Teaching and Assessing Soft Skills - MASS - Measuring and ...

project, this may be a good thing. However, for a research aiming at producing generalizable
results, this variability may be viewed as a methodological problem.
Country
UK - 1
UK - 2
UK - 3
GR
SW
RO
Table 7
Conditions that may facilitate or inhibit participation in the MASS courses
Distance from
school/transportation
40% within walking
distance. College
transport for the rest
60% within walking
distance. College
transport for the rest.
5km in average. Local
transport and private
cars are used for
transport.
6km on average. The
transportation means of
the students are
unknown.
10km average distance
from school. Local
transportation.
MASS course conditions
Classroom
Personalisation
No
Placement of desks Teaching aids
Mostly workstation.
For group discussions
no desks used (only
chairs) or a ‘round the
table’ approach, using
large tables.
Yes Round table
No
No
Walking distance,
public transportation,
private cars.
Variable, according to
classroom used.
IT, Whiteboard
Laptop,
projector,
whiteboard, TV,
DVD, flipchart
Computers,
whiteboards,
smart boards
Board,
computer, video
projector, CD
player and
flipchart
NL - 1 0-20km from school.
Yes Variable. Computers,
Transportation means
smart boards,
NL - 2 are not given.
No Variable.
blackboards
There are conditions which, even though not critical by themselves, can either facilitate or
inhibit the effectiveness of the educational efforts. Some of these conditions, as applied to
MASS partners’ institutes are given in Table 7.
Distance form school/transportation means relates with how easy it is for a student to reach
school. Obviously, if it is very difficult, it might be reason to abandon school by itself. If it is
easy, even in a difficult situation, it may influence the decision to continue in school.
Concerning the distance from school and the transportation used, therefore how easy it is
for a student to reach school, there are no major differences among partners’ institutions. In
all cases the average distance is in the range of few kilometres and local transport, even
public or provided by the school, is used.
Classroom personalisation relates to the feeling of a safe environment. When the students
have the ability to personalise their classroom they obtain a sense of active participation in a
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