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Introduction In October,
1999, the NSU Distance Learning Advisory Committee was formed and was
given the mission of developing policies and procedures for delivering
instruction via this modality. This document is a result of that work.
Some of the components of this manual (contact persons) are variable,
but valuable, to the functions of faculty members who are teaching by
VC or Online. There are policies that have not been formulated as this
is a work in progress. As the field dictates, the committee will have
the on-going responsibility of revising the policies and/or procedures
on an annual basis. Interactive distance
learning is important because it can provide quality access to courses
by learners who are unable to take classes in traditional ways. These
students might be adult learners in rural districts; K-12 students; disabled
students; homebound students; non-native language speakers; and adults
who have changing work patterns, changing social patterns, changing education
patterns, or are simply lifelong learners. It provides a means by which
students can complete or enhance their education in a timely and effective
manner. Interactive distance learning can also provide flexibility in
access to on-campus students as well (Truman and Sorg, 1999). NSU's priorities for
distance learning are to develop full course sequences and/or degree programs
via distance learning. Programs are developed as the need, budget, faculty
and program leadership come together to support such programs. The Academic Technology
Center provides faculty support for distance learning projects by identifying
resources for redesigning courses, providing information on the available
technologies and infrastructure, and developing proposals for interactive
distance learning. The Center assists faculty in the instructional design
process to ensure the technologies fit the goals of the course content.
The academic standards and quality are expected to remain the same or
exceed on-campus courses. The quality is measured through an evaluative
summary at the conclusion of the term. Technology will serve content,
not vice versa. Re-designing a course
or program to be offered in a distance learning mode provides the opportunity
for faculty to expand instructional skills and be on the forefront of
education. Interactive distance learning courses have the ability to increase
student involvement which can increase student interest and can often
increase learning in the long run. In addition, interactive distance learning
courses provide options to on-campus courses. Courses and programs are
designed to expand the audience of courses to include students who have
previously been precluded from taking the course due to barriers of time
and place. Currently, there are
six VC labs at the University; Seminary Hall 204, NET 614, Practical Arts
220; Education 107, NSUM 209 and 117. Courses are currently transmitted
to various receiving locations from four campuses--Tahlequah, Muskogee,
Tulsa, and Claremore. The interactive television courses (VC) are delivered
through OneNet, Oklahoma's telecommunications network. Goals that deal
specifically with NSU's distance learning program are: · making educational
opportunities more affordable for students; Why Copyright? Educators have always
utilized outside resources to enhance the learning experience for their
students. These resources can range from a newspaper clipping to a book
to a movie. All of these items, and many other resources, are copyrighted
materials. The Copyright Law
of 1976 established the rights of the copyright holder as well as providing
for the use of copyrighted materials, especially in educational settings.
In order to comply with the law in the area of copyright and proper use
of copyrighted materials, educators must be aware of the law and the parameters
that govern proper or "fair use" of copyrighted publications
(Dalziel, 1995). There are both civil
and criminal penalties for infringement of copyright law. Civil awards
generally include a monetary award of up to $1,000,000 (Mason, 1996),
attorney fees, an injunction against the violator, and confiscation of
the materials that used the copyrighted works (17 USC sections 502-505).
Distance educators
have a unique dilemma when dealing with copyright law. Due to the time
that the law was passed and the rapid advancement of technology for distance
education, the provisions for education in the copyright law are often
unclear for the distance education classroom. What is Copyright? A copyright grants
the holder the sole right to reproduce or grant permission to others to
reproduce the copyrighted works. The copyright holder is defined as the
person who owns the exclusive rights to a work. The protection is limited
to original works, whether or not they have been published. However, it
is the expression of the idea that is copyrighted, not the idea in and
of itself (Brinson and Radcliffe, 1994). For works created
prior to 1978, copyright protection lasts 75 years from the date of first
publication or 100 years from the date of creation of the work, contingent
on which date allows the copyright to expire first. For works created
after 1978, protection begins at the creation of the work and lasts 50
years after the death of the author (17 USC section 104A). What is the Law? The Copyright Law
of 1976 defined the right of the copyright holder, items that may be copyrighted,
fair use guidelines, etc. The right to a work may be used, sold, or given
away as the copyright holder deems appropriate. The exclusive rights provided
for in the Act (17 USC section 106) include: · to reproduce
the copyrighted work in any format; What is "Fair
Use"? The concept of "fair
use" was established in the Copyright Law of 1976. It specifies situations
in which copyrighted materials may be used without express permission
of the copyright holder (17 USC section 107). However, with the technology
available today, it is very easy to abuse the "fair use" provision.
