European and Worldwide Experience in Electronic Learning

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European and Worldwide Experience in Electronic
Learning

• Roumen Nikolov,
• Sofia University

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• Contents
• eLearning in Europe and Worldwide
• eLearning related projects at Sofia University
• Practicing eLearning at Sofia University
• eLearning Perspectives

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eLearning in Europe
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EC- Lisbon Strategy

• The Union must become the most competitive and
  dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world
  capable of sustainable economic growth with more
  and better jobs and greater social cohesion
• "not only a radical transformation of the
  European economy, but also a challenging
  programme for the modernisation of social welfare
  and education systems".
• by 2010, Europe should be the world leader in
  terms of the quality of its education and
  training systems (2002-Barcelona).
• Making this happen will mean a fundamental
  transformation of education and training
  throughout Europe. This process of change will be
  carried out in each country according to national
  contexts and traditions and will be driven
  forward by cooperation between Member States at
  European level, through the sharing of
  experiences, working towards common goals and
  learning from what works best elsewhere.

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Strategic Objectives

• In the light of these challenges and
  developments, with the aim of contributing to the
  "new strategic goal" for Europe, the Ministers of
  Education have adopted the following concrete
  strategic objectives for the coming ten years
• ? Increasing the quality and effectiveness of
  education and training systems in the European
  Union
• ? Facilitating the access of all to the education
  and training systems
• ? Opening up education and training systems to
  the wider world

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Some Policy Statements

• A knowledge society cannot exist without highly
  educated citizens and a well-trained workforce.
  Education and training are therefore crucial to
  achieving the ambitious economic and social goals
  Europe has set itself for 2010.
• E-learning - learning enhanced by the use of the
  Internet and new multimedia technologies should
  be available to all.

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http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/index_en.html
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http//www.elearningeuropa.info/
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Sixth Seventh EC Framework Programs
http//europa.eu.int/comm/research/index_en.cfm
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http//europa.eu.int/information_society/edutra/in
dex_en.htm
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http//europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2
005/all_about/elearning/index_en.htm
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eLearning Worldwide
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UNESCO - www.unesco.org
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World Bank - http//www.worldbank.org/
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OECD- http//www.oecd.org/
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eLearning related projects at Sofia University
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SU - Educational and Scientific Centre of the
Country

• Over 35,000 students
• 80 Bachelors and over 200 Masters degree
  programmes
• Over 3000 teachers and researchers
• Very important role for the development of the
  country
• Challenges economic and social changes, new
  models of education, new role of universities,
  brain drain
• European Space of Higher Education
• Sofia University to become a National and
  Regional Centre of High-Technologies, Innovations
  and Entrepreneurship

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Programmes in the frame of which we develop
projects
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More than 40 eLearning related projects

• 6 (out of 10) projects from Sixth Framework RTD
  Programme
• 7 (out of 15) projects from Fifth Framework RTD
  Programme
• 5 (out of 7) projects from Fourth Framework RTD
  Programme (INCO COPERNICUS)
• Almost any other RTD project has an eLearning
  component
• Many other national and international eLearning
  related projects - Internal at Sofia University,
  Ministry of Education and Science, EC (PHARE,
  Socrates - Minerva, Leonardo, Comenius), World
  Bank, Industrial, Bilateral with other
  Universities, etc.

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• 6FP NoE Project KALEIDOSCOPE Concepts and
  methods for exploring the future of learning with
  digital technologies,
• 6FP IP Project TENCOMPETENCIES Building The
  European Network for Lifelong Competence
  Development (under negotiations)
• 6FP STREP Project UNITE Unified eLearning
  Environment for the School (under negotiations)
• FP6-2004-IST-NMP-2 PRIME Providing Real
  Integration in Multi-disciplinary Environments
• 6FP SSA Science.and.Society.7 Project PARCEL
  Participatory Communication Activities on
  E.Learning
• FP6 SSA 016020 ATVN-EU-GP Academic Internet
  Television Showcases the Best of Good Practice
  Activities
• 6FP IP Project GUIDE Creating an European
  Identity Management Architecture for
  eGovernment, http//www.guide-project.org
• 6FP BulRMCNet Bulgarian Network of Research
  Mobility Centres
• 6FP Project E4 Extended Enterprise Management in
  Enlarged Europe (under negotiations)
• FP6 MOBILITY-2004-SSA REKS Researchers in
  European Knowledge Society

