Using a Participatory Design Approach to Create and Sustain an
Innovative Technology-rich STEM Classroom
One School's Story
Mary L. Stephen, Sharon M. Locke and Georgia L. Bracey
Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Research, Education, and Outreach,
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL, U.S.A.
Keywords: Participatory Design, Co-design, Technology-rich STEM Classroom, Learning Environment, Innovation,
Stakeholders.
Abstract: This paper describes the design and implementation of a technology-rich STEM classroom in a secondary
school associated with a comprehensive U.S. Midwestern university. Built to address a waning interest in
STEM and STEM careers, this classroom offers multiple technologies and an engaging, flexible physical
space that together create an innovative learning environment. A participatory design approach was utilized
in order to maximize the use and sustainability of the classroom. Students, teachers, and administrators from
the secondary school worked in collaboration with university faculty and staff and with Herman Miller®, an
international design company that conducts learning-space research. In addition to the design process, this
paper outlines successes and challenges encountered in implementation, as well as strategies used in
addressing the challenges, providing guidance for other educational organizations seeking to infuse
advanced technologies into classroom design and instruction.
1 INTRODUCTION
In February 2012, McCoy High School
(pseudonym), a public high school in the U.S.
Midwest, opened a high-technology classroom
designed to be an innovative environment for
teaching and learning in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This STEM
classroom was created in response to a call for an
increasing focus on STEM education in U.S.
schools, as articulated in several high-profile
national reports (National Research Council, 2011;
National Science Board, 2010; PCAST, 2010).
These reports emphasize that STEM education is the
foundation for many of the high-growth sectors of
the economy. In response to these reports and to a
growing number of federal and state initiatives, local
school administrators and teachers are looking for
practical solutions to enhance the quality of STEM
instruction, and this issue is not limited to the U.S.
(Berguard et al., 2012; Joyce and Dzoga, 2011;
Marginson et al., 2013).
Many schools are turning to computing
technologies as a means to improve STEM
education because there is a growing consensus that
students should be exposed to the advanced
technologies and tools used by practicing scientists
and engineers (Cohen and Patterson, 2012).
McCoy's STEM classroom provides students who
are living in an urban, high-poverty community with
access to some of the latest technologies and tools of
STEM as part of their learning experience, with the
long-term goal of raising student achievement and
inspiring students to pursue STEM university
degrees and careers. The classroom incorporates
design elements that reflect recent understandings of
effective ways to promote and support STEM
learning, and includes features that the STEM
teachers and students feel are important for
facilitating learning.
In this paper, we describe the design,
development, and implementation of McCoy High
School's STEM classroom. We discuss some of the
challenges encountered during the process, including
approaches taken to meet these challenges, and
finally highlight factors contributing to the success
of the project.
30
L. Stephen M., M. Locke S. and L. Bracey G..
Using a Participatory Design Approach to Create and Sustain an Innovative Technology-rich STEM Classroom - One School’s Story.
DOI: 10.5220/0004849900300038
In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU-2014), pages 30-38
ISBN: 978-989-758-022-2
Copyright
c
2014 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)
2 BACKGROUND & VISION
The newly constructed STEM classroom is a part of
McCoy High School, a public high school located
within the local city public school district and
sponsored by a nearby public university. The school
is located in an economically depressed, post-
industrial, Midwestern city which is part of a large
urban metropolitan area. All of the school’s 115
students are African-American, and approximately
90% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price
lunches. The school has limited resources and, prior
to construction of the STEM classroom, had access
to only two outdated computer labs that often were
not fully operational. The school recently completed
a third year on academic watch. In the United States,
a school is placed on academic watch if it does not
meet proficiency performance standards in
academic, attendance, and graduation rate targets
defined by the state for four consecutive years.
Students in districts with a high poverty level are
especially at risk of being unprepared for university
science and mathematics courses (Darling-
Hammond, 2010). As students advance in grade
level, mathematics and science test scores markedly
decline. In the McCoy High School district, only
47% of 7
th
graders and just 8% of 11
th
graders meet
performance standards for science on state
examinations. Furthermore, schools in low-income
communities often do not have the materials,
laboratories, and equipment to teach mathematics
and science effectively, and many teachers lack the
necessary training in their subject areas.