The US House of Representatives suggested that the three major considerations
in determining fair use should be: brevity of the selection, spontaneity
of the decision, and the cumulative effect of the use of the selection
(HR 1476, 1976). Section 107 of the
Copyright Law lists four factors that define "fair use" (17
USC section 107): · The purpose
and character of the use must be educational or non profit in nature.
Publishers and educators
agreed to more specific guidelines which will provide a list of safe parameters
in which colleges may operate. However, if a college exceeds the guidelines,
they will open themselves to a lawsuit to challenge the use as fair. Congress
never agreed to these guidelines, but since they were established by a
diverse group of educators and copyright holders, courts tend to recognize
their validity (Dalziel, 1995). These guidelines indicated
that copying is allowed when the instructor decides to use a work spontaneously
for educational purposes (NACS and AAP, 1991) and also outline the length
of works that may be copied: · A complete
article or story less than 2,500 words; · Unauthorized
copying may not be used to replace an anthology or compilation. How Can Copyright
Permission Be Obtained? Copyright permission
must be obtained from the copyright holder of the work in which you are
interested. However, copyright notice is optional for works published
on or after March 1, 1989, so tracking down the copyright holder may be
difficult (NACS and AAP, 1991). When requesting copyright
permission, include all of the following information (NACS and AAP, 1991):
· Full name(s)
of the author, editor, and/or translator; Copyright in Multimedia
Productions As distance educators,
preparing multimedia presentations is a viable teaching strategy. In doing
so, the instructor must keep in mind some basic principles (Brinson and
Radcliffe, 1994): · Combining
content from other sources can be copyright protected. In 1995, the Consortium
of College and University Media Centers established a working group of
educators and copyright holders to establish a group of mutually agreed
upon guidelines for multimedia fair use (Dalziel, 1995). Although no conclusions
have been reached, those involved tend to agree with the following statements
(Dalziel, 1995): · Educators
may use their own multimedia presentations for educational use. Suggestions for
Distance Education There are several
precautionary steps that may be taken in order to avoid copyright infringement.
This is not a complete list, but rather highlights that will assist in
avoiding illegal copying of materials (Bruwelheide, 1994): · Utilize the
copyright policy adopted by your governing agency. Conclusion A basic knowledge
of copyright law is essential for any educator. Instructors in a distance
education classroom are subject to additional concerns due to the nature
of the educational environment. This issue concerns the instructor, the
students, the administration, and the institution with which they are
all involved, and it is not an issue that can be taken lightly. Course Consideration Faculty assignments
for VC classes will be made by the deans in consultation with the department
heads. Consideration will be given to the faculty members' regular teaching
load and the nature of the course. Some courses clearly would not be appropriate
for VC at this time. Attempts will be made to limit the size of the classes
at the sending and receiving sites. The total number of students for all
sites should not exceed the number of students in the traditional on-site
class, based upon recommendations of the specific college and the nature
of the class. (Note: Research indicates that ten students or less at remote
sites maximizes interactivity.) Receive Sites There will be no designated
maximum number of sites for VC instruction. The number of receiving sites
will be dependent upon student demand and enrollment. (See Course Consideration) Proposed Compensation Faculty compensation
will be available for each course developed for VC delivery through an
application process. Course developers will submit a proposal for compensation
of the course converted. The Distance Learning Committee will determine
the amount of compensation based on the extent of development. The quality
of development will be based on a pre-determined rubric with specific
criteria. The amount of compensation will be according to the table below.