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• 5FP IST-2002-5.1.15 (2002-2005) MECITV Project
  Media Collaboration for Interactive TV
• 5 FP IST Project "DIOGENE A Training Web Broker
  for ICT Professionals" - http//www.diogene.org/
• 5 FP 2001/C 321/17 (2002-2005) GEM-Europe
  Project Global Education in Manufacturing
• 5 FP IST Project "WebLabs new representational
  infrastructures for learning", http//www.weblabs.
  eu.com
• 5 FP IST-1999-20852 (2000-2002) "Best Practice
  Pilot for the Promotion and Implementation of
  Teleworking Tools at European SMEs of the Service
  Sector (PROTELEUSES)"
• 5FP Innovation and SMEs IPS-2001-41103 PROMOTOR
  Project Collaborative Validation and Transfer
  of Regional Support Measures for Start-ups and
  Growth in Five NACs Regions
• 5FP IPS-2000-056 (2001-2003) EIM CEE Project
  Euro Innovation Manager Central and Eastern
  Europe

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• 5 FP IST-1999-21148 (2000-2002) "Best Practice
  Pilot for the implementation of Integrated
  Internet Based Remote Working Places for Virtual
  Teams developing their work at SMEs (IWOP)"
• 5 FP IST-1999-12646 (2000-2002) "A Picture of
  Social Observation of Call Centre (TOSCA)" -
  http//www-it.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/tosca/
• 5 FP IST-2001-32790 (2001-2002) WG-ECUA
  European COTS Working Group Extension -
  http//www.esi.es/ecua/
• 5 FP IST-2001-34488 (2002- 2004) EXPERT Project
  Best Practice on E-project Development Methods
• 5 FP IST-2001-37460 COCONET Context Aware
  Collaborative Environments for Next Generation
  Business Networks
• 5FP IST Project EUNITE - EUropean Network on
  Intelligent TEchnologies for Smart Adaptive
  Systems - http//www.eunite.org/
• 5 FP IPS-1999-950097 (2001-2002) INNOCONS
  Increasing The Awareness On Innovation In The
  European Construction Sector - http//www.innocons
  .org
• 5FP IST-02-8-1B (2002-2003) AFORO Project
  Agro-Food Roadmaps. A vision and work plan to
  implement future RTD trends for the
  transformation of agri-food industries into
  digital companies
• 5 FP Innovation and SMEs Thematic Networks,
  BIGEAR NET Thematic Network on Stimulation of
  Business Innovation and Growth from Exploitation
  of Academic Research"

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6FP project Kaleidoscope Concepts and Methods
for Exploring the Future of Learning with Digital
Technologies

• Kaleidoscope - a Network of Excellence which
  brings together European teams in
  technology-enhanced learning. Its goal is to
  integrate 76 research units from around Europe,
  covering a large range of expertise from
  technology to education, from academic to private
  research. altogether, it is a community of more
  than 800 researchers in 23 countries which have
  joined in their efforts to develop new concepts
  and methods for exploring the future of learning
  with digital technologies.

