Workshop on

Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness:

Active Learning

Hue, June 11–12, 2007

Danang, June 14-15, 2007

Presenter: Prof. Tung Bui - University of Hawai’i at Manoa

Assistant: Ky Nguyen - University of Hawai’i at Manoa
What we will cover this morning…

Active learning & instruction

Inquiry-based learning & instruction

Experiential learning & instruction

Project-based learning & instruction

Case-based learning & instruction

Problem-based learning & instruction

New teaching methods: How new are they?

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Active learning & instruction

“I hear and I forget.

I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.”

(Confucius’s aphorism)

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 Active learning & instruction

 Active learning is a type of instruction to involve pupils

during the learning process
 Active learning is an umbrella term that refers to several
models of instruction
 Active learning = learning by doing
 Teachers facilitate rather than dictate the students’
learning
 Students are now co-creators of knowledge instead of
just receiving knowledge

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 Active learning & instruction

Active learning is based on two basic

assumptions (Meyers and Jones, 1993):
(1) learning is by nature an active endeavor
(2) different people learn in different ways

The term "cooperative learning" covers the

subset of active learning activities

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A Model of Active Learning

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 Components of active learning

Active learning = Experience and/or Dialogue

Dialogue with Self:
 when a learner thinks reflectively about a topic
Dialogue with Others:
 interaction in and outside of classroom
Observing:
 when a learner watches or listens to someone else
“doing" something related to what they are learning
Doing:
 any learning activity where the learner actually does
something
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 Why active learning?

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Adapted from Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience
 Why active learning?

Adapted from TedNellen & Lori Mayo (2000) 9

 Why active learning?

Research has shown that:

 students learn more material, retain the information
longer, and enjoy the class more
 students learn in the classroom with the help of the
instructor and other students, rather than on their own
 students are involved in higher-order thinking (analysis,
synthesis, evaluation)
 active learning can be used with all levels of students
from first year through graduate students
 it promotes interest and learning in a mass class
 experience is always necessary for intellectual
development... the subject must be active (Jean Piaget)
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 1-minute paper

Based on what we’ve discussed so far,

what is active learning?

Share your paper with a partner and

comment on each other’s definition.

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Techniques of active learning instruction

The "One Minute Paper“

 Ask students to take out a blank sheet of paper, then
pose a question
 Give them about one minute to respond
 Instant feedback

Topics for the “One Minute Paper”

 Review questions
 Muddiest (or Clearest) Point
 Affective Response, asking students to report their
reactions to some facet of the course material
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Techniques of active learning instruction

 Daily Journal
 More in-depth discussion of or reaction to course material
 You might have students find and discuss reports of scientific
studies in popular media on topics relevant to course material

 Reading Quiz
 One way to coerce students to read assigned material
 Can be used as an effective measure of student comprehension
of the readings
 Gives students guidance as to what to look for when reading
assigned text

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 Techniques of active learning instruction

 Qs & As: The “Socratic Method”

 Ask individual students questions until the desired answer is
received
 Criticism:
• it singles out/embarrasses students
• it favors only a small segment of the class
 Ways to avoid the pitfalls
• Wait time
• Student Summary of Another Student's Answer
• The Fish Bowl:
– Students are asked to write down 1 question, then deposit it in a fish
bowl
– The instructor then draws several questions out of the bowl and
answers them for the class or asks the class to answer them
• Quiz/Test Questions: Students create quizzes and tests 14
 Techniques of active learning instruction

Critical Thinking Motivators

 The Pre-Theoretic Intuitions Quiz
• Getting students to both identify and to assess their own views
• May be used to assess student knowledge of the subject matter in a pre-
/post-lecture comparison
 Puzzles/Paradoxes
• One useful means of ferreting out students' intuitions on a given topic
• Have them struggle towards a solution
• Increase the likelihood that they will be able to critically assess theories
when they are presented later
 Brainstorming
• Students are encouraged to generate as many ideas
on the topic as possible without judgment or critique