In early 2011, the university received a large
donation to design and construct a high-technology
STEM classroom at the high school, with some of
the funds designated for teacher professional
development and onsite technology support
personnel. The university’s STEM Center was
charged with overseeing the classroom’s design and
construction, and it played a key role in gathering
together the design team and establishing the
project’s vision.
The overall vision for the new classroom was
developed by experts in STEM education at the
university. The stated purpose of the new learning
space was to provide students with access to state-
of-the-art technology, equipment, and curricula and
to support teachers in providing students with hands-
on, minds-on science learning. Then, taking a wider
view, the team envisioned the classroom as a
resource for the entire school district and as a model
for excellence in STEM education far beyond the
local setting.
The largest portion of the classroom was viewed as a
“learning studio,” in which movable, flexible seating
would enable group work and student-centered
discussion. Integrated into the physical space would
be state-of-the-art computing and communications
technologies and scientific equipment, providing
opportunities for authentic learning rarely afforded
in low-income communities.
The team also proposed a separate, smaller
facility adjoining the main classroom, modeled after
the fabrication laboratory, or “FabLab,” concept.
Originating at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, educational FabLabs allow students to
design objects on a computer using CAD software
and then see their creations printed in three-
dimensions. FabLabs enhance the learning of a
variety of subjects ranging from geometry to
engineering, to art and design, and help students see
the connections between STEM and the creative
process (Blikstein, 2013). Another goal for the space
was to enable teachers to move easily between the
main classroom and fabrication area as needed to
ensure student engagement and achievement of
learning goals.
A final, yet essential, component of the project
was the provision of teacher training and support to
ensure that the STEM teachers would be fully
empowered to integrate the new resources into their
teaching. It was intended that university faculty,
master educators, and an on-site educational
technology specialist would work in partnership
with the high school teachers over an extended
period of time to ensure that the technology and
equipment would be used effectively and with the
greatest benefit for student learning.
3 DESIGN PROCESS
The design process for the STEM classroom was
participatory, using input from multiple units within
a university, business representatives, and the
ultimate users of the space, the school’s teachers and
students. Participatory design was initially
introduced in the design of computer systems and
technologies in the early 1970s. Today, the concept
of participatory design is more flexible and
applicable in a range of fields employing a variety of
techniques (Crabtree, 1998). A major constant in
participatory design is the involvement of users in
the design process. According to Baek & Lee (2008,
pp. 173), “a participatory design process relies on
the collective generativity of stakeholders; in other
UsingaParticipatoryDesignApproachtoCreateandSustainanInnovativeTechnology-richSTEMClassroom-One
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words, it uses the collective ability of stakeholders to
generate or create thoughts and imaginings.”
The classroom design and construction involved
a large team of individuals representing several units
of the university and three businesses. The
university’s STEM Center director articulated the
vision for the space through team meetings, and each
unit took responsibility for different aspects of the
design. The university’s Instructional Technology
Services (ITS) assigned two representatives to
develop plans for configuring the room to maximize
the use of computing technology. Installation of
computer projection and videoconferencing systems
and networking capabilities was completed by an
outside contractor. The university’s Facilities
Management assigned an architect to design the
physical space and to manage the construction
schedule and work of carpenters, painters, and
electricians.
At an early stage, the university contacted
Herman Miller®, known for their innovative
furniture designs and interest in research on learning
spaces, to request that the project become part of
Herman Miller’s Learning Studio Research
Program. Consequently, McCoy High School
became the first secondary school accepted into this
program. This formal partnership brought additional
resources to the project including interior design
expertise. Herman Miller® and an interior design
company worked with the project team to turn the
vision into reality, providing possible room plans,
furniture options, and color schemes.
The participatory design process ensures that all
users play a meaningful role in the design as “either
an informant or co-designer” (Bowen, 2010) in order
that the end result will better meet their needs and
uses. Diverse perspectives, especially those of
teachers and students, are important when designing
educational environments (Kӧnings et al., 2007).