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Kaleidoscope Activities

• Backbone Activities Academy-Industry Digital
  Alliance Advanced Training Institute Shared
  Virtual Laboratory Virtual Doctoral School
  Users Group
• European Research Teams Computer-based Analysis
  and Visualization of Collaborative Learning
  Activities (CAViCoLA)Computer-Supported
  Scripting of Interaction in Collaborative
  Learning EnvironmentsConditions for productive
  networked learning environmentsIntegrating
  Collaborative, Inquiry and Experiential Learning
  (CIEL)Learning and Technology at WorkPhilosophy
  of Technology Enhanced LearningProduction of
  educational formatsTechnology enhanced learning
  in mathematics

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Kaleidoscope Activities (Cont)

• Jointly Executed Integrating Research Projects
  Digital Language Learning An Integrated
  PerspectiveLearning Patterns for the design and
  deployment of Mathematical GamesTechnology
  enhanced public spaces for intergenerational
  learning (La Piazza)Special Interest Groups
  Artificial Intelligence and educationComputer
  Support for Collaborative LearningComputer
  Supported Inquiry LearningLearning
  GRIDNarrative and Learning EnvironmentsCompleted
  activities - Jointly Executed Integrating
  Research Projects Building Visual Interactive
  Blocks for Tangible MathematicsConditions for
  productive learning in network learning
  environmentsInteraction Collaboration
  Analysis' supporting Teachers Students'
  Self-regulationMobile Support for Integrated
  LearningPersonalised and Collaborative Trails of
  Digital and Non-Digital Learning ObjectsSemantic
  Web and E-LearningImpact of technology-enhanced
  learning on roles and practices in Higher
  Education

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TENCompetence Project

• Development of an European 'Infrastructure' for
  lifelong competence development
• Develops and integrates new pedagogical
  organisational models for lifelong competence
  development
• Infrastructure is based on integrated open source
  components
• To be used by any individual, school, team or
  organisation to develop competences
• Project doesn't start from scratch, but build on
  existing methods, open standards open source
  tools

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TENCompetence data

• EU ISTTechnology Enhanced Learning Integrated
  Project
• Web site www.tencompetence.org
• 4 years December 2005 December 2009
• Substantial Pilots
• training for digital movie production
• continues training for health care workers
• UNESCO-IHE water management Nile region
• Antwerp lifelong learning city
• Building a growing network of associated partners

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PRIME - Providing Real Integration in
Multi-disciplinary Environments

• The main objective of the PRIME project is to
  give business professionals in strategic
  manufacturing a Learning Environment where they
  can experiment with new ideas and learn how to
  handle the entire life cycle of products and
  processes for all stakeholders of the
  organization. PRIME proposes to achieve this by
  enhancing current work environments with a new
  paradigm based on the creation of a Virtual
  Business Environment (VBE) using technologies
  from the field of virtual environments and
  serious gaming. A serious game consists of
  applying the engagement factors of gaming within
  work environments. One of the most successful
  forms of virtual environments is the flight
  simulation used as an integral part in the
  training of aviation pilots.

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PRIME Learning Anywhere and Anytime
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WebLabs Project http//www.weblabs.eu.com/

• WebLabs New Representational Infrastructure for
  e-learning
• Partners Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Portugal,
  Sweden, UK.
• BG team Teaching staff and PhD students from
  Sofia university Researchers from the Bulgarian
  Academy of Sciences Teachers Children
  Parents/Grandparents
• Goals Creating virtual laboratory and a
  community of young learners, teachers and
  researchers to explore collaboratively
  mathematical and science phenomena
• Educational aims
• Young children from different countries to learn
  and explore mathematics and science topics
  through virtual collaboration with peers,
  teachers and researchers worldwide
• To evaluate learning in a context where the
  communitys ideas are being expressed through
  specially designed instruments - dynamic web
  reports

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WebLabs achievements

• Collaboration in mathematics and informatics
  context at various levels
• Making knowledge, traditionally considered as
  difficult and unattainable for young children,
  accessible, interesting and meaningful for them
• Implementing the constructionist approach in
  ToonTalk context
• Symbiosis between web collaboration, visual
  programming and mathematical modeling
• Creating a new culture of communication and
  collaboration

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IDWBL - 'Innovative Didactics via Web Based
Learning, a Minerva projecthttp//www-it.fmi.uni
-sofia.bg/idwbl/
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IDWBL ProjectOctober 2005 30 September 2006