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Techniques of active learning instruction

Share/Pair
 Students have the opportunity to state their own views, to hear from
others, to hone their argumentative skills, and so forth
 pairs make it hard for students to avoid participating
 Discussion
• Can be combined with other techniques such as Qs & As
• This works best when students are given explicit directions
 Note Comparison/Sharing
• Especially useful in introductory courses or in courses designed for
non-majors
 Evaluation of Another Student's Work
• Each student takes their partner's work and gives critical feedback,
assesses the arguments, corrects mistakes in problem-solving or
grammar, and so forth

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Techniques of active learning instruction

Cooperative Learning Exercises

 Many heads are better than one or two
 Cooperative groups encourage discussion of problem
solving techniques

• Cooperative Groups in Class

• Concept Mapping
• Jigsaw Group Projects
• Role Playing
• Panel Discussions
• Debates

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 Think – Pair - Share

Which of the above techniques of active

learning instruction do you think is the
most helpful in the class(es) you’re
teaching? Justify your answer?

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Some active learning instruction models

Inquiry-based instruction

learning
Experiential instruction

active
Case-based instruction

Project-based instruction

Problem-based instruction

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 Inquiry-based instruction (IBI)

 A student-centered, open-ended, hands-on, and teacher-

guided instructional approach that engages students in
investigating real world questions
 A teaching technique in which teachers create situations
where students ask questions and solve problems
 It provides a vehicle for extending and applying the
learning of students in a way that connects with their
interests
 Inquiry-based instruction places students at the helm of
the learning process and teachers in the role of learning
facilitator, coach, and modeler

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 The Benefits of Inquiry-Based Instruction

IBI teaches problem-solving, critical thinking

skills, and disciplinary content
IBI promotes the transfer of concepts to new
problem questions
IBI teaches students how to learn and builds
self-directed learning skills
IBI develops student ownership of their inquiry
and enhances student interest in the subject
matter

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 Key Components of IBI Process

 Activating prior knowledge

 Providing background information
 Defining desired outcomes
 Modeling design product outcomes (technology, art);
Providing frameworks
 Establishing a general topic for inquiry
 Student teams conduct background research and define
focused problem questions within broader inquiry or
topic

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 Key Components of IBI Process

Establishing and communicating inquiry

presentation framework
Referring students back to expected outcomes
Support technology (where applicable)
Student presentations
Incorporating ongoing, meaningful peer and
teacher assessment
Reflecting on what worked and what didn't, and
try it again

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 Discovery learning & instruction (DLI)

 Archimedes and his famous “Eureka!”

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 Discovery learning & instruction (DLI)

 A type of Inquiry-based instruction from the 1960s

 A personal, internal, constructivist learning environment

 There is an intimate and necessary relation between the

processes of actual experience and education (John
Dewey, 1938)

 The learner draws on his own experience and prior

knowledge to discover the truths that are to be learned

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Bruner, J. S. (1961)
 Why discovery learning?

 To cause all students to think and work more creatively

 To help students take an active role in structuring their learning

environment, asking questions, and finding answers

 To encourage students to develop problem-solving strategies for

confronting the unknown or unfamiliar

 To develop confidence in students’ ability to handle problems

 People understand and remember concepts better when they

have discovered them on their own

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Experiential Learning & Instruction (ELI)

“The things we have to learn before we do

them, we learn by doing them.”
- Aristotle -

New Century College (GMU)

Connecting the Classroom

to the World

1. Experiential learning by yourself

2. Experiential education

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 What is Experiential Learning?