Payment will occur after the course has been developed. The Distance Learning
Committee will allocate compensation for proposals from an annual budget
set aside for this purpose. Consideration will be given only after the
deans and department chairs approve the development of a particular course
to be delivered via VC. Note: This policy
replaces the previous VC compensation policy. Both VC/Online
Course Development If an instructor develops
a face-to-face course to both online and VC modality, the amount compensated
will be proportional to the delivery method policy. In addition to OneNet
minimum equipment specifications, each site should have echo cancellers,
Push-To-Talk microphones, a fax machine, and telephone. Students at all
sites should have access to computers with Internet access. Student Support Students will have
access to academic advising through telephone or e-mail and by providing
periodic on-site advising at off-campus locations. Faculty teaching VC
classes need to provide off-campus students with a mechanism to easily
contact the faculty members. Faculty are encouraged to do reverse teaching,
i.e., to teach from remote sites, whenever possible in order to establish
a rapport with those students at remote sites. Library resources will
be provided for students at all sites for research purposes at the remote
sites, including services from the John Vaughan Library at Northeastern
State University on the Internet, by courier services, document delivery,
and other methods. Bookstore resources will be provided for students at
all sites either through the mail or through the bookstore at the remote
site. Videotape backups will be provided for each lecture. If there are
technical difficulties, remote site students will be able to access the
on-site class via VHS tape which will be in compliance with existing copyright
laws. Faculty Support
Faculty will have
access to a variety of resources to assist in adapting their courses to
the interactive television delivery mode. Instructional design, video
production, web-page assistance, graphics production, authoring tools
and other computer-based resources are available for faculty needs. Along
with the computer-based resources are those that assist faculty in the
instructional strategies involved in teaching from a distance. Each VC classroom
will have student facilitators at the Tahlequah campus and the Muskogee
campus. Every effort will be made to coordinate student facilitation at
other receive sites. Technical support will be provided by NSU Computing
and Telecommunications for both Muskogee and Tahlequah. In conjunction
with OSRHE Receive Site Funding, remote sites will provide technical assistance
for NSU classes. The receiving site
will provide proctors for examinations. The instructor will need to communicate
the date and time of the examination to the Distance Education Office
at the receiving site at least one week in advance of the class. Examinations
will be sent to the Distance Education Office at least one week in advance
of the class and will be kept in a locked desk or file cabinet. Examinations
should be handled only by authorized personnel. Course Correspondence Course Correspondence in this case refers to documents which are transported
back and forth between the instructors and the students of VC classes
by various means.
Testing Tests should be processed according to policies on course correspondence
listed above. Tests received late will not be administered. VC Facilitators
will serve as proctors for tests in the VC classes they are assigned.
After the tests are administered, completed tests will be returned according
to the time frames listed in the course correspondence section. Faculty Training Student Training
VC students will be
provided by the NSU Distance Learning Office instructional material for
successful learning methods while taking an VC course. These materials
are for the faculty's distribution to their students before or during
the course. Evaluation of Distance
Learning Program Both summative and
formative evaluations of the distance learning program, of which VC is
a component, will be conducted for improvement purposes. Coordination of
Distance Learning Distance learning
efforts will be directed by the Director of the Center for Teaching and
Learning through the office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
The coordinator will provide faculty training and consulting; OneNet scheduling;
maintaining of reimbursement records; course tracking and monitoring;
evaluating the distance learning program; and serving as liaison to other
University units. Profile of the
Distant Student The primary role of
the student is to learn. Under the best of circumstances, this challenging
task requires motivation, planning, and the ability to analyze and apply
the information being taught. In a distance education setting, the process
of student learning is more complex for several reasons (Schuemer, 1993):
· Many distance-education
students are older, have jobs, and families. They must coordinate the
different areas of their lives which influence each other C their families,
jobs, spare time, and studies. Distant Students'
Development as Learners Beginning students
may have some difficulty determining what the demands of a course of academic
study actually are because they do not have the support of an immediate
peer group, ready access to the instructor, or familiarity with the technology
being used for delivery of the distance-education course. They may be
unsure of themselves and their learning. Morgan (1991) suggests that distant
students who are not confident about their learning tend to concentrate
on memorizing facts and details in order to complete assignments and write
exams. As a result, they end up with a poor understanding of course material.
