MEDIATION, GENDER AND RETENTION IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION

Authors

Keywords:

information mediation, information practices, student retention, gender, vocational and technological education

Abstract

Student retention among women in subsequent technical programs is a significant challenge in the context of Professional and Technological Education, especially in fields historically marked by gender inequalities. Although studies on student retention often emphasize economic, pedagogical, and institutional factors, informational processes also influence female students’ academic experiences. In this context, this study aims to analyze the contributions of information mediation and informational practices to overcoming the barriers faced by women in subsequent technical programs and their implications for student retention. This is an exploratory, qualitative study conducted through a literature review and interpretive analysis of works published between 2020 and 2025. The theoretical corpus consisted of studies on information mediation, informational practices, gender, and student retention. The results show that access to, appropriation of, and circulation of information influence the formation of support networks, feelings of belonging, academic participation, and strategies for overcoming barriers related to gender inequalities. It was also observed that information mediation fosters processes of acceptance, recognition, and visibility of women’s experiences in educational settings. We conclude that student retention has a relevant informational perspective, the understanding of which broadens the contributions of Information Science to debates on equity, inclusion, and retention in Professional and Technological Education.

Author Biographies

  • Hilda Rodrigues dos Santos, Federal University of Sergipe

    Bachelor in Library Science and Documentation from the Federal University of Sergipe (2015). Specialist in Public and School Library Management from Candido Mendes University (2018). Since 2012, has worked as an Administrative Education Technician at the Federal Institute of Sergipe (IFS). Currently performs professional duties at the School Records Coordination of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Sergipe (IFS), São Cristóvão campus. Member of the Center for Studies in Mediation, Appropriation, and Management of Information and Knowledge - NEMAGI/UFS.

  • Maria Egleide Silva Santos, Federal University of Sergipe

    PhD candidate in Information Science at the Graduate Program in Information Science at the Federal University of Sergipe (PPGCI/UFS). Master’s degree in Information and Knowledge Management from the same program, with a bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science from the Federal University of Sergipe (DCI/UFS). Active member of the NEMAGI research group (Center for Studies in Mediation, Appropriation, Information and Knowledge Management) and the School Library/CRB-5 working group.

  • Paulo Roberto Fernandes Junior, Federal University of Sergipe

    I am a PhD candidate in Information Science at the Graduate Program in Information Science at the Federal University of Sergipe (PPGCI/UFS). I also hold a master's degree in Information and Knowledge Management from the same program. I have a bachelor's degree in Library Science and Documentation from UFS and in History (Teaching) from the University of Taubaté (UNITAU). I am currently a member of the research groups Center for Studies in Mediation, Appropriation, and Management of Information and Knowledge (NEMAGI/UFS) and Research Group on Reading, Writing, and Narrative (PLENA/UFS). I currently serve as a course coordinator for the Library Science undergraduate program in the distance learning modality at the Federal University of Sergipe (2023-present).

  • Martha Suzana Cabral Nunes, Federal University of Sergipe

    PhD in Information Science from the Federal University of Bahia (2015), with a doctoral sandwich period at Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 3, France (2014). Completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Information Science at the University of Brasília in 2022, within the Graduate Program in Information Science. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science and a permanent faculty member of the Graduate Program in Information Science at the Federal University of Sergipe. She currently serves as Director of the Center for Applied Social Sciences (CCSA), 2021–2025 term. She is a PQ2 researcher at CNPq and President of the National Association of Research and Graduate Studies in Information Science (ANCIB) for the 2024–2026 term. She coordinates the research group called the Center for Studies in Mediation, Appropriation, Information and Knowledge Management (NEMAGI).

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Published

2026-11-13

Conference Proceedings Volume

2026: XXVI ENCONTRO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA E PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM CIÊNCIA DA INFORMAÇÃO

Section

GT 3 – Mediação, Circulação e Apropriação da Informação

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