“Experiential learning takes place when a person

involved in an activity looks back and evaluates it,
determines what was useful or important to
remember, and uses this information to perform another
activity.”
- John Dewey -

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Experiential Learning & Instruction (ELI)

 Experiential learning is the process by which a learner

creates meaning from direct experience
 Experiential learning occurs when carefully chosen
experiences are supported by reflection, critical analysis
and synthesis
 Learners are engaged intellectually, emotionally,
socially, soulfully and/or physically
 Relationships are developed and nurtured: learner to
self, learner to others and learner to the world at large
 The educator and learner may experience success,
failure, adventure, risk-taking and uncertainty, because
the outcomes of experience cannot totally be predicted

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30
Experiential Learning Model

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 Characteristics of Experiential Learning

 Experiential learning uses various tools like games,

simulations, role plays, stories in classrooms
 Knowledge is no longer just some letters on a page. It
becomes active, transacted within life or life-like
situations
 Students become knowledge creators (for themselves)
as well as knowledge gatherers
 Because action precedes attempts to synthesize
knowledge, teachers cannot plan a set curriculum

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 Teacher’s role in Experiential Learning

 setting suitable experiences, posing problems, setting

boundaries, supporting learners, insuring physical and
emotional safety, and facilitating the learning process
 recognizing and encouraging spontaneous opportunities
for learning
 first immersing students in action and then asking them
to reflect on the experience
 teachers become active learners, experimenting together
with their students
 optimizing the chances for their students to more easily
enter their chosen professions

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 Trivia

At universities like Stanford, the University of California

Berkeley, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa,
students are often the initiators of courses and demand
more role in changing the curriculum and making it truly
responsive to their needs

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 Group discussion

Do you think Inquiry-Based Instruction,

Discovery Instruction, and Experiential
Instruction can be applied successfully in the
class(es) you are teaching? Why/Why not?

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Problem-based Learning & Instruction (PBL)

 "How can I get my students to think?" is a question

asked by many faculty, regardless of their disciplines.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method
that challenges students to "learn to learn," working
cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world
problems. These problems are used to engage students'
curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter. PBL
prepares students to think critically and analytically, and
to find and use appropriate learning resources.”

Barbara Duch -Teaching Consultant,

Center for Teaching and Effectiveness,
University of Delaware

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 Another definition of PBL

“The learning that results from the process

of working towards the understanding of a
resolution of a problem. The problem is
encountered first in the learning process”
(Barrows and Tamblyn 1980)

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 History of PBL
 PBL started with medical education in
North America and has spread across
the globe and across most disciplines
 In 1969, H. Barrows led McMaster University
in Canada to introduce problem-based
learning in medical education
 Harvard School of Medicine converted completely to a
problem-based learning curriculum in the late 80s
 At the University of Delaware problem-based learning has
been introduced in a number of undergraduate courses
across the curriculum. (See also http://www.udel.edu/pbl/ )

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 Characteristics of PBL

 A learner-centered approach that empowers learners to

conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and
apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution
to a defined problem
 The problem simulations used in PBL must be ill-
structured and allow for free inquiry
 Learning should be integrated from a wide range of
disciplines or subjects
 Collaboration is essential
 Self and peer assessment should be carried out at the
completion of each problem

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 Characteristics of PBL

 The activities carried out in PBL must be those valued in

the real world
 The PBL tutorial is the pivotal discursive site for students
working through problems
 In a PBL course, students and the instructor become
colearners, coplanners, coproducers, and coevaluators
as they design, implement, and continually refine their
curricula

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 PBL Instruction Procedure

1. First, students are presented with a problem

2. Students discuss the problem in a small group
3. Students engage in independent study on their learning
issues
4. They come back to the PBL tutorial(s) sharing information,
peer teaching and working together on the problem
5. They present and discuss their solution(s) to the problem
6. They review what they have learnt from working on the
problem. All who participated in the process engage in self,
peer and tutor review of the PBL process and each
person’s contribution to that process.

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 What is the instructor’s role in PBL?

 The instructor guides, probes, and supports students’

initiatives

 The instructor does not lecture, or provide easy solutions

 The instructor must be active and directive about the

learning process
 to assure that the group stays on target
 to make reasonable choices on what issues are key
to study

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 What make good problems?

