Research Interests
Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics Education Education Assessment and Evaluation Education Policy English and Literacy Curriculum and Pedagogy English as a Second Language German Language Language, Communication and Culture Languages & Linguistics Linguistics LOTE, ESL and TESOL Curriculum and Pedagogy Secondary EducationDr Peter Mickan
School of Humanities
College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities
Brief career overviewMy research is on language learning and language use for participation in society with the focus on text analysis for transforming languages pedagogy and curriculum.My career in language education began as a teacher of German and English languages in secondary schools in South Australia and Germany. I then spent six years as program manager in the Curriculum Directorate of the South Australian Education Department with responsibility for languages policy implementation, curriculum development and evaluation for teaching Vietnamese, Khmer, French and German languages , and professional development of languages teachers in primary and secondary schools. My next position was as lecturer in the postgraduate TESOL program in the University of South Australia with specialisations in second language acquisition and qualitative research methodologies and with duties including Project Officer for the National Language and Literacy Institute of Australia. From 2000 to 2015 I held the positions of Lecturer, Head of Discipline and Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Adelaide. I developed and managed the Postgraduate Applied Linguistics program. My research is on language learning and teaching, curriculum development and revival of German language in South Australian communities including the Barossa Valley region.My current academic positions are:1. Visiting Research Fellow in Linguistics, University of Adelaide;2. University Fellow, School of Academic Language and Learning, Charles Darwin University.
Biography/ Background
My current positions are as Visiting Research Fellow (Applied Linguistics) in the Faculty of Arts University of Adelaide, and University Fellow in the School of Language and Learning, Charles Darwin University. I established and managed the Postgraduate Applied Linguistics program in the University of Adelaide (2000-2015), designing and teaching in postgraduate courses in Language and Meaning (Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics), Language and Learning, English for Academic Purposes, Language Teaching in Specific Settings and Language Teaching Methods.
Theoretically my work is based on Professor Halliday's Functional Linguistics with the focus on text analysis and language as a social semiotic and learning as socialisation experiences. The theory frames my publications and research projects in text-based curriculum design and pedagogy, in academic literacies, in language and literacy, in workplace communication, in German language revival, and in high stakes language assessment.
In April 2017 I was appointed as University Fellow with the School of Academic Language and Learning In Charles Darwin University
His most recent books include
Mickan, P and I. Wallace (commissioned editors) Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design. Routledge
Mickan, P & E. Lopez (eds) (2017) Text-Based Research and Teaching: a Social Semiotic Perspective on Language in Use. Palgrave Macmillan. Basingstoke, UK
Mickan, P. 2013 Language Curriculum Design and Socialisation Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Brief career overview
- Teacher of German and English languages in secondary schools in South Australia and Germany;
- Project Director in the Curriculum Directorate of the South Australian Education Department with responsibility for languages policy implementation, curriculum evaluation and development in Vietnamese, Khmer, French and German languages, and inservice training of languages teachers in Reception to Year 12 schools.
- Lecturer in postgraduate TESOL program in the University of South Australia with specialisations in second language acquisition and qualitative research methodologies; Project Officer for the National Language and Literacy Institute of Australia;
- Head of Discipline and Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Adelaide, with responsibility for introduction and management of Applied Linguistics program, research and PhD supervision.
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Qualifications
Ph.D (Applied Linguistics) - Macquarie University
Master of Education (Honours) - Wollongong University
Diploma of Education - Flinders University
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - University of Adelaide
Teaching Interests
Peter Mickan has a record of successful supervision of doctoral and masters research students. The studies applied text analyses across many domains of language use. The investigations included text-based teaching and curriculum design basedon Functional Linguistics; academic literacies and interdisicplinary studies; IELTS assessment; inquiry-based teaching; bilingual upbringing of children; and revival linguistics with a focus on heritage speakers of German in the Barossa Valley
Research Interests
Peter Mickan's research is based theoretically on social theory and language as a social semiotic. The theory frames his studies in adult literacy, in education, in workplace communication, in assessment and in curriculum design. He is currently directing research projects on:
- Text-based curriculum design and pedagogy;
- Academic literacies and interdisciplinary studies;
- First and second language socialisation and learning;
- Language proficiency assessment (IELTS research projects);
- Barossa German language documentation, maintenance and revival;
- Language revival (Indigenous language, Ngarrindjeri);
- Bilingualism and bilingual education.