• Innovative Didactics for Web-Based Learning
• Participants _ NL, LT, PL, SQ, and BG
• Objectives
• To train (via a cascade approach) teacher
  educators and secondary school teachers by
  using a specially developed Methodology and
  instruments - in developing Web assignments and
  applying web based learning with their students
• To produce a database with assignments for at
  least 5 school subjects in English and in the
  national languages
• To evaluate the proposed and implemented
  web-based teaching and learning model in terms of
  effectiveness, added value, sustainability and
  transferability
• To disseminate the project outcomes to national
  educational policy-makers and the wider national
  and European communities of educators

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Summary of the approach

• Course leaders from each country are trained by
  the coordinating institute
• Each course leader uses a translated version of
  the manual to trainteacher educators (5 per
  country)
• Each teacher educator trains 5 teachers
• Each teacher applies materials for web based
  learning to students.
• During the training process each trainee
  develops assignments, which are peer reviewed and
  after revisions stored in a data base.
• During this process, a large number of
  assignments are developed, which can be used
  and/or adapted by the registered users of the
  data base
• Some assignments are later allocated to students
  to work on them in class

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ITeach Innovative Teacher, a Leonardo Project-
http//i-teach.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/
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• Partners 8 partners from 7 countries (BG, DE,
  IT, LT, NL, PL, RO)
• Focus Enhanced ICT skills and Soft Skills
• Objectives To develop practical methodologies,
  approaches and tools for
• day-to day
• utilization of enhanced ICT skills
• by teacher trainers and teachers
• in their professional practice.
• Target groups teacher trainers in ICT Teachers
  and Trainers in ICT related subjects from
  vocational schools
• Expected results
• Methodological handbook,
• Teacher training curriculum,
• Pilot training,
• On-line content repository,
• Virtual Training Centres.

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ReDisInfoIST re-qualification of disabled persons

• Leonardo da Vinci Programme
• CZ04BF NT-168025
• http//www-it.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/redisinfo

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ReDisInfo - about project

• Aims To develop training materials for teaching
  information technologies and to perform training
  to disabled people
• Target group disabled people who already have
  some qualification and need to be re-qualified
  for using ICT.
• Consortium Universities and NGOs from Czech
  Rep., Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Italy,
  Bulgaria.
• Results 5 ODL courses for disable people
• Duration 2004-2007

http//www-it.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/redisinfo
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Courses

• Basic Computer Literacy
• Using the common function of a personal computer,
  its operating system and possibility for
  communication via Internet.
• Office applications
• Using the based functions of office applications
  and create simple documents.
• Web applications
• To learn how to create simple web pages and
  Internet sites.
• Digital Images
• To create and modify digital images in different
  formats.
• Advanced Office
• To use advanced options of Office applications in
  single and networked computers.

http//www-it.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/redisinfo
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eLearning at Sofia University- practicing what
we preach
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Basic Data eLearning at FMI, Sofia University

• Experience 12 years
• More than 60 of the courses in Computer Science
  at MSc level are in eLearning format
• Teacher Training
• ARCADE a LMS platform developed at FMI
• Extending the eLearning experience
• eLearning based industrial training initiatives

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Linking RTD with education and training, e.g.
ACM/IEEE Computing Curricula

• Computer Science  
• Computer Engineering
• Software Engineering
• Information Systems
• BSc, MSc PhD

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MSc Programs

• Artificial Intelligence
• Computational Science and Engineering
• eBusiness and eGovernment
• eLearning
• Medical Informatics
• Information Systems
• Mathematical Modelling
• Mathematical Modelling in Economics
• Mobile Technologies and Distributed Systems
• Probability Statistics
• Software Engineering
• Information Security
• Computer Graphics
• Mechatronics and Robotics

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Become a Leader in Information Technology
Management
We have what you need!
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Regional Cisco Academy
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Chronology