Problems can be presented to students in a

variety of formats including:
 Scenarios
 Puzzles
 Diagrams
 Dialogues
 Quotations
 Cartoons
 Posters
 video-clips
 Etc.
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 Why use problem-based learning?

 Developing students’ thinking skills

 Facilitating students’ learning how to learn

 Encouraging students to integrate knowledge from

different subjects, disciplines and sources

 Linking theory and practice

 Developing students’ key skills relevant to employment

=>> Producing graduates that can hit the floor running at
work after graduation
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 Why use problem-based learning?

 A meta-analysis of 20 years of PBL evaluation studies

conducted by Albanese and Mitchell (1993) and Vernon
and Blake (1993) concluded that
 a problem-based approach to instruction was equal to
traditional approaches in terms of conventional tests
of knowledge
 students who studied using PBL exhibited better
clinical problem-solving skills

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 By using PBL, students learn to

find and use appropriate learning

resources
be versatile communicators about
complex subjects
build teams that can work effectively
towards common goals

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Case-based Learning & Instruction (CBI)

 Cases are like stories or story lines that students read or

explore interactively. They can direct students toward a
conclusion, or provide the resources and context to
discuss and debate issues dynamically

 Case-based learning was employed in law schools as

early as the late 1800’s. It has also been popular in
business schools since the early 1900’s

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 How are cases presented?

 The student is presented a story or narrative about an

event that has or has supposedly happened (a case)

 The case is read or “played” by students, leading them to

a “correct” response or to understand effects of their
decisions

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 Characteristics of CBI

 Cases are best used to teach people about realistic

decision-making situations
 Case-based instruction has long been the norm in
business, medicine, and law education
 A means of teaching reasoning skills that link theory to
practice
 Much of case-based learning involves learners striving to
resolve questions that have no single right answer
 Cases allow students to benefit from “lessons learned”
by other persons

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 Design Decisions in CBI

Select a topic
 Didactic design:
• what are the learning goals for the case:
knowledge acquisition, authentic experiences,
professional abilities?
 Task design:
• what situations will the learner encounter: routine
and well-structured or ill-defined requiring
reasoning or creativity?
 Curricular design:
• are cases the only teaching method for a course,
or only a supplement?
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 Writing the Case in CBI

 Collect and reduce data, selecting only the necessary

processes and data to accurately represent the case

 Split the data into pieces, require the learner to look in

more than one place for important information

 Data may be redundant and contradictory

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(Jarz et al., 1997)
 Delivering the Case in CBI

 In a system architecture, the student responds to the case

 Debriefing the case:

 in a classroom, follow-up questions are used to guide the student to
consider, ponder, and understand important concepts

 Teachers should consider more than “content” of case: the

discussion process is also important

 Teachers should prepare an outline of concepts,

subconcepts, to be elicited or discussed through the case

 A list of leading questions may also be helpful 52

 Case-Based Teaching Strategies

 Formats for Cases

 “Finished” cases based on facts
 “Unfinished” open-ended cases
 Fictional cases
 Original documents

 Managing a Case Assignment

 Design discussions for small groups
 Structure the discussion
 Debrief the discussion to compare group responses
 Allow groups to work without instructor interference

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 Case-Based Teaching Strategies

 Designing Case Study Questions

 What is the situation?
 What issues are at stake?
 What questions do you have—what information do you still
need?
 What problem(s) need to be solved?
 What are all the possible options? What are the pros/cons of
each option?
 What are the underlying assumptions for [X, Y, Z, etc.] in the
case—where do you see them?
 What criteria should you use when choosing an option? What
does that mean about your assumptions?

