Activities
Masterclasses
We are pleased to offer a range of masterclasses in subject areas across the sciences and humanities. Please click on the titles below for a description of the masterclass. Our masterclasses are delivered by Loughborough University lecturers and postgraduate students and provide an opportunity to stretch able students’ understanding of the subject.
All Masterclasses are delivered on the Loughborough University campus unless otherwise negotiated. All Masterclass activities are free of charge.
When do they take place?
Some dates are fixed in advance, while others are negotiable. Please see the information below.
Available masterclasses
The following are the masterclasses available by topic:
Chemistry
| Chemistry: The science of fingerprinting | |
|---|---|
Includes an introductory lecture and practical session on fingerprint classification and enhancement techniques. A brief history of criminal detection and discovery of fingerprints; How fingerprints are formed and detected; Use of current fingerprint detection technology in security and crime; demonstration on how to collect fingerprints using ink pads followed by approximately 20-30 minutes of practical session where guests collect their own fingerprints and identify prominent markers using the naked eye and magnification; demonstration of how to collect latent fingerprints from a solid surface followed by a 10-15 min practical session where guests collect there own latent fingerprints. Learning objectives: Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10 and older |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes. (This session can be shortened: latent fingerprints practical can be removed for a 45 minute session.) |
| Chemistry: Gratzel solar cells | |
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The masterclass is themed around renewable energy. Students will make and learn about Grätzel solar cells. Students will explore the use of dyes extracted from food stuffs for making their own solar cells and use them to power a simple calculator. Students will look at which dyes perform best in the conversion of light energy to electricity. The session will discuss light absorption and the redox chemistry associated with converting light energy from the sun into electrical energy. More information, including lesson plans can be found at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cm/business/Gratzel.htm Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10 and older |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Chemistry: Creating a colourful life | |
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The history and use of pigments through the ages will be discussed and explored in this masterclass. Students will have the opportunity to make their own cave paint, extract pigments from minerals and use futuristic glow in the dark and temperature-changing pigments. More information, including lesson plans can be found at: http://www.creatingacolourfullife.co.uk/worksheets.html Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted for any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 25 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
Drama
| Drama: The Five senses as a template for devising | |
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Devising theatre using the five senses. The aim of this masterclass is to use the ways we experience the world through the five senses to provide raw materials and techniques for devising a performance. Devising theatre using the five senses. The aim of this masterclass is to use the ways we experience the world through the five senses to provide raw materials and techniques for devising a performance. Touch: In pairs, one leads another with eyes closed, to experience the room in terms of touch - textures and objects. Also a great exercise in trust and reassurance. Sight: An exercise in creative visualising: picture an animal, moving, describe its character, colour, expressions. What sort of person would this be? Getting up and ‘trying on’ each others’ character inventions. Three objects: impetus to weave a story around the given objects. Look at the objects, study them, hold them. Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? Let the objects speak to you as a group. The workshop will start and end with relaxation. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable. Wed & Thurs during University term-time. |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted for any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Drama: From start to finish: devising theatre using folklore and fairytale | |
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The aim of this masterclass is to physically explore metaphors, archetypes, folklore and fairytale. This session offers the opportunity for the exchange of cultural ideas as material to be explored. The students would be working with a set of devising techniques to allow them to experience the devising process from start to finish. They will gain the confidence and sense of ownership of producing the process and the finished piece, under guidance. Performance to be shown and discussed at the end of the session.
