Reach Out Pro Module - Connecting Our Worlds
Part 2
This tutorial is designed to give you a basic overview of some of the popular programs, sites and technologies in use by young people. This overview is intended to give you a flavour of the technologies, but is not intended as a complete guide to the programs.
Part 2 - Learning the Language of Technology Tutorial
1. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Part 2 – Learning the
language of technology
Connecting Our Worlds
ReachOutPro.com.au Educational Module
Part 2. Learning the language of technology
2. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
The following part is designed to give you a basic
overview of some of the popular programs, sites and
technologies in use by young people. This overview is
intended to give you a flavour of the technologies, but is
not intended as a complete guide to the programs.
Learning
Objectives:
• To develop a basic understanding of concepts and Before using each technology, it is important to
language associated with information communication consider how this technology might best suit you
technologies (ICT) used by young people. and your work with young people. As the evidence
supporting the use of technology is still emerging -
• To develop familiarity with some of the main online it‟s important to use good clinical and ethical
resources that young people use. judgement when using technology with young
people. We also recommend reading Part 4 which
• Practical exercises/ suggestions on how to start a outlines risks and considerations for keeping
blog, Twitter or join Facebook. yourself and your clients safe.
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4. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
Facebook (http://www.Facebook.com/) is an online
networking site where users may create a personal
profile, with which they add other users as friends,
exchange private messages, photos, links, and can
receive automatic notifications when their friends update
their own profiles. Additionally, users may join common
interest user groups, such as those organised by
workplace, school or college, or other interests [1].
Users are able to vary the level of privacy of their profile
so that the range of information offered to others can
vary from very little on high privacy settings, to being
able to see all the information posted when privacy
settings are low.
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5. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
• Keeping up to date with friends, organisations&
campaigns
• Organising and sharing events
How young • Sharing links, news, photos, videos etc.
people use it • Commenting on status updates, news, photos,
videos and activities
• Starting discussions on topics of interest
• Creating groups of common interest
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How would using Facebook
add value to my work with
young people?
As a part of one-on-one work with a young person, they may allow you to view their
profile as part of a sharing exercise if they are not comfortable opening up to you
initially (see Part 3 of this module).
Creating an organisation profile allows you to share helpful information, articles &
tools with a broad range of young people in the space where they are spending time
online. You might also use it to facilitate online discussions on mental health or youth
issues, for which an online forum provides a relaxed, non-confrontational environment
in which to participate and share their thoughts with peers. Additionally, creating an
online group may also mean that online resources and media can be shared and
commented on. By encouraging young people to actively participate you can
enhance their self-efficacy and empowerment.
If considering using social networking to engage with young people, it may be useful
to refer to part four of this module in which we refer to a set of guidelines for
establishing professional barriers around the use of social media.
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Exercise: 1. Read Part Four about safety and privacy
online.
Set up your own 2. Set up your own Facebook account at
http://www.facebook.com/. Use the
Facebook page suggested guide book from Mashable if
needed.
3. Review your privacy settings and set these
to the level of privacy you desire. These
settings can be found under account on the
top right hand side of your Facebook page.
4. See if any of your friends or colleagues are
using Facebook, and add them as „friends‟.
Online social media & news blog 5. Search for and review some Facebook
pages, such as ReachOut.com or
Mashable has compiled an ReachOutPro.com.au
excellent guide book for Facebook,
from basics to advanced use. You 6. Share your experiences in the comments
section of this part.
can check it out here:
http://mashable.com/guidebook/F
acebook/
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9. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) is a microblogging and information network
used by individuals and organisations to provide short updates to those
connected to them, also known as “followers”. Updates range in content and
can only be up to 140 characters in length. Unlike other networking sites,
Twitter allows the user to communicate with a number of others who they
may not personally know. It is commonly used by celebrities to
communicate with a large number of fans or “followers”. The brief 140
character communiqué known as “tweets” can vary from personal updates
about mood or actions, to specific comments or alerts from an organisation.
In addition to updates, a tweet can be directed at specific topics using the
“#” or hashtag. The hashtag can be used to highlight key words or topics.
