Barriers and Supports to Offering Computer Science in High Schools: A Case Study of Structures and Agents

Abstract

In the age of computing, there still exist many schools that do not offer computer science courses. The reason can be esoteric to designers of interventions, curricula, and policies. This study aims to answer the research question: What do school officials perceive as barriers to and supports for offering computer science courses at their school? This article provides a case study of four public high schools in the state of Georgia to better understand the barriers to adopting computer science. Interviews conducted with school principals, counselors, and teachers were thematically analyzed to study each case. The pattern that emerged from these themes is framed by structuration theory, wherein the structures (school policies, resources, and courses) influence the agents (teachers, students, the community), and in turn, the agents influence the structures. This framing provides insights into what attributes can be supports for or barriers against schools offering computer science courses.