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General Course Information
Koi keepers enrolling in this course will become familiar with:
- Safe and effective fish handling
- Microscopy as it applies to diagnostics of Koi diseases
- Use of drop-type water quality test kits
- A comprehensive approach to diagnosing pond problems
All students will need a working email address, internet access to the K.O.I. website, a microscope with at least the ability to magnify up to 100 times (microscopes with three magnifications, 40x, 100x and 400x capabilities, are recommended), a weight scale with the ability to weigh to 0.01 grams, a drop-type water test kit (for ammonia), a Koi net and a Koi tub (aka, a Koi bowl). You may email the Lab Part 1 instructor for recommendations on microscopes and scales.
Part 1 - A DVD provides the first part of a two-part lab course. The DVD format was chosen for practical reasons. We believed attending an in-person lab would be somewhere between inconvenient to cost prohibitive for most students. At the time of this writing, we have students that reside literally thousands of miles apart; one even outside the US (and across the pond!). With this and part 2’s online format, students won’t have to buy a plane ticket, spend money on a hotel room and meals in restaurants to attend this lab. With the money saved, students could likely buy a nice microscope, a good digital scale and pay for the entire CKK curriculum of courses if they were so inclined.
It’s worth noting that the DVD portion of the course is not a shopping list offering multiple ways to do various things. The video shows, by example, one good way to do each of the subjects covered. It is believed if students learn and understand one basic and usable technique, they can be immediately effective and expand their knowledge of options later.
Part 2 - The second part of this course will be an online seminar (webinar or something similar) where students and instructor(s) participate in reviewing case studies. This is intended to sharpen the students’ detective skills and teach a systematic way to problem solve. And like Part 1, it required no travel.
Koi keepers enrolling in this course will become familiar with:
In Part 1
- Fish handling including: netting and tubbing (also referred to as bowling), anesthesia, examination, some ulcer treatment and recovery from anesthesia.
- Microscope work including: parts and use of the microscope and scraping and scoping of Koi
- Using and testing drop-type water quality test kits – theory and application.
In Lab Part 2
- How to approach a pond and/or Koi problem
- How to make and use SOAP notes
- How to form a differential diagnosis
- How to identify and sort through rule-outs
- How to determine a course of action
- What information to provide the Pond/fish Owner
Participants in the course will receive:
For Lab Part 1
- An approximately 45-minute DVD made especially for this course;
- Written information supplemental to the DVD;
- A Lab Kit that includes such items as:
- A 500 ml polycarbonate “Perfect Beaker” for measuring fluid volumes,
- Test tubes, tube caps, a test tube rack and a brush for cleaning the tubes,
- Chemicals for testing the accuracy of 3 different water test kits,
- A small amount of MS222 fish anesthesia, and
- A few other “goodies,”
- Instructions for “Testing the Test Kits;”
- An assignment sheet detailing the various tasks to be done and reported on relative to the information on the DVD and, in some instances, using the items in the test kit, and
- The instructor’s contact information so that you can ask, and have answered, any question you may have.
For Lab Part 2
- Written information pertinent and explanatory to Part 2 of the course;
- An assignment sheet detailing tasks to be done and reported on relative to Part 2 of the course;
- A time and date plus instructions of how to attend the online webinar session, and
- An opportunity to opt-in or opt-out of a particular session. At least two (2) sessions are planned for each calendar year, except 2011, which will have only one (1) webinar.
Tests & Completion
Part 1 - There will be assignments associated with the materials supplied and written responses will be required. The assignments will require use of a microscope, use of a scale for weighing chemicals, fish handling, sample taking and performance of various tests. The required written responses will be descriptions and evaluations of the assignments.
Part 2 - There will be no assignments or tests except the requirement to participate by presenting your opinions relating to the case studies presented. Sessions lead by Karen Pattist.
In general the course will be conducted by way of emails and/or phone calls. Email Kelvin at KelvinDavisKoi@outlook.com and Karen at pattist@snet.net. Email requests for phone communications (phone numbers and available times).
If a student requests that certain information be kept confidential, that will be respected. However and if it is pertinent, that information may be re-phrased to present it to others taking the class but anonymity of the source will be preserved in any event.
In order to complete this course, the student must complete all assignments to the satisfaction of the instructors. Instructors will communicate their satisfaction (or not) to the students in a timely manner and any necessary corrective action identified by the instructors should also be completed in a timely manner by the students.
Part 1 is self-paced and may be completed (within 12 months of the initial instructor contact.) at the convenience of the student.
Part 2 will be a real-time webinar in which the students are expected to participate – times to be announced.
The course must be completed within 12 months of the date the student was initially contacted by the instructor. Over that period and if necessary, at least two opportunities to participate in Part 2 of the course will be offered.
If additional time is desired, 12-month extensions may be purchased for $25 for a single course or $50 for multiple courses. Students may request extensions from their Student Coordinator prior to the expiration of the time originally allotted to complete their course(s). If the student qualifies and buys an extension, the Store Manager will issue instructions on how to activate the extension.
Students will be given every reasonable opportunity to understand the material, the required assignments and the instructor responses to the required assignments. Students will be prompted for a more complete response if their prior attempt is insufficient. Instructor satisfaction with student performance will be required to pass this course, however, that satisfaction will not be unreasonably withheld. And in fact, all students actively participating in the course are anticipated to pass w/o problems.
The K.O.I. policy in regards to the student code of conduct is clear. Cheating will not be tolerated. Students will be failed if they cheat. For those seeking certification, cheating or serious legal violations (relative to the activities with K.O.I.) will be grounds for non-certification or decertification.
Certification
Course Sign Up
Once you have purchased a course individually or as a certification package, you can expect:
1. The store website will send you an email confirming your purchase
2. KOI Student Coordinator will send you an email regarding KOI courses
3. Instructor(s) for each course will send you an email regarding courses you have purchased.
4. For a package of courses (e.g. 9-course CKK package), courses can be taken in any order. Respond to the Instructor’s email for the course you want to start with. As you finish each course, respond to the instructor’s email for each consecutive course. Optionally you can take more than one course at a time, communicating by email with the Instructors.
5. The reading material for each course will be either:
- downloaded from the KOI website – follow the download instructions in the email you receive from the instructor, or;
- for some courses a you will receive a book from the KOI store shortly after your purchase.
6. If you have any questions or problems, contact the instructor or the acting Student Coordinator: Kelvin Davis <KelvinDavisKoi@outlook.com>