According to Woolner (2009, p.15), “Importantly, it
seems that the potential for longer term influence is
bound up with recognising and understanding the
inextricable linking of actor and setting, as this
applies to the wide range of school users throughout
and beyond the period of change. If this shared
understanding can be developed through
participatory design, this should satisfy the needs of
architects and educationalists (e.g., Dudek, 2000 and
Clark, 2002, respectively) who have called for more
involvement of users in school design and
recognition of the practical contribution of the
physical setting to teaching and learning.”
Thus, a critical aspect of the process of designing
the STEM classroom involved participation by its
end users. The school’s three STEM teachers and six
student representatives provided feedback on their
needs and their vision for an effective learning
space. Meetings of the STEM Director and the high
school team explored teachers’ and students’
opinions on everything from the educational
activities that would take place in the space to
possible designs to the aesthetics and feel of the
learning environment. Feedback was summarized
and conveyed to the larger group and incorporated
into the design whenever feasible. A summary of
key comments from the teachers and students is
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Teacher & Student Comments.
Four overarching principles guided the design
team and are reflected in the final product:
Fosters creativity and innovation
Meets the needs of the school
Appeals to students and teachers
Integrates innovative technologies
The next section focuses on how these principles are
reflected in the final design of the classroom.
Space and Furnishings
Colorful
Bright lighting
Movable furniture for flexible seating
arrangements
Café-height chairs
Technology
Work spaces for robotics and other design
tasks
High-speed wireless
Many electrical outlets
Separate printer room to reduce noise
levels
Experimental technologies
Durable equipment
Teaching Environment
Communication is facilitated by multiple
writing surfaces
Open spaces to move in and form student
groups
Option of two instructors/classes in the
room simultaneously
Respectful attitude towards the room and
e
q
ui
p
ment
CSEDU2014-6thInternationalConferenceonComputerSupportedEducation
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4 CLASSROOM FEATURES
The overall design of the classroom encourages
student-centered instruction and group work. The
room contains a variety of tables and chairs that are
easy to reconfigure for large and small group
activities. Movable whiteboards and writable walls
provide a large amount of writing and design space
(Figure 2).
Figure 2: McCoy High School STEM Classroom. Photo
courtesy of HermanMiller®.
Computer and information technologies are central
to this learning environment (Figure 3) and can be
easily configured for independent and group
projects. Laptop computers and tablets can be
plugged into the network via floor ports in multiple
locations throughout the room, and in turn can be
projected onto one of several screens. Additional
technology features of the room include a four-
screen video wall, an LCD SMART Board, 52-inch
TV monitor, HD document camera, and ceiling-
mounted video cameras to record classroom
activities. Sets of iPads, laptops, Botball robotics
kits, a programmable humanoid robot, TI-Nspire
calculators, and student response systems are
available for individual and collaborative work.
Additionally, the FabLab contains a 3-D printer and
computers with design software to enable students to
work with engineering design projects.
The first meeting to begin the design process
was in April 2011, and the ribbon-cutting and
official opening of the STEM classroom took place
in February 2012. In late 2012, The Educational
Interiors Showcase awarded the STEM classroom
one of its top awards for classroom design, noting
the space’s “good use of technology" and its "variety
of collaboration/presentation spaces and seating
options within the classroom.”
Figure 3: STEM Classroom Technologies.
5 IMPLEMENTATION
Teaching practice is a product of both the teacher
and the teaching environment (Wilson, 2011). Once
the room design was completed and construction
started, teachers began to consider the question of
what they needed to learn in order to make effective
use of the new technologies for teaching and
learning. They realized that using the technologies
within the new space could not only impact current
practices, but would require teachers to be open to
changing the way they currently teach.
5.1 Researching the Implementation
In conjunction with the design and implementation
of McCoy's STEM classroom, researchers from the
University’s STEM Center designed a research
study to understand and document how the STEM
teachers capitalized on the potential of the space and
available technologies to adopt new or modify
existing pedagogical strategies. The research
explored factors and challenges that influenced
when and how teachers use the room and its
technologies. This included examining teachers’
concerns and attitudes about using the space over the
course of its implementation. It was hoped that
findings from this research could be used to
optimize the usability of the learning space.