• 2000 established Regional Cisco Academy at Sofia
  University
• 2000-2001 certified 8 CCAI
• 2001 started teaching CCNA1-4
• 2002 started teaching IT12,Fundamentals of
  Java, Fundamentals of Unix
• 2003 started teaching CCNP
• 2005 started teaching Wireless LAN Network
  Security courses

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Cisco courses integrated in University curriculum

• Faculty of Mathematics Informatics
• BSc Computer Science - CCNA1 (since 2001/2002)
• MSc Distributed Systems Mobile technologies
• CCNA1-4 (since 2004/2005)
• Wireless LANs (since 2004/2005)
• IT Essentials 2 (since 2004/2005)
• Network Security (since 2005/2006)
• MSc Information Systems
• CCNA1 (since 2003/2004)
• Fundamentals of Unix (since 2003/2004)
• Faculty of Economics Business
• MSc Management Information Systems
• CCNA1 (since 2003/2004)
• Fundamentals of Unix (since 2003/2004)

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Master of Science Programon e-Learning
Department of Information Technologies Faculty
of Mathematics and Informatics University of
Sofia St. Kliment Ohridski

• http//www.fmi.uni-sofia.bg/education/magisters/

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Overview

• The aim of the Program is to prepare specialists
  able to design and develop high quality
  e-learning solutions for education and training.
• Graduates of the Program will be able to design
  fully functional and market-oriented e-learning
  programs at different levels.

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For whom is the MSc Program in e-learning
intended?

• The Program is particularly useful for
• university and high school teachers who want to
  go beyond the boundaries of the traditional
  education and extend their teaching with
  e-learning elements
• training specialists in companies, governmental
  or non-governmental organizations
• managers at different levels in educational and
  training institutions
• any individual, wanting to build life long
  learning skills

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Courses

• The Program includes six core courses, which
  build a background in the main aspects of
  e-learning, and a set of elective courses,
  intended to deepen the knowledge and expertise of
  the students in one of the three dimensions -
  pedagogical, technological and organization/manage
  ment.
• The Program concludes with development and
  defense of a masters thesis.

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Who can apply?

• Candidates with BSc in Computer Science,
  Information Technologies, Applied Mathematics,
  Mathematics and Informatics or related fields. In
  this case the duration of the program is 3
  semesters (full time) or 5 semesters (part time)
• Candidates with BSc in Educational Sciences or
  other fields. In this case the duration of the
  program is 4 semesters (full time)
• The candidates must have basic knowledge and
  skills in IT and educational technologies

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MSc e-Learning platform MOODLE
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Contact information

• Program Chair Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iliana
  Nikolovailiana_at_fmi.uni-sofia.bg
• Program Coordinator Assist. Prof. Evgenia
  Kovatchevaepk_at_fmi.uni-sofia.bg
• Tel/fax [phone] (Department of IT)
  359-2-8161535 (I. Nikolova) 359-2-8161511
  (E.Kovatcheva)
• Address Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
  (FMI)5, James BouchierSofia 1164, Bulgaria

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eLearning Perspectives Emerging Technologies for
Learning
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Trends

• Personalisation of (e) Learning
• Mobile learning
• Ambient Technologies in Learning
• Computational modeling and advanced
  human-computer interaction solutions
• Virtual social networks
• Broadband, broadband home

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A tendency

• Shift from being digital consumers to becoming
  digital producers and publishers.
• Needs for new instructional strategies

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Example M-Learning

• See Get Mobile (http//www.getmobile.org),
• M-learning website (http//www.mlearning.org).)
• M-learning new tools that tutors can add,
  combined as required, to their teaching
  resources. Some of these tools are
• SMS (text messaging) as a skills check, or for
  collecting feedback
• audio-based learning (iPods, MP3 players,
  podcasting)
• Java quizzes to download to colour-screen
  phones
• specific learning modules on PDAs
• media collection using camera-phones
• online publishing or blogging using SMS, MMS
  (picture and audio messages), cameras, email and
  the web
• field trips using GPS and positional tools.

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Thank you for your attention!