Clicking on a hashtagged word will take you through to any other tweets on
that topic.
If the tweet includes a username prefaced with the @ sign, the tweet will
appear in the user‟s feed. For example, any @ReachOut_AUS tweets will
appear on the ReachOut.com Australia‟s homepage.
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10. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Twitter provides a platform for communicating to many
people at once in a way that is simple and instant. Most
How do young young people would use Twitter to express their current
concerns, moods, news or pleasant events. Young people
may also choose to “follow” friends, celebrities or
people use organisations that they have an interest in.
“Following” on Twitter allows the user to receive the
Twitter? “tweets” or updates of others. Users can also respond to
tweets, either privately by adding Direct Message (d) to
their tweet, or publicly by adding an @username before
their comment. This provides a social interaction with those
they follow.
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How would using Twitter
add value to my work with
young people?
Having a Twitter account would allow you to follow organisations or individuals that are relevant to your work, such as:
@ReachOut_AUS- updates from the ReachOut.com service for young people
@Inspire_AUS- updates from the Inspire Foundation, the organisation behind ReachOut.com
@yawcrc– updates from the new Cooperative Research Centre for Young People, Technology and Wellbeing
@BlossomProject- Supporting girls 16-25 with anxiety or depression to reach their full potential
@headspace_aus- Australia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation
@ACYS_youthinfo- Updates on research & events relevant to the Youth Sector from the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies
Following a user‟s tweets you can learn more about what events are coming up. You can also use Twitter to seek more information.
For example, you could gain information by tweeting “@ReachOut_AUS This is really great information, do you have any more
resources to share?”
or
“@ReachOut_AUS that link about suicide made me realise my friend might be at risk. Is there someone I can talk to?”
For “tweets” or users, that are more relevant to your work, you can search for hashtags i.e. #mentalhealth
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12. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would using Twitter
add value to my work with
young people? (cont’d.)
As an organisation you could use Twitter to provide short updates on news, events
and research to any individual or other organisation wanting to follow your account.
Followers might include young people currently associated with your practice, staff, or
others who may be interested in supporting your organisation.
Unless an individual or organisation sets up a locked profile, it is important to
remember that anyone can follow the account. There is no way of limiting this to a
subset of individuals and so the decision to tweet needs to be made with this in mind.
If considering using twitter to engage with young people, it may be useful to refer to
Part Four of this module in which we refer to a set of guidelines for establishing
professional barriers around the use of social media.
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13. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Twitter has published a great guide
to help you get started on Twitter.
This can be found here:
http://support.twitter.com/groups/31
Exercise: -twitter-basics
Set up your own
1. Set up your own Twitter account
Twitter account as per instructions above.
2. Have a go at “following” some of
the accounts mentioned.
3. Share your experiences in the
comments section of this module.
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14. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Part 2 Yahoo! Answers
Part 2. Learning the language of technology
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What is it?
Yahoo! Answers (http://www.answers.yahoo.com/)
is an online forum where people can post, answer or
browse questions on any topic. Once posted,
questions are open to be answered by anyone for
up to 4 days. As the person who posts the question,
you can pick the best answer, or let the community
vote on the best answer. The person who provides
the best answer is given points, which help them to
achieve levels - showing how active and reliable
they are at answering questions usefully.
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16. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
When young people have a question, the first place they
How do young will generally look for answers is online. Yahoo! Answers
often show up in search results, and many young people go
people use straight to the website to ask or browse questions. The
voting system in Yahoo! Answers allows them to get a
variety of answers to a question, and see which answers
Yahoo Answers? are supported by their peers online - helping them to cut
through the clutter and get to an answer that will be useful.
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17. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would this add value
to my work with young
people?
Using and reviewing the postings on Yahoo! Answers will help to give you a good
understanding of how young people search for information, and of the information they are
seeking. This can help you understand what you need to address in sessions with your
clients.
