Educational Practices in the Context of Vocational Education: na Evaluation in the Light of Critical Scientific Education

Abstract

Critical Science Education in the context of Vocational Education contributes to a form of teaching that not only prepares individuals for the labor market but also educates critical citizens committed to social transformation. In this regard, this study aims to discuss possibilities for developing a critical science education grounded in STS education within the field of Vocational Education. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted across four databases—Redalyc, SciELO, Latindex, and the Capes Journal Portal—focusing on studies that presented some type of intervention or proposal for educational activities. To analyze these articles, we employed the STS evaluative tool (FACTS), selecting as our analytical category the criterion “Encouragement of Critical and Creative Thinking” from the Teaching and Learning Processes axis. The results showed that, among the six activities analyzed, one reached the beginner level, one the intermediate level, one the advanced level, and three the expert level, demonstrating their capacity to foster critical and creative thinking based on the criteria examined. This study is expected to contribute to reflections on the importance of consistently striving to achieve higher levels of critical-thinking encouragement in the education of future professionals, recognizing that vocational education should never be simply technicist.