Professional Associations
Editorial Board Member
Language and Education
TESOL in Context
Iranian Journal of Language StudiesCommunity Engagement
Academic Board Member
Australian Lutheran College, Adelaide, South Australia
Project Barossa Deutsch/Barossa: German Language Documentation, Maintenance and Revival.
I am involved in a major project is the documentation, maintenance and renewal of German use in the Barossa Valley and South Australia. The community in the Barossa has established the Barossa German Language Association to support German language use and teaching.
One of the initial activities was the documentation of speakers descended from settlers in the mid-nineteenth century. Simon Royal has filmed some aspects for the project. Here is a link to a recent news report on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC].
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 - ongoing | University Fellow | Charles Darwin University |
| 2016 - ongoing | Management Committee | School of German Language |
| 2016 - ongoing | Visiting Research Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2016 - ongoing | Visiting Research Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2015 - ongoing | Barossa German Language Association Inc. | Incorporated community organisation |
| 2000 - 2015 | Lecturer and Senior Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 1995 - 2000 | Lecturer in TESOL Postgraduate Program | University of South Australia |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can peer review |
| German | Can peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Macquarie University | Australia | PhD, Macquarie University. |
| 1997 | University of Wollongong | Australia | Master of Education (Honours) |
| 1973 | Flinders University | Australia | Diploma of Education |
| 1968 | University of Adelaide | Australia | 1968 Bachelor of Arts (Honours), |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Mickan, P., & Wallace, I. (2020). The Routledge handbook of language education curriculum design. New York: Routledge. DOI Scopus3 |
| 2020 | Mickan, P., & Wallace, I. (2020). The Routledge handbook of language education curriculum design. New York: Routledge. DOI Scopus3 |
| 2018 | Shum, M. S. K., & Mickan, P. (2018). Researching Chinese language education: Functional linguistic perspectives. Routledge. DOI Scopus3 |
| 2017 | Lopez, E., & Mickan, P. (Eds.) (2017). Text-Based Research and Teaching: A Social Semiotic Perspective on Language in Use. Palgrave Macmillan UK. DOI Scopus14 |
| 2014 | Mickan, P. (2014). An investigation of IELTS preparation courses for university study: Development of written and verbal argumentative texts (1 ed.). Scholars' Press. |
| 2013 | Mickan, P. (2013). Language curriculum design and socialisation. United Kingdom: Multilingual Matters. |
| 2007 | Mickan, P., Petrescu, I., & Timoney, J. (Eds.) (2007). Social practices, pedagogy and language use: studies in socialisation. South Australia: Lythrum Press. |
| 2007 | Mickan, P., Petrescu, I., & Timoney, J. (Eds.) (2007). Social practices, pedagogy and language use: studies in socialisation. South Australia: Lythrum Press. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Mickan, P. (2024). Barossa German: Language documentation, maintenance and renewal in a German-speaking enclave in South Australia. In K. K. Grohmann (Ed.), Multifaceted Multilingualism (Vol. 66, pp. 414-427). John Benjamins Publishing Company. DOI Scopus1 |
| 2019 | Mickan, P. (2019). Language and education learning to mean. In G. Thompson, W. L. Bowcher, S. Yat-Sen, L. Fontaine, & D. Schonthal (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Systemic Functional Linguistics (pp. 537-560). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Scopus8 |
| 2019 | Mickan, P., & Wallace, I. (2019). Language Education Curriculum Designs: Voices for Uncertain Times. In Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design (pp. 3-7). |
| 2019 | Mickan, P., & Wallace, I. (2019). Freedom and authority, success and failure in Australian education: Disruptive designs in curriculum policy and practice. In Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design (pp. 11-25). Scopus1 |
| 2019 | Mickan, P. (2019). Curriculum design in language education: Research, evaluation and renewal. In Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design (pp. 307-308). |
| 2019 | Mickan, P. (2019). Transformative curriculum design: Functional linguistics applied in text-based teaching. In P. Mickan, & I. Wallace (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design (pp. 193-202). Scopus1 |
