Risk Management of STEM Education - The Strategic Risk: Teachers - Opportunities, Training and Social Status in Israel

Abstract

A doctorate study conducted in the Faculty of Education Science and Technology at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, offers an innovative implementation of the risk management process for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education in Israel. A three-phase risk-management process employed: Risk Identification, Risk Assessment & Prioritizing, and Risk Response. The research goal was to outline a risk-management plan to STEM education in Israel based on the conceptions of five stakeholder groups: Educators, academics, industrials, military and philanthropy actors. Research findings presented according to the three phases of the risk management analysis performed in the research: SWOT analysis aimed at identifying risks, a Delphi method for the purpose of risks rating, and a response plan aimed at mitigating risks faced by STEM education in Israel. The findings presented in the article focus on one risk category: Teacher - opportunities, training and social status, as this risk category was ranked as strategic risks in terms of the effect on the objectives of STEM education. The response plan of my research highlights the cooperation of the stakeholders in the risk management process of STEM education as a way to mitigate strategic risks. It should be noted that, in reality, cooperation already takes place between the education system and other stakeholders – academia, military, industry, and philanthropy institutions. Such cooperation is much desired, but the research suggests it should be carefully examined, so that the best mode of cooperation is adopted, one which accounts for the weaknesses and strengths of all stakeholders.