Because of the uniqueness of this complex and
dynamic setting, the researchers chose a single case-
study design with mixed methods of data collection
and analysis. The intention in using this design is
Laptop computers
iPads
Graphing calculators
Robotics kits
Humanoid robots
Digital cameras
Document camera
Multiple flat panel displays
Video wall
Classroom recording system
High definition video conferencing
3D printer
Large format printer
Desktop computers with 3D design
software
UsingaParticipatoryDesignApproachtoCreateandSustainanInnovativeTechnology-richSTEMClassroom-One
School'sStory
33
that the story developed may provide unusual
insights that challenge or reinforce a reader’s
existing beliefs and promote broader understanding
of the issues involved (Patton, 1990; Stake, 1998;
Yin, 2009).
Two of the math and science teachers at the
school agreed to participate in the research study.
Initially, the study followed three teachers; however,
one of the teachers left McCoy High School shortly
after the research study began. Demographically, the
two teachers who are the focus of the study are very
different. Teacher A, an African American female in
her 60s with extensive experience as an IT
professional, participated in the design meetings.
She had taught for five years at McCoy High School
at the time the room was designed. Teacher B, a
Caucasian male in his 20s, also participated in the
design meetings. He recently had been hired and
began his first year of teaching during the year the
room was constructed. In addition, two key
administrators at the school agreed to participate
through interviews, and 30% of the students agreed
to participate through focus groups and by
completing surveys about the features of the room,
the technologies, and their teachers’ teaching styles.
Data sources include guided and open-ended
interviews with teachers and administrators, student
focus groups, and observation of sessions in both the
STEM classroom and in regular classrooms.
Additional data that inform the study were gathered
from survey instruments including pre and post
student and teacher questionnaires designed as part
of the Herman Miller® Learning Spaces Research
Program and periodic administration of the Stages of
Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) (George et al., 2006)
to STEM teachers. SoCQ is used to create profiles of
individuals’ evolving levels of concern throughout
the process of adopting an innovation.
The data enabled the researchers to identify
challenges encountered by the teachers when using
this new space and when incorporating new
technologies and pedagogical strategies into their
teaching. The following section identifies these
challenges along with ways these challenges were
approached.
6 CHALLENGES TO
IMPLEMENTATION
1. Lack of Familiarity with Many of the
Technologies Available and ways they might
Effectively be Integrated into Teaching
Approach: Numerous researchers have identified
teachers’ confidence and skill in using technologies
combined with ability to see value in using
technologies as major factors influencing teacher
adoption of available technologies (Bingimlas, 2009;
Buabeng-Andoh, 2012; Gaffney, 2010; Mumtaz,
2000). One way to build teacher confidence and skill
is through professional development. Effective
professional development is ongoing, uses peer
coaching, and includes teachers in planning
activities (Garet et al., 2001; Gulamhussein, 2013).
At McCoy High School, professional
development began during the construction phase
and continues today, with the STEM teachers
playing a leading role in identifying the type and
pace of the activities. Because of other demands on
their time, the teachers asked that training focus on
one new technology at a time. This would enable
them to become familiar with the technology and
consider how best to use it with students.
The teachers visited other schools’ high-tech
classrooms and participated in national conferences,
such as the National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) and International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE), as they sought ideas for using the
new technologies in their own teaching. Vendor
demonstrations occurred, and teachers were given
iPads to familiarize themselves with the technology
and begin to plan how they might use them in
teaching. Teachers from other schools who were
experienced with particular technologies led hands-
on sessions to introduce teachers to new
technologies, such as TI-Nspire graphing calculators
and 3-D printers, and shared information on ways
they use the technologies with students. An
education faculty member from the university
worked with the teachers to develop and test lessons
incorporating the new technologies and features of
the space. Teachers observed and critiqued the
lessons for each other. These master technology
teachers along with university personnel are an
ongoing resource for the teachers.