As part of your work with young people, you may also consider providing answers to young
people‟s questions online via Yahoo! Answers. If you do choose to do this, it‟s important to
be aware that your answer will be available to not only the person that posed the question,
but anyone else that searches for a similar topic. Many young people will search online for
answers long before they are comfortable talking to a professional.
It is also important to utilise professional judgement and only answer questions within your
areas of expertise and competency. Answer all questions with caution and ensure you
consider the impact of the information you are providing.
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18. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
You can watch a brief video tutorial of how to
use the site here:
http://www.butterscotch.com/tutorial/How-To-
Use-Yahoo-Answers/
Note: You will need to sign in to do this
exercise. If you have a Facebook, Yahoo! or
Google account you will be able to sign in by
clicking the Sign In link at the top right hand
Exercise: corner of the page. If you do not have an
account, click the Sign Up link in the same
corner of the page.
Responding to 1. Go to http://au.answers.yahoo.com/
Questions on 2. Click the Answer button at the top of the
page.
Yahoo! Answers. 3. Under Categories select Health.
4. In the box above the questions listed, select
Mental Health.
5. Have a go at answering some questions,
and voting on answers provided by other
people.
6. Share your experiences in the comments
section of this module.
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20. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
Blogs (http://www.reachoutpro.com.au/blog) are
websites where one or many users publish
articles and opinion pieces on a regular basis,
on a specific topic, or a range of topics.
Personal, collaborative (multiple authors) and
organisational blogs all exist in the online
sphere. Blogs can usually be subscribed to via
RSS so that followers get updates when they
post an article.
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21. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How are young Blogs are used by people across many demographics, as a
way of finding information in an area of interest and
engaging in discussion about it. As someone writing for a
people using blog, it provides a forum to post your articles around an
area of interest or work. Quite often blogs are used for
emotional expression of difficulties or to gain support from a
wider community of peers. Other people‟s blogs provide an
Blogs? excellent space to find information on a specific topic, and
to express opinions and facilitate discussion.
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22. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would this add value
to my work with young
people?
As a professional practitioner, blogs provide an accessible space to find, follow and contribute to excellent
sources of information about your profession. They provide a space in which to engage both young people
and other professionals in discussion. However, like any source of information, if you are using blogs to
inform your practice it‟s important to assess the source of information for its quality and usefulness.
In your work with young people, you might ask them if they follow any blogs and ask them to show you, as a
way of discovering more about their interests. Alternatively, they may have their own blog on sites such as
Tumblr. Such sites are a great source of information and provide insight into the young person‟s online
persona.
A great place to start looking for blogs to read is Technorati - a search engine for finding blogs & blog posts in
your area of interest. Technorati also creates & posts original content on a wide range of issues, written by
member bloggers. The site also tracks & highlights what is / isn‟t popular among online blogs.
Visit: http://www.technorati.com/
Potential blog sites to review include;
Tumblr - http://www.tumblr.com/
Wordpress - http://wordpress.org/
Blogger – http://www.blogger.com/
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23. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
If you wish to start experimenting with your own
blog, Google have provided a step by step
Exercise: guide to starting up a blog and posting your first
article here:
http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/ans
Getting to know wer.py?hl=en&answer=112498
1. Go to http://www.technorati.com/
blogs 2. Search for posts or articles in an area of
interest.
3. Spend some time reading the content on
various blogs. See if you can identify one
that you would like to follow.
4. Share your experiences in the comments
section of this part.
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25. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/) is a photo sharing
network, where users can upload their photos,
share them under a variety of topics or
categories, and share them with friends easily.
You can also comment on images and have
conversations about them.
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26. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
•
How are young •
Sharing photos with friends quickly and easily
Sharing photos with the public and creating professional
people using •
portfolios
Finding, sharing and discussing photos, out of general
Flickr? interest
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27. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would this add value
to my work with young
people?
As a professional practitioner, you can use images to find out more about a young person by asking if they
use Flickr and if they would be willing to show you some of their pictures. For many young people,
photography provides a form of expression, and Flickr provides a forum for sharing that expression with
others - thus it can be a valuable tool. The ability to discuss images allows young people to get feedback from
others - validating self-expression.
