The Geology Department faculty of Mountain View College, one of the campuses in the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), participated in the AMS Ocean Studies Diversity Program in the summer of 2008. Mountain View College is located in southwest Dallas County, Texas, and serves more than 6000 students each year. Mountain View College is an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a student population that includes 42% Hispanic, 30% African American, and 3% Asian students.

Oceanography is a core course at our college, and thus is assured transfer status to all state universities in Texas. Oceanography will be taught here using the AMS Ocean Studies materials for the first time in the spring semester, 2009. The lecture portion of the class will be a traditional face-to-face format, while the lab portion will be a combination of traditional and online lab activities. Integration of the real time data offered by the lab portion of the AMS Ocean Studies should increase student interest as well as provide learning experiences that students will easily perceive as relevant.

Potential resources available such as the use of microscopes in the face-to-face setting, and websites in the online setting will be considered. Strategies for enhancing student enrollment will also be presented.