2. Need for Regular Communication Among a
Diverse Group of Stakeholders. Stakeholders
Included the School Director, STEM Teachers,
University Personnel and Researchers
Approach: According to Rogers (1962), effective
communication channels play a central role in the
diffusion of innovations. Communication and
sharing of information among the stakeholders
involved in the implementation phase proved at
times to be problematic as other responsibilities and
duties took precedence and delayed email or phone
responses. To ensure that all stakeholders are
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34
informed on issues related to use of the STEM
classroom, periodic meetings occur with key school
administrators, STEM teachers, STEM Center
director and researchers, and a representative from
the University’s education department. Albronda, De
Langen, and Huizing (2011) report that group
meetings appear to be an “effective means of
informing and interaction” among stakeholders
during adoption of an innovation. The meetings,
which are ongoing, provide an opportunity for
sharing information, celebrating successes,
discussing issues specific to the STEM classroom,
planning ways to address STEM teachers’
professional development needs, identifying
teachers’ needs with respect to the STEM classroom
and the technologies, scheduling research
observations and interviews, sharing of school
initiatives by school administrators, and discussing
how teachers are using the space and technologies.
3. Limited Technical Support
Approach: "Because technology is inherently
unreliable and can break down at any time, teachers
may choose not to use it in their teaching unless
there is a strong need for it and reliable support"
(Zhao and Frank, 2003, p.809). Although teachers
and school administrators had input regarding the
choice of technologies for the space, the university
completed the purchasing and installation. As the
teachers began to use the technologies during their
first year in the new space, Teacher B, who had a
reputation for being able to fix technology problems,
assumed the role of technology support person in
addition to his teaching responsibilities, and
described this role as a "burden." However, during
the second year, the university hired a part-time
technical support person--again with teacher input--
to keep the equipment running and provide just-in-
time assistance when the classroom is in use.
4. Classroom Management Issues
Approach: A major concern of the teachers was
how to handle behavior problems and prevent
damage to the technologies in the new space. One
teacher addressed this by only bringing upper
division students into the space during the first year
and limiting the features and equipment that could
be used. The teachers developed some general rules
that all users agreed to abide by with respect to
putting technologies properly away at the end of
sessions and keeping the space clean. Participants in
student focus groups described how they felt
responsible for keeping the room and the equipment
in good condition. One student responded to the
question, "Who takes care of this room?" by saying,
"I feel like we all do. I feel like it's a community
effort... everybody kind of contributes to cleaning up
the room."
5. Equitable use of the Space
Approach: As STEM teachers began to bring their
classes into the new space, concerns developed
around the fair and practical use of the room. Even
though a listing of time
slots was made available as
a sign-up sheet on Google Docs, one teacher tended
to monopolize the schedule so other classes were
rarely able to use the room. If a time slot was empty,
other STEM teachers would often move their classes
in without signing up, resulting in two classes
arriving at the room at the same time. Together, the
teachers developed a protocol to ensure that each
student in the school uses the space and its
technologies at least once a week, and that every
STEM class has a lesson taught in the classroom
every week. They devised a better way of scheduling
their time in the classroom, and even found ways for
two classes to occasionally use the space
simultaneously. Also, technologies such as iPads,
laptops, and calculators can be used in a teacher’s
regular classroom when not needed in the STEM
classroom.
6. Professional and Personal Concerns
Approach: The time required to keep up with rapid
changes in technology is an important factor in its
use (Zhao and Frank, 2003), and teachers often
worry about how to do this in addition to their other
teaching duties. For example, Teacher A identified
“other responsibilities/priorities and time to learn” as
major obstacles to implementing new technologies.
There also appeared to be a question of what
personal value the new technologies would have.
"Personal feelings of uncertainty, whether one can
succeed with this innovation, and whether the
supervisor will support the efforts," are common
concerns of teachers faced with adopting an
innovation (Hall, 2010, p. 243). Teacher B found
balancing responsibilities of being a first-year
teacher, assuming the role of the school’s IT
specialist, and exploring what teaching with new
technologies would require from him to be
challenging.
Several aspects of the implementation process
addressed these concerns. First, the school provided
time and substitute teachers, giving the STEM
teachers opportunities to visit other high-tech
schools and to attend conferences. Other events such
as an open house and various newspaper articles
celebrated the STEM classroom and its success,
giving the teachers and students a sense of pride.
