In this module, the self-paced, interactive, web-based format offers you a great deal of flexibility and control about what you are learning, when you study, and how you learn and apply the material. You will determine the time and effort that you will invest in learning the content of the module. We can offer some suggestions to enhance the value of the module and your personal productivity; these are:

• Distribute your work over time. Don’t try to complete the entire module in a single session!

• Plan to work at a comfortable pace. Usually, one to two hours at a time will be manageable.

• Make yourself comfortable, in accord with your own learning style preferences relating to the setting or environment in which you work best, the best time of day to concentrate and focus your efforts, the availability of snacks, the lighting, and the presence (or absence) of sound— for some, music in the background helps, but for others it’s distracting.

• Be certain to have a reliable internet connection and an ample workspace with access to other materials (e.g., paper and something with which to write).

• Allow time to reflect about key points and new ideas, and to work on integrating ideas from several units.

• Schedule time to carry out assignments, activities, and projects, followed by time for reflection and for sharing and discussion with your Mentor.

We planned the module to involve about 10 – 12 hours of working time on the web-based unit. In addition, allow time for reading, activities, and interaction with your mentor. The actual time participants invest in the module may vary widely from one person to another, of course, and depends on a number of factors; these include:

• Your personal learning style

• Your motivation and interest in specific topics

• Your familiarity and past experience with various parts of the module

• The time you have available for reflection, analysis, application, and synthesis of module content.

To guide you in planning your work, we have estimated the amount of time that you might need for the web-based work for each of the ten units. These estimates are:

Units 3, 7, 8, and 9 involve the most extensive requirements of time and effort for assignments and activities. Those four units will involve the major part of your total time investment in the module away from the actual web-based material. Plan to work on those units when you can devote ample follow-up and application time to the material!