: the resulting database constitutes a national classification structure aligned with international standards that enables research on the educational pathway of students in secondary technical programs in STEM areas in Brazil. Conclusions: evidence and indicators play a pivotal role in the identification and acknowledgment of problems. The article proposes a strategy to broaden the application of standardized analyses in educational research and planning about STEM fields, aiming to promote a public policy agenda in education.