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35
Teacher A commented, "There's a lot of visibility... I
think kids were proud to see us in the paper. I think
it’s always good to highlight the good, and so I think
that overall it’s been a really positive thing. I get
more positive all the time."
7 DISCUSSION
Using a participatory design process that included
students as well as teachers has led to a sense of
ownership of the room by both groups. Teachers
and students depict traditional classrooms as
‘teacher space’ while they view the STEM
classroom as ‘community space’ with both teachers
and students equally responsible for maintaining the
room. In focus groups, students enthusiastically
discussed how pleased they were to see their
suggestions integrated into the actual classroom
along with ideas they had not even considered, such
as the video wall. On their own initiative, they have
created projects relating to the use of the room and
its technologies as a "legacy” for future students.
One major aspect of the room that both teachers
and students praise is the room’s flexibility. The
furniture can easily be rearranged to accommodate
different teaching styles and activities. Students
appreciate being able to display their work in
different ways using a variety of devices. Teachers
regularly comment on students’ pride in the room
and how being in the room seems to positively affect
students’ willingness to stay on task and learn.
The room appears to be having an impact on
teachers’ teaching style as well. Teachers describe
their teaching approach in the STEM classroom as
being ‘less dictatorial’ and more relaxed than when
they are in a traditional classroom. One STEM
teacher who had been somewhat reluctant to use the
technologies in the room observed that anticipated
classroom management problems did not materialize
to the extent expected. Consequently the teacher
became more open to identifying technologies in the
room that might be used next in teaching. In the
STEM classroom, this same teacher encouraged
students to learn new features of technologies and
share their expertise. The other STEM teacher
described how having so many different
technologies available made it easier to
accommodate students’ different. Although the
teachers are not yet using all of the available
technologies, it is anticipated that all will be in use
by the end of the second year in the room.
The design and implementation process for the
STEM classroom is ongoing. Often stakeholders
involvement ends once construction has been
completed. However, an important aspect of the
process described in this paper is that university and
STEM Center personnel continue to be actively
involved during the implementation phase in a
variety of ways, including participation in the
periodic meetings, facilitation of professional
development requests, and continuation of the
research study. The presence of a technology
specialist has alleviated technological problems and
allowed the teachers to focus on ways to integrate
the technologies into teaching and learning.
Administrators and STEM teachers continue to
identify additional resources needed in the room and
in their professional development. The room itself
was not designed to be static, but rather to continue
to evolve as users experiment with different ways to
teach and learn in the space. The presence- of
mobile technologies in particular will enable
upgrading the technologies as newer devices become
available.
One final consideration is the importance of
leadership. Byrom and Bingham (2001) identified
strong, supportive leadership as one of the most
important factors in teachers’ willingness to adopt
innovations. The leadership role played by
stakeholders from the university--especially the
Director of the university’s STEM Center--was
crucial during design and construction of the
classroom and continues during implementation.
The leadership of McCoy High School also
played an important role. The construction and
implementation coincided with the appointment of a
new director for the school. In discussing the room,
the director stated that continued student input
would be very important to the success of the room.
She stressed to the teaching staff that because the
room contains the best and the latest of technologies,
activities within the STEM classroom should be
project-based, utilizing the technologies and features
of the room to the fullest. She emphasized the
importance of seeking out appropriate professional
development to achieve this goal. Throughout the
implementation process she has encouraged the
teachers to decide how best to use the space and
technologies and to play a major role in designing
the content and pace of their professional
development. She has arranged substitute teachers
when these activities conflicted with their teaching
schedules.
The director takes great pride in the room and
has made it integral to setting future priorities for the
school. She has been instrumental in publicizing to
parents, community members, media and university
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personnel what teachers and students are
accomplishing in the room. In describing the impact
on the students, the director said of the STEM
classroom it will “...change lives. We have an
advantage of educating minority and underprivileged
students with this advanced technology. They are
going to have more options because of the STEM
experience at the high school level.”
The successful implementation of a technology-
rich educational environment requires a participatory
process that doesn't end when construction is
complete. Keeping the stakeholders actively
involved and attending to the concerns of the
teachers and students greatly increase the usability
and sustainability of this type of project.
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