| 2019 | Mickan, P. (2019). Transformative curriculum design: Functional linguistics applied in text-based teaching. In P. Mickan, & I. Wallace (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Language Education Curriculum Design (pp. 193-202). Scopus1 |
| 2018 | Mickan, P. (2018). A social semiotic perspective on language teaching: Why context matters. In M. Shiu-kee, & P. Mickan (Eds.), Researching Chinese Language Education: Functional Linguistic Perspectives (pp. 46-58). London: Routledge. DOI Scopus4 |
| 2017 | Mickan, P., & Lopez, E. (2017). Documentation, renewal, and semiotic mediation: Continuing text-based research and teaching. In P. Mickan, & E. Lopez (Eds.), Text-Based Research and Teaching: A Social Semiotic Perspective on Language in Use (pp. 363-365). London, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI Scopus3 |
| 2017 | Mickan, P. (2017). Text-based research and teaching from a social semiotic perspective: Transformative research and pedagogy. In P. Mickan, & E. Lopez (Eds.), Text-Based Research and Teaching: A Social Semiotic Perspective on Language in Use (pp. 15-35). London, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI Scopus15 |
| 2016 | Alyousef, H., & Mickan, P. (2016). Literacy and numeracy practices in postgraduate management accounting. In A. Archer, & E. Breuer (Eds.), Multimodality in Higher Education (Vol. 33, 1 ed., pp. 216-240). Leiden: Brill. DOI Scopus5 |
| 2009 | Mickan, P., & Motteram, J. (2009). The preparation practices of IELTS candidates: Case studies. In IELTS Research Reports Volume 10 (pp. 223-262). IELTS Australia Pty Limited. |
| 2007 | Yu, S., & Mickan, P. (2007). Participation and Power in an EFL Classroom in Taiwan: Who's Talking First?. In H. Azman, L. Siong, & N. Noor (Eds.), Transforming Learning Realities in the ELT World (pp. 66-78). Malaysia: Pearson. |
| 2006 | Mickan, P. (2006). Socialisation, social practices and teaching. In P. Mickan, I. Petrescu, & J. Timoney (Eds.), Social practices, pedagogy and language use: studies in socialisation (pp. 7-23). Adelaide: Lythrum Press. |
| 2005 | Sit, M., Mickan, P., & Gray, C. (2005). Building academic discourse skills in chat rooms. In Gloria Poedjosoedarmo (Ed.), Innovative approaches to reading & writing instruction (pp. 209-219). 30 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258352: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre. |
| 2004 | Mickan, P. (2004). Teaching strategies. In Chris Conlan (Ed.), Teaching English language in Australia - Theoretical perspectives and practical issues (pp. 193-214). Curtin Uni of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845: Australian Public Intellectual Network. |
| 2004 | Mickan, P. (2004). Teaching methodologies. In Chris Conlan (Ed.), Teaching English language in Australia - Theoretical perspectives and practical issues (pp. 171-191). Curtin Uni of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845: Australian Public Intellectual Network. |
| 2003 | Mickan, P. (2003). 'What's your score?' An investigation into language descriptors for rating written performance. In IELTS Australia (Ed.), IELTS research reports 2003. Vol. 5 (pp. 125-157). Canberra: IELTS Australia Pty Limited. |
| 2003 | Mickan, P., & Slater, S. (2003). Text analysis and the assessment of academic writing. In Robyn Tulloh (Ed.), IELTS Research Reports 2003, volume 4 (pp. 59-88). Canberra: IELTS Australia Pty Limited. |
| 2000 | Mickan, P., Slater, S., & Gibson, C. (2000). A study of response validity of the IELTS writing module. In Robyn Tulloh (Ed.), IELTS: International English Language Testing System (Vol. 3, pp. 29-48). Canberra, Australia: IELTS Australia Pty Limited. |
| Date | Project/ No. | Investigators | Funding Body | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013/2014 | Barossa German Project |
Dr Peter Mickan, Professor Claudia Riehl, Kateryna Katsman |
Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst | $20,000.00 |
| 2008 | Indigenous Language Teachers Training Program (Stage 2) CI | Dr Peter Mickan, Dr Maryanne | Fed. Dept. of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts (DCITA) | $38,500.00 |
| 2007 | Student preparation for IELTS examination | Dr Peter Mickan | International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Australia Pty Ltd |
$14,000.00 |
| 2007 | Schooling, socialisation and settlement experiences of refugee immigrants – a longitudinal study | Dr Peter Mickan | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2007 Small Grant Scheme | $7,800.00 |
| 2006 | Schooling, socialisation and settlement experiences of refugee immigrants – a longitudinal study | Dr Peter Mickan | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2006 Small Grant Scheme | $7,000.00 |
| 2006 | 2006 Indigenous Language Teachers Training Program (Stage 1) | Dr Peter Mickan, Dr Maryanne | Fed. Dept. of Communications, Information, Technology and the Arts (DCITA) | $77,000.00 |