Because it is simple to upload videos from mobile phones using Flickr, it could also be used as a way of
sharing images of life events and problems as they happen, both helping the young person to keep track, and
providing a topic of discussion for the next support session. Young people can upload the photos throughout
the week and then discuss them in session at their next appointment.
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28. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Exercise: 1. Set up a Flickr account, by clicking the Sign
Up button on the front page of the website,
or by following the steps in the video guide
Set up a Flickr at http://youtu.be/zzNf0n65ro0
2. Browse some of the images online by using
account the search bar in the top right hand corner
of the screen. Observe how people discuss
and contribute to photos.
3. Try uploading some of your own images, by
clicking on the Upload link at the top of the
page, and following the site instructions.
4. Share your experiences in the comments
section of this part.
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30. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/) is a video
sharing website and social network. Via this
site, you can upload originally created videos
with captions, and share them with friends & the
public. YouTube allows you to embed your
video in other pages, allowing videos to be
shared very easily on websites, social
networks, blogs etc. On these sites users can
also create personal profiles or channels for
other people to find out more about them and
follow their latest videos.
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31. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How are young Many people use Youtube or similar sites to simply share
video with friends, colleagues & the broader public.
Because videos can be commented and voted on, they can
people using get feedback and approval from people around the world,
and get recognition from it. Many young people also post
Vlogs [video-blogs], which are video updates where they
YouTube? talk about their lives and things they care about.
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32. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would this add value
to my work with young
people?
Video allows for creative expression of stories to a broad range of people, in a way that is much more
accessible than text. Young people can create video content as a way of expressing their stories, learning
creative new skills, and getting positive feedback and validation / recognition from their peers. For example,
Reach Out TV provides space for young people to upload and share their stories and personal contributions
with their peers. This provides valuable stories to connect with for young people who feel alone, as well as a
forum for self-expression. Asking the young person to show you videos that demonstrate how they feel can be
helpful for rapport building. Alternatively, using videos for psycho-education can provide an alternative to
traditional face to face methods.
Organisations and individuals use YouTube or similar sites to run creative video campaigns, either as stand
alone videos, or where people contribute their own videos. YouTube or Vimeo can also be used for uploading
videos for promoting your organisation and / or embedding in your website.
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33. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
1. Check out some of the videos and stories at
Exercise: Reach Out TV http://au.reachout.com/rotv/
2. Go to http://youtube.com/and check out
Learning to use some of the videos, perhaps by searching
for a topic of interest in the search bar at
the top of the page, or clicking the Browse
YouTube button next to the search bar to browse by
category.
3. Share your experiences in the comments
section of this part.
If your organisation does not allow access to
YouTube, you may be able to access Vimeo
(http://www.vimeo.com/)
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34. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
Part 2 Serious Games
Part 2. Learning the language of technology
35. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
What is it?
A serious game (http://www.reachoutcentral.com/)
is a term used to refer to software or hardware
applications developed with game technology but
designed with the primary purpose of learning rather
than pure entertainment. In simple terms, it refers to
technology-mediated learning.
Serious games are designed with the intention of
improving some specific aspect of learning and
players come to serious games with that
expectation. Serious games are used in emergency
services training, in military training, in corporate
education, in health care and in many other sectors
of society. They can also be found at every level of
education.
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Serious games offer the same level of engagement that
video games and other online games offer, with the added
benefit of developing life and coping skills. Games provide
a safe place for users to learn without being penalised or
stigmatised. There is also low physical risks to the user. It is
a great way to try different approaches to reach people in a
safe, secure environment and to provide an alternative
Why use it? means of delivering a message and building skills.
Serious games intended for health aim to prevent illness,
promote healthy behaviours or provide early intervention [3].
It is still a new and emerging area in research and practice
and it is only within the last decade that game development
has taken off and effectiveness evaluations conducted.
However, there is growing evidence that serious games can
lead to positive outcomes for health and wellbeing by
providing opportunities for engagement, skill building and
motivation for behavioural change [3-5].
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How would this add value
to my work with young
people?
