GEAPS > Distance Learning Program

GEAPS and Kansas State University produce top-quality "distance-learning" courses designed specifically for professionals in grain operations and related fields.

Beginning in January 2010, GEAPS members and other industry employees can register for new course from GEAPS and KSU, "Management of Insect Pests in Stored Grain." This new course, the second of four new courses to be offered in 2010, will run March 8-April 16.

GEAPS-KSU will also offer a repeat course March 8-April 9. If you missed "Grain Quality Management" the last time it was offered, or simply want to refresh your knowledge of this continually relevant topic, you can sign up when registration opens for both courses on Jan. 13.

The GEAPS-KSU distance education program began an ambitious expansion last year when four courses were added to its roster. The expansion will continue into 2010, with a total of four more professional development courses for employees looking to expand their skills and stay on top of their game. The program will offer a total of 10 new and repeat courses next year, all timed with harvest seasons.

"Since GEAPS first started offering distance-education courses, we've heard again and again how valuable people find this program to be," said GEAPS Distance Education Programming Committee Chair Mike Kiel. "Professional development like this serves a real need in the industry, and we're proud of the four new additions to the program, and the hard work of the volunteers who have planned and produced them. These four new programs continue to raise the bar in quality collaboration, presentation and educational value."

10 Courses in 2010

GEAPS and Kansas State University are offering ten courses in 2010, including four new ones:

• Management of Insect Pests in Stored Grain
• Grain Elevator Equipment Maintenance: An Inside Look
• Hiring and Retaining Good Employees in the Grain Industry, and
• Quality Management Systems for Bulk Materials-Handling Operations

Six courses offered previously will be re-offered. They are:

• Electrical Safety for the Grain and Processing Industry
• Safety Management for the Grain and Processing Industry
• Grain Quality Management
• FGIS Grain Inspection Orientation, and
• Aeration System Design and Operational Management
• Grain Facilities Planning and Design II

The complete 2010 schedule is available here.

About the Distance-Learning Program

All of the courses—designed specifically for employees in the field of grain handling operations—are planned and developed jointly by GEAPS and Kansas State University, in conjunction with other partners on a course-by-course basis.  All courses emphasize grain operations and related fields. 

Courses usually consist of 10 hour-long lectures and typically run for five weeks. Lectures (narrated PowerPoint programs) are mailed to students on CDs, and the course syllabi, quizzes and related material are provided on a dedicated university website.

The Cost
Course tuition--which covers all materials--is currently $515 for GEAPS members and $715 for non-members.  Online registration opens shortly before the courses begin.

Continuing Education Credit
Students who complete a GEAPS distance-education course receive one continuing education unit from Kansas State University, and a certificate of completion.  Click here to view a sample certificate.

Built for Convenience
Because the course comes on CDs and is taught online, nobody has to travel. All students need is a computer with a CD player and an internet connection. Course work must be completed within a specified time frame (typically five weeks) but students can do the work when it’s most convenient for them, 24-7.

Quality and Structure
Students progress through the courses together in a structured, supervised program developed and peer-reviewed by many of the grain industry’s top specialists. All of the class material is based on current industry practices and standards, and class participants can expect a strong dose of real-world expertise.

For Industry Pros, Internationally
Typically, students are grain-industry professionals--people working to improve their job skills--for themselves and their employers. While most of the participants are from the U.S. and Canada, the GEAPS-KSU program also draws students from many other countries.

Making Connections
GEAPS understands the tremendous value of being able to network with others in the same profession, and all of our distance education courses encourage and enable interaction, with faculty members and with other students.  While students don’t have to interact with others, many find it to be very useful.

For more information about the the GEAPS Distance Learning Program, contact Chuck House at GEAPS.