History Gone Digital

Palos Verdes High School has always been known for its flexible schedules, and recently, has taken this flexibility even further.

Online classes have been offered through the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District, and the reviews are mixed.

“If I’m a college admissions rep and I see a lot of online classes that you’ve taken, I’m going to ask, ‘how effective were [the classes]?’” said Dr. Charles Park, PVHS principal.

Some say they don’t prepare the student for the next level of schooling, and others say it’s a great time saver.

Before one makes any decisions on their stance however, one should take a look at what the class is really all about.

“Its nearly identical to a normal classroom curriculum. The only difference is how students interact with the material,” said Christopher Wilson, online teacher of U.S and modern world history honors, and regular AP Macroeconomics teacher here at PVHS.

Wilson went on to say, “So rather than being in a physical classroom with a teacher, students are engaging instead with activities and powerpoints.”

Although many don’t favor this way of learning, others see this new way to learn as a necessary advancement since the world of education turns toward a stronger emphasis on technology.

“For us, our online classes are here because we believe that we’re trying to meet where education is going,” said Park.

Despite trying to meet this technological advance, it seems as though PVHS is pulling back when it comes to how much online curriculum it offers.

Instead of offering three sections, as was done last year, Sea Kings are now only offered two, regardless of the fact that the numbers in these two courses have grown.

Advancement has always been a keystone in the PVHS curriculum, and the hope is that these new online classes will aid Sea Kings in getting ahead.