| 2005 | An ethnographic study of classroom instruction in an IELTS preparation program | Dr Peter Mickan | International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Australia Pty Ltd | $19,138.00 |
| 2005 | Socialisation experiences of immigrants on humanitarian visas in South Australia | Dr Peter Mickan | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2005 Small Grant Scheme | $6,700.00 |
| 2003/2004 | Evaluation of DECS curriculum framework ESL Scope and Scales | Dr Peter Mickan |
Faculty Early Career Grant $3,783 Industry funding: DECS - ESL teacher release $5,000 |
$8,783.00 |
| 2002 | Linguistic construction of curriculum: the text analysis of curriculum statements for biology, English and geography. | Dr Peter Mickan |
Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia |
$16,000.00 |
| 2001 | Multimedia language teaching - German online | Dr Peter Mickan | Australian-German Joint Research Co-operation Scheme |
$13,500.00 |
| 2001 | What's your score? An investigation into performance descriptors for rating written performance | Dr Peter Mickan |
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Australia Pty Ltd |
$9,915.00 |
| 2000 | Artsvan applications—applications of video-streaming. | Peter Mickan | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Adelaide University | $4,000.00 |
| 1999 | A study of response validity of the IELTS Writing Subtest Stage 2 | Peter Mickan, Steve Slater |
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Australia Pty Ltd |
$17,000.00 |
| 1998 | Improving the quality of oral, academic discourse between lecturers and overseas students | Peter Mickan, Charles Clennell | Innovative Teaching and Learning Project, Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of South Australia | $7,500.00 |
| 1998 | A study of response validity of the IELTS Writing Subtest | Peter Mickan, Steve Slater and Carol Gibson: |
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Australia Pty Ltd |
$13,700.00 |
| 1996 | How do we train overseas students to be more efficient communicators? | Peter MIckan, Charles Clennell | University of South Australia Grant Scheme: Researching Flexible Approaches to Tertiary Teaching and Learning | $4,500.00 |
| 1996 | Linguistic limitations in English language proficiency | Peter Mickan, Charles Cl | Industry funded: Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) | $4,000.00 |
| 1995 | Development of Language Specific Resources for Distance Education Training Courses | Peter Mickan | DEET funded National Priority Reserve Funded project | $100,000.00 |
| 1994 | Post-Implementation Review of the ILOTES Program, the Asian Studies Program and the Asian Languages and Studies Elements of the NPRF | Don Plimer, Jill Burton, Peter Mickan | DEET funded project | $100,000.00 |
| 1994 | Documentation of a Bilingual Program; the project documented a Grade One Italian bilingual program | Peter Mickan | DEET/NLLIA/SATCC funded | $21,000.00 |
| 1993 | LOTE [Languages other than English] Open Learning Evaluation Project a national evaluation of open learning LOTE teaching | Peter Mickan, Jill Burton | DEET funded | $100,000.00 |
Teaching
I have over 30 years experience in linguistics and language education, teaching in secondary schools, managing curriculum development and teacher inservice in the Curriculum Directorate of the SA Department of Education, lecturing in postgraduate teacher education in the University of S.A., and in Linguistics in our University. My early teaching was in German and English in South Australia and in Germany.
In the Curriculum Directorate of the SA Department of Education I managed languages policy implementation, curriculum development in French, Khmer and Vietnamese languages, and managed innovative inservice training of languages teachers across South Australia, involving teachers’ action research (Burton & Mickan 1993a,b).
For the TESOL Program in the University of South Australia I wrote and taught the postgraduate Second Language Acquisition course for distance learning.
In the University of Adelaide I am a specialist in language education and literacy, with first and second language acquisition and applications to teaching languages as areas of expertise, as well as academic and workplace literacies. I introduced and taught foundational courses on Language Learning for undergraduate Level 2 and 3 students. I initiated, designed, coordinated and delivered the core courses in the PGCW Applied Linguistics program. I have designed, coordinated and delivered courses in different modes of delivery - intensive, distance, face-to-face - in the University of SA and in the University of Adelaide.