He views memorization of facts and details as a "surface approach"
to learning and summarizes it as follows: Surface approach · Focus on
the "signs" (e.g., the text or instruction itself). Deep Approach · Focus on
what is "signified" (e.g., the instructor's arguments). Improving Distant
Learning The shift from "surface"
to "deep" learning is not automatic. Brundage, Keane, and Mackneson
(1993) suggest that adult students and their instructors must face and
overcome a number of challenges before learning takes place including
becoming and staying responsible for themselves; "owning" their
strengths, desires, skills, and needs; maintaining and increasing self-esteem;
relating to others; clarifying what is learned; redefining what legitimate
knowledge is; and dealing with content. These challenges are considered
in relation to distance education: · "Becoming
and staying responsible for themselves". High motivation is required
to complete distant courses because the day-to-day contact with teachers
and other students is typically lacking. Instructors can help motivate
distant students by providing consistent and timely feedback, encouraging
discussion among students, being well prepared for class, and by encouraging
and reinforcing effective student study habits. Conclusion Teaching and learning
at a distance is demanding. However, learning will be more meaningful
and Adeeper@ for distant students, if the students and their instructor
share responsibility for developing learning goals and objectives; actively
interacting with class members; promoting reflection on experience; relating
new information to examples that make sense to learners; maintaining self-esteem;
and evaluating what is being learned. This is the challenge and the opportunity
provided by distance education. The following items
are being followed to maintain the efficacy of distance education at NSU: · Video tape
backups for each lecture. There are VHS tapes in the control desk for
this purpose. With six-hour tapes, we can record two weeks of lecture.
If there are technical difficulties, we can get the tape to remote site
students. If there are no problems, we can recycle the tapes every two
weeks. You may choose not to use the tape backups; however, that would
eliminate one backup plan in case of equipment failure. These are some of
the duties/responsibilities required of an VC Student Facilitator during
the 2002-2003 academic year: · Be in the
classroom five to ten minutes early to do equipment checks and make phone
calls if necessary. VC
Technical Assistance VC Technical Assistance At the beginning of
each semester, a full time network support person will be in the classroom
for the first twenty minutes of class, regardless of start time. After
the first two weeks, technical support is provided on an as-needed, priority
basis. Each of our network technicians is equipped with a cell phone and
a method for contacting them, via the campus operator, is widely published.
A technician will be available until at least 7:00 p.m., on the Tahlequah
campus, and at least 9:00 p.m., on the Muskogee and Broken Arrow campuses,
Monday through Thursday. With advance notice of scheduling changes, an
attempt will be made to adjust support coverage. Additionally, the
Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning will provide VC facilitators
to operate the equipment and do basic equipment troubleshooting for each
class on each campus. Computing and Telecommunications is committed to
providing the VC facilitators with as much training as deemed appropriate
by the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. M. Gibbons,
1/09/02 It is recommended
that the following items become a part of the Distance Learning Policies
and Procedures for NSU. An NSU online course is defined as one in which
at least 80% of the course content is delivered over the Internet. Course Consideration Faculty teaching assignments
for online courses will be made by the deans in consultation with the
department heads. Consideration will be given to the faculty members' regular teaching
load and the nature of the course. Some courses clearly would not be appropriate
for online instruction at this time. Attempts will be made to limit the
size of the classes. The total number of students should not exceed the
number of students in the traditional on-site class, based upon recommendations
of the specific college and the nature of the class. (Note: Research indicates
that fifteen to twenty-five students are the norm to maximize interactivity.)