Using a serious game may help engage young people who are reluctant to attend face to
face sessions or those that struggle with interviews. Alternatively, it provides a between
session activity to reinforce messages learned in session.
The serious game Reach Out Central (aka ROC – http://www.reachoutcentral.com.au/)
was developed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people, particularly
young men, by increasing their problem solving, help-seeking and communication skills. It
allows young people to explore how their thinking, behaviour and choices influence their
mental health. It is unique in being the only mental health serious game in Australia
available online [6].
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38. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
How would this add value
to my work with young
people? (cont’d)
There are numerous opportunities to use serious games to influence clinical outcomes for young people. These can
include:
• Making serious games such as Reach Out Central (http://www.reachoutcentral.com.au/) available to young people in
waiting rooms or prior to their first session can help to reduce anxiety and makes for a great conversation starter.
• For young people who are on a waiting list to see a clinician, using a serious game such as ROC during that time can
improve wellbeing, reducing the intensity and frequency of intervention required face to face.
• During a consultation, a serious game can be used to break the ice, promote engagement and facilitate
conversation. Working side by side on a game can be less confronting for some young people and can provide an
opportunity for them to discuss sensitive issues by externalising them temporarily to the characters in the game.
• Following a consultation, setting tasks in serious games as homework can provide an opportunity for young people to
practice the skills and strategies explored during the sessions in a safe and anonymous environment.
• Finally for those young people leaving clinical care, serious games can be used to assist in the maintenance of
wellbeing. For example, games like ROC allow you to track progress and improvement over time. This may signal
to a young person when they need to reconnect with face to face support or clinical care.
• You may have found serious games helpful in other ways. We'd love to hear your stories below.
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39. ReachOutPro.com.auEducational Module Part 2.Learning the language of technology
1. Visit http://www.reachoutcentral.com.au and
enter as a guest.
Exercise: 2. Play the game, answering the prompt questions
as a young person.
Playing seriously 3. Having looked at the scenarios, come back and
add your comments to this part around how you
can see this benefiting young people.
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What next?
Now that you have learned about common programs, sites and tools that
young people use, why not learn some more about how to integrate this into
your work? Part 3 of this module provides you with some guidance on how to
build technology into your consultations with young people while Part 4 helps
you manage the professional issues that may arise.
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1. Wikipedia. Facebook. 2011 [cited 2011 6th April, 2011]; Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook.
2. Lenhart, A. Teens, Cell Phones and Texting. 2010 [cited 2011 April 4th, 2011]; Available from:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1572/teens-cell-phones-text-messages.
3. Baranowski, T., et al., Playing for real: video games and stories for health-related behavior change. Am
J Prev Med, 2008. 34(1): p. 74-82.
4. UN News Centre. 'Food Force' video game sweeps northern Europe. 2007; Available from:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22564.
5. Beale, I.L., et al., Improvement in cancer-related knowledge following use of a psychoeducational video
game for adolescents and young adults with cancer. J Adolesc Health, 2007. 41(3): p. 263-70.
6. Burns, J.M., et al., Reach Out Central: a serious game designed to engage young men to improve
mental health and wellbeing. Med J Aust, 2010. 192(11 Suppl): p. S27-30
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Evaluation
Education Module Pilot Webinar Participants
We are conducting a survey to evaluate the newly launched ReachOut Pro If you are completing this module as pre-reading for a
Educational Module - Connecting Our Worlds, currently being piloted on ReachOut Pro Webinar, please use the link below to undertake a
ReachOutPro.com.au. The survey aims to understand more about who separate survey tailored for your training program.
uses the module, what aspects are considered most useful and also how it
might be improved in the future. [Click here to begin the survey for Webinar Participants]
As this module is a pilot, we ask that you take a moment to complete an
online survey, to assist us in assessing the value of these professional
development resources for your practice. Your feedback will contribute to
more valuable and effective resources for other professionals in your
sector.
If you have finished using the Education Module, we would appreciate
your feedback on it’s usefulness for your practice.
[Click here to begin the survey]
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