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 - 2016 | Principal Supervisor | Applying SFL to the Quran: Textual Metafunction in Some of the Quranic Narratives of Abraham | Master of Philosophy | Master | Part Time | Mr Zaid Shihab Alamiri |
| 2011 - 2013 | Principal Supervisor | Exploring Consciousness-Raising Impacts of a Genre-Based Pedagogy in the Context of an Iranian University Student's Academic Writing | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Aiyoub Jodairi Pineh |
| 2011 - 2015 | Principal Supervisor | The Development of Vocational English Materials from a Social Semiotic Perspective: Participatory Action Research | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Handoyo Puji Widodo |
| 2011 - 2025 | Principal Supervisor | Analysis of Functional Language of Thai Case Police Applied in the Design of a Text-based Bachelor of Arts Program in English for Careers | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Napatsinee Rotkert |
| 2010 - 2013 | Principal Supervisor | On Notes and Knowers: the representation, evaluation and legitimation of jazz | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Jodie Martin |
| 2010 - 2022 | Principal Supervisor | Presenting, and Persuading: International Health Sciences Doctoral Candidates’ Research Proposal Presentations | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Jessica Anne Scott |
| 2009 - 2014 | Principal Supervisor | Investigating International Postgraduate Business Students' Multimodal Literacy and Numeracy Practices: a Multidimensional Approach | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Hesham Suleiman D. Alyousef |
| 2008 - 2011 | Principal Supervisor | Managing the Subjective: Exploring Dialogistic Positioning in Undergraduate Essays | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Nayia Cominos |
| 2008 - 2012 | Co-Supervisor | Style, Structure and Ideology in English and Vietnamese Business Hard News Reporting - A Comparative Study | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Duy Duc Vo |
| 2007 - 2011 | Principal Supervisor | Picture Book Reading in a New Arrival Context: A Multimodal Perspective on Teaching Reading | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Celine Chu |
| 2007 - 2013 | Principal Supervisor | Mami Lietadlo Aeroplane Daddy A Case Study Exploring Bilingual First Language Acquisition in a Mixed-Lingual Family | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Margareta Rebelos |
| 2006 - 2011 | Co-Supervisor | A Longitudinal Study of Developments in the Academic Writing of Thai University Students in the Context of a Genre Based Pedagogy | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Udom Srinon |
| 2006 - 2010 | Principal Supervisor | Students' Preparation for IELTS: Development of Written and Oral Argumentative Texts | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Sharif Moghaddam |
| 2006 - 2011 | Co-Supervisor | Diverging Identities: An Exploration of the Interplay of Competing Discourses in Two Saudi University Classrooms | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Tariq Elyas |
| 2004 - 2015 | Principal Supervisor | Teaching Settlement in the CSWE Curriculum | Master of Philosophy | Master | Full Time | Ms Glenda Inverarity |
| 2004 - 2010 | Principal Supervisor | New-Arrival-Ness as a Social Construct: A Qualitative Case Study | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Dr Hiromi Teramoto |
| 2003 - 2007 | Principal Supervisor | Exploring Social Practices in English Classes - A Qualitative Investigation of Classroom Talk in a Korean Secondary School | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Dr Mi-ok Lim |
| 2002 - 2004 | Principal Supervisor | CONSTRUCTING EFL LITERACY PRACTICES: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION IN INTERTEXTUAL TALK IN THAI UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE CLASSES | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | PfDr Sornchai Mungthaisong |
| 2002 - 2003 | Principal Supervisor | EXPLORING THE SOCIO-CULTURAL STRUCTURE OF FORMAL ESL INSTRUCTION IN CLASSROOM TALK - A CASE STUDY OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN BRUNEI | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Guan Eng Ho |
| 2002 - 2006 | Principal Supervisor | Computers for Teaching English as a Second Language (Secondary School) in Malaysia: A Case Study | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mrs Nadzrah Abu Bakar |
| 2001 - 2007 | Co-Supervisor | A Linguistic Analysis of Some Esp Texts used in Iranian Universities with Special Focus on Cohesion in Texts of Business and Commerce | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Ayatollah Fazelimanie |
| 2001 - 2006 | Principal Supervisor | "I Never used to Read." Patterns of Talk in Regulative and Instructional Discourse: A Systemic Functional Approach to Analysing a Literacy Difficulty | Master of Arts | Master | Part Time | Mrs Dorothy Mackey |
| 1999 - 2006 | Principal Supervisor | Contracting Participation Out of Union Culture: Patterns of Modality and Interactional Moves in a Labour Contract Settlement | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Mr Maurice Norman Ward |
| Date | Institution | Department | Organisation Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 - ongoing | South Australian Institute of Languages (SAIL) | - | - | - |
| Date | Role | Editorial Board Name | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 - ongoing | Consulting Editor | TESOL in Context | - | - |
Connect With Me
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