Proposed Compensation
for Online Course Development Faculty compensation
will be available for each online course developed through an application
process. Course developers will submit a proposal for compensation of
the course converted to online modality. The Distance Learning Advisory
Committee will determine the amount of compensation based on the extent
of development. The quality of development will be based on a pre-determined
rubric with specific criteria. The amount of compensation will be up to
$1,800 per course for full conversion to online modality with at least
80% of course material online. Fully converted courses will be given first
budgetary priority. A course developer may submit a proposal for compensation
for any online enhancement to the course. Payment will occur after the
course has been developed. The Distance Learning
Committee will allocate compensation for proposals from an annual budget
set aside for this purpose. Consideration will be given only after the
deans and department chairs approve the development of a particular course
to be delivered online. Both VC/Online
Course Development If an instructor develops
a face-to-face course to both online and VC modality, the amount compensated
will be proportional to the delivery method policy. The Distance Learning
Committee will also determine an annual award for the most excellent course
site developed during the year with the winning site recognized on the
NSU Home Page with a link. Student Support Students will have
access to academic advising through telephone or e-mail. Library resources
will be provided for students for research purposes, including services
from the John Vaughan Library at Northeastern State University on the
Internet, by courier services, document delivery, and other methods. Bookstore
resources will be provided for students mail and will be provided at toll-free
number for ordering. Student Training
Online students will
be provided a student manual as provided by the course development software
publisher. Faculty Support
Faculty will have
access to a variety of resources to assist in adapting their courses to
the online delivery mode. Instructional design, video production, web-page
assistance, graphics production, authoring tools and other computer-based
resources are available for faculty needs. Along with the computer-based
resources are those that assist faculty in the instructional strategies
involved in teaching from a distance. Technical assistance
will be provided for online students. The policy is stated at a separate
location in this manual. Faculty Training Course development
software training is provided for all interested faculty at least one
semester prior to the faculty teaching assignment. Although the Help
Desk is only staffed 9 until 5, the NET labs are staffed with Student
Technical Consultants (STC) 20/7, excluding major holidays. During normal
business hours, a web based student could call the Help Desk. After normal
business hours (7:45 a.m. through 5:15 p.m.) the Help Desk phone could
be forwarded to the STC covering the lab and that STC will also monitor
the e-mail address "webhelp@nsuok.edu".
There will be occasions when students at the Help Desk will have to refer
the problem to a full time employee the next day. The Microcomputing
Services Center (MSC) personnel, whether it is Help Desk, full time, or
lab STC, will offer the best advice they can regarding any problem located
on the student side of the firewall. Any problem located at or on the
NSU side of the firewall, would be the sole responsibility of NSU to resolve.
Should a problem occur on the weekend, the Help Desk should be notified
at extension 5678. Evaluation of Distance
Learning Program Both summative and
formative evaluations of the distance learning program, of which Online
teaching and learning is a component, will be conducted for program improvement.
Coordination of
Distance Learning Distance learning
efforts will be directed by the Director of the Center for Teaching and
Learning through the office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
The Director of CTL will provide faculty training and consulting; OneNet
scheduling; maintaining of reimbursement records; course tracking and
monitoring; evaluating the distance learning program; and serving as liaison
to other University units. I.
Introduction Since the demand for
distance learning appears to be increasing and the continuing development
of electronically published course materials in various media seems likely,
it is important to address the issues raised by the creation, use and
distribution of various forms of electronically published course materials
and clarify the rights and responsibilities of each of the parties involved.
This policy is a supplement to the Patent and Copyright policies promulgated
by the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges and found in Chapter 5, '
5.13 of the BOROC General policies, page 5-104. Furthermore, this policy
only addresses distance learning. To the extent this policy conflicts
with the general BOROC patent/copyright policy on issues involving distance
learning, the BOROC policy prevails. I-A. Definitions: Distance learning
is a pedagogy whereby students are instructed via electronic transmissions,
often utilizing electronically published course materials. Electronically
published course materials are materials utilizing electronic transmissions
to teach students at sites distant from the faculty member's University
campus. Licensure is
the right to use or market the electronically developed course materials
for educational purposes. Substantial Use
as it relates to the use of University resources is that use of University
laboratory, studio, audio, audiovisual, video, television, broadcast,
computer, computational or other facilities, resources and Staff or Students
which: (a) falls outside the scope of the Faculty member's or Librarian's
normal job responsibilities or the Student's academic program or (ii)
entails a Faculty member's or Librarian's use of such resources that are
not ordinarily available to all or virtually all Faculty members with
comparable status in the same College or Department or to all or virtually
all similarly situated Faculty or Librarians. The term "substantial
use" does not include the use of personal office space, local telephone,
library resources and personal computer equipment incidental to teaching
in the traditional classroom with electronic enhancements or additions. Work for Hire
is (a) a work prepared by a Staff member or Student employed at the University