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 Case-Based Teaching Strategies

 Managing Discussion and Debate Effectively

 Delay the problem-solving part
 Shift points of view
 Ask for benefits/disadvantages of a position
 Shift to another context
 Follow-up questions
 Point out and acknowledge differences in discussion

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 Advantages of CBI

 CBI showcases expert practices, and helps students

focus on real professional issues
 CBI generalizes content understanding into a wider
framework
 CBI lends itself naturally to effective discourse,
communication, and debate among students
 Real world or authentic contexts expose students to
viewpoints from multiple sources
 Students are more engaged, interested, and involved in
the class
 High rate of retention and application of knowledge

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 5-minute discussion

 In groups of 3, write an outline of your ideas on a blank

sheet of paper; it may be projected onto the screen when
you present your discussion ideas:

Questions

1. How popular are PBL and CBL in Vietnam?

2. How can we integrate PBL and CBL into
current teaching practices at Vietnam’s
colleges and universities?

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 Project-based Learning & Instruction

 An approach to learning focusing on developing a

product or creation
 In project-based learning, students work in teams to
explore real-world problems and create presentations to
share what they have learned
 Project-based learning asks a question or poses a
problem that each student can answer
 Project-based learning teaches students 21st century
skills as well as content

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 Project-based Learning & Instruction

 emphasizes learning activities that are long-term,

interdisciplinary, student-centered, and integrated with
real world issues and practices
 provides opportunities for students to pursue their own
interests and questions and make decisions about how
they will find answers and solve problems
 establishes connections to life outside the classroom,
addressing real world concerns, and developing real
world skills
 Teachers may fill the varied roles of coach, facilitator,
and co-learner

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 Components of project-based learning

 Curricular content

 Student direction

 Collaboration among students

 Real world connection

 Extended time frame

 Multimedia (where applicable)

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5 principles in designing a project

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 Project-Based Instruction Strategies

 Start With the Essential Question

 To pose a problem or a situation that the students can tackle
knowing that there is no ONE answer or solution
 Design a Plan for the Project
 Involve the students in the planning process
 Create a Schedule
 Be flexible, but help the students realize that they need to
finalize their thoughts, findings, and evaluations
 Monitor the Students and the Progress of the Project
 Teach the students how to work collaboratively
 Assess the Outcome
 To provide diagnostic feedback and revise your instruction
 Evaluate the Experience
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 Assessment in Project-Based Learning

 helps students answer the questions "Am I getting

it?" and "How am I doing?“
 can help make content connections clear
 engages students directly in the evaluation of their
own work
 helps teachers plan their next steps
 helps students plan their projects
 should reflect student learning over time
 Assessment standards should be well known to the
students

63
Benefits of Project-Based Learning

 Deeper knowledge of subject matter

 Increased self-direction and motivation
 Environment for the application of basic skills
 Enhanced quality of learning and higher-level cognitive
development through students' engagement with
problems
 Development of habits of mind associated with lifelong
learning, civic responsibility, and personal success
 Project-based learning helps students develop skills for
living in a knowledge-based, highly technological society
 Project-based learning accommodates students with
varying learning styles and differences

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 Wait a minute…

Don’t equate Project-based learning with

Inquiry-based or Problem-based learning!
active learning approach focusing on
IBL questioning, critical thinking, and
problem-solving

focusing on the process of solving a

PBL problem and acquiring knowledge

focusing on developing a product

PjBL or creation

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 Application Project

In groups of 4 or 5, design a project-

based assignment for your students on a
topic of your own choosing.

Write an outline of the assignment on a blank

sheet of paper; you’ll be asked to share it with
your fellow participants.

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Innovative Teaching Methods:
Are they Really New?

Teaching methods: Diversity in Unity

Most “new” teaching methods are based on
Constructivism
Most are student-centered and hinge around
active learning
Most have been around for a long time already

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 Before lunch break…

Do you have any questions or ideas that

you want to share with us?

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Models of Active Learning & Instruction

Inquiry-based
Learning

Case-based 5 2 Experiential
Learning Learning
Active
Learning

Project-based 4 3 Problem-based
Learning Learning
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