within the scope of employment; or (b) a specially-commissioned work created
by a Faculty member or Librarian within the scope of employment, as set
forth in a specific written agreement between the Faculty member or Librarian
and the University. A work for hire situation, as contemplated by this
policy, arises where any compensation is paid by the University for the
purpose of authoring and developing the electronically published course
material(s). "Faculty"
includes individuals receiving a letter of appointment from the Vice President
for Academic Affairs or his or her designee to a teaching position, with
or without compensation from the University, and whether full-time, research,
part-time, visiting, or other status. "Librarian(s)"
includes all individuals receiving a letter of appointment from the Vice
President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee to a professional
librarian position, with or without compensation from the University,
and whether full-time, research, part-time, visiting, or other status. "Author"
as used herein, refers to and includes those individuals responsible for
content and conceptual design and development of the electronically published
material. The term "author" as used in its singular form herein
shall be construed to include its plural form where appropriate. "Work"
as used herein shall refer to any electronically published material prepared
for use in distance learning. II. Ownership Unless a specific
written agreement between the author(s) of a distance learning project
and the University is negotiated, patent/copyright ownership in the project
shall vest according to the categories stated below. II-A. Works Generated
At the Initiative of Faculty, Librarians or Staff Ownership interest,
and all rights associated therewith, of any work resulting from an individual's
efforts on his or her own personal time without any direct support from
or through the University and without the use of any University resources
beyond those normally provided by the University vests completely in the
author(s) of the work. II-B. Works Generated
At the Initiative of Faculty, Librarians or Staff Using Minimal University
Resources Ownership interest,
and all rights associated therewith, of any work resulting from an individual's
efforts with the use of minimal university resources above and beyond
those normally provided to other faculty, librarians or staff similarly
situated vests completely in the author(s) of the work. The University
possesses a non-exclusive educational license to use the work as part
of its course delivery. The use of this license encompasses the situation
where the author of the work is not responsible for teaching the course
containing his or her electronically published materials. II-C. Works Generated
At the Initiative of Faculty, Librarians or Staff Using Substantial University
Resources II-D. Works Generated
As A Work Made For Hire Ownership interest,
and all rights associated therewith, of any distance learning project
meeting the definition of a "work made for hire", as defined
herein, vests completely in the University. The University possesses exclusive
educational and commercial ownership and license authority. The author
is not entitled to payment of royalty. III. Revision Rights
and Obligations The author of a distance
learning project retain the right to update, edit or otherwise revise
electronically developed course materials that become out of date. In
certain circumstances, the author of a distance learning project retains
right to place a time limit upon the use of electronically developed course
materials that are particularly time sensitive, regardless of who owns
any copyright interest in the electronically developed course materials.
These rights and limitations may be negotiated in advance of the creation
of the electronically developed course materials and may be reduced to
writing. Absent a written agreement, each author is under an academic
duty to revise his or her work on an annual basis in order to maintain
academic standards. If an author revises the work and such revision is
done in a satisfactory manner, the author retains the rights to full royalties
as stated above for another year. If the University believes a revision
is necessary and no timely revision is made or if the revision made, in
the University's opinion, does not maintain academic standards, the University
may refuse to market the product, or the University may employ another
individual to update the work and charge the cost of updating against
any royalties paid to the original author. The duty to revise a distance
learning project is continuing for the life of the project regardless
of the author's employment status with the University. IV. Patent/Copyright
Administration and Enforcement The Patent/Copyright
Officer and Patent/Copyright Committee shall be responsible for the administration
of this policy and applying the policy equitably across the campus. The
author of any electronically developed course materials should submit
a proposal to the Patent/Copyright Officer describing the work and the
institutional resources that will be used or consumed in its creation
and production. The Patent/Copyright Officer shall review the submitted
material and make an initial recommendation regarding the appropriate
category of ownership to which the work should be assigned. The Patent/Copyright
Officer shall forward the author's proposal along with his or her recommendation
to the Patent/Copyright Committee. The Committee shall review the submitted
materials and make a final recommendation regarding the appropriate category
of ownership to which the work should be assigned. The author of the work
shall enjoy the right to be present at all Committee meetings and may
negotiate with the Committee as an agent of the University. The Committee's
final recommendation shall then be forwarded to the Vice President for
Academic Affairs for final approval. The Patent/Copyright
Officer shall be responsible for registering the copyright for works in
which the University possess an ownership interest. The University shall
be responsible for enforcing its copyright or patent interests. Authors
of electronically published materials for use in distance learning may
make such decisions and take such steps to protect works they own. Any
one of the authors of a joint work may register and enforce the copyright
in the names of all owners, provided they account for the same to all
joint authors. APPENDIX
A Online
Student Procedures |
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