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| Dates: | Negotiable. Wed & Thurs during University term-time. |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted for any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 3 hours |
| Drama: Mixed media and the importance of Play in ensemble work | |
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Devising theatre using art, audio and visual. A busy, hands on session involving and combining art materials, audio and visuals. Literally creating the performance objects to stimulate the devising process. Clay has been a successful medium, though messy and may not suit every space. Access to clothes and costume is an exciting way into mirrorwork and shading in characters. Working from paintings, postures and poses: Bringing a piece of work to life and see where the journey takes you. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable. Wed & Thurs during University term-time. |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted for any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Drama: The spoken word: voice and text in devised performance | |
|---|---|
Devising theatre using the spoken word. The aim of this masterclass is to explore the sonic properties of words and language to use as a building block in devising. Taking creative ‘ownership’ to ‘write’ through the body in the performance space. Using poems to motivate practical work. What does this language feel like? How can we show this? ‘Non-sense’ and abstract work: getting inventive with words. Comparing and contrasting different texts, using creative editing techniques to make something new. Encouraging a sentient response to the sound of words: repetition and chanting to experience the rhythm of words. Combining of sound and gesture. Bending and stretching the words to explore their properties. Writing: a group exercise using an object as ‘text’. Juxtaposing with a given scenario. Bringing the ‘text’ to life. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable. Wed & Thurs during University term-time. |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted for any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
Engineering
| Engineering: From Bras to Bridges | |
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Light can carry lots of information such as colour and shape but also your music from a CD; or the web from the fibre optics connecting the phone system together. Properties such as the speed of light are a constant and today we can use that to measure a metre, knowing how far light travels in a fixed amount of time. Therefore we now use light to do lots of different types of measurement. Instruments invented at Loughborough University now let us use light to see how real objects ‘work’ when under load. We can now actually see the strain throughout an object from Formula 1 car to the wing of the A380 aircraft, or even the bones inside the human body! Recently we have been able to develop these techniques so that we can measure the strain on human skin. This lets us see how the skin is straining when the body is moving. Amongst the things we have been able to study is whether or not a bra actually works. Our findings were surprising, we discovered that bras do not actually work so we have designed ones that do! In this unique lecture Professor Tyrer utilises various practical demonstrations of optical equipment to show how modern techniques can be used on a wide range of measurement problems. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 7, 8 and 9 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 100 |
| Duration: | 1 hour 30 minutes |
English
| English: Humour in Contemporary Irish Fiction | |
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The session will be run by small group work, and each group will read an extract from humorous Irish writing. We will discuss the type of humour involved, for instance: satire, exaggeration, tone, language, comic characterisation and seek to understand what it is that makes it funny. The writings will be drawn from several genres, including drama, poetry, and prose. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 8 and 9 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour |
Ergonomics
| Ergonomics: Ergonomics in Action - Improving design by understanding people | |
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‘Ergonomics in action’ is a relaxed yet exciting interactive workshop ran by Loughborough Design School. The session is designed to introduce school pupils to the basic principles of ergonomics in a fun and engaging manner. During the course of the workshop pupils will have the opportunity to interact with a range of games/equipment, resources, approaches and products that will provide them with first-hand experience of ergonomics in action. Towards the end of the workshop the pupils will work in teams to complete a design challenge where they will be required to put into practice the principles and techniques that they have learned. The learning outcomes are to help the pupils understand how ergonomics contributes to the design of successful products, to appreciate that good design starts with the user and to be equipped with a basic toolkit of ergonomic skills so that their future design work will be more effective. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10 and 11 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Ergonomics: Designing for people that are WELL old. | |
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This interactive workshop will focus on the importance of ergonomics when designing products for older adults. During the workshop students will get the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the limitations associated with old age. In order to experience empathy with this growing user group, attendees will be given the opportunity to try on a series of wearable simulation devices that mimic the effects of old age. The workshop will provide students with an understanding of the effects of ageing and how products evolve according to users’ needs and capabilities. Overall, the workshop will demonstrate how ergonomics can contribute to the design of successful products, and how ergonomically designed products can lead to having a positive impact on a person’s quality of life. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10 and 11 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hours |
Geography
| Geography: Stream Biogeography | |
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This session aims to explore the distribution of aquatic invertebrates on the bed of a stream and to examine the factors that may influence their distribution. First, a short field trip to a stream (within walking distance of the University) to collect invertebrate samples and to record the environmental characteristics where they occur. Second, a laboratory session involving the processing and identification of the invertebrates collected in the field. Finally, the session will examine the data collected and explore the reasons for the geographical patterns recorded in the field. Information sheets can be taken away to be used by teachers in the classroom. Equipment required: pencil, notebook and wellington boots (a limited supply of wellingtons is available if the student does not have their own pair.) Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10 and 11 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 3 hours |
Maths
| Maths: The Great Packaging Challenge Workshop | |
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Packaging is all around us. Do we ever consider the time spent in designing and manufacturing packaging? In fact much of the Mathematics Shape and Space content of Key Stages 3 and 4 within the school curriculum can be applied to this. This workshop will challenge students with a practical problem. They will work in teams applying their mathematical knowledge in a creative way. Students will be required to demonstrate an ability to plan a strategy, carry out calculations, construct packages and describe their work via written and oral presentations. Students require pens, pencils, rulers, compasses, protractor and calculator. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 8 and 9, and Years 10 and 11 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 16 |
| Duration: | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Maths: Kinematics | |
|---|---|
Participants will be introduced to the study of Motion through a series of challenging practical investigations. These will relate to the application of Mathematics in everyday life. Students will work in teams and will be encouraged to discuss their work and present their findings to a larger group. The event will support understanding of the curriculum for Physics within schools. Students require pens, pencils, rulers, compasses, protractor and calculator. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 8 and 9, and Years 10 and 11 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 16 |
| Duration: | 2 hour 30 minutes |
Physics
| Physics: Low temperature Physics | |
|---|---|
This masterclass, through a number of experiments, explores the behaviour of certain matter when exposed to extreme low temperatures. Students will then look at how such reactions can be used in a number of practical ways in the modern world. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 11, 12 and 13 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Physics: Floating bodies | |
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This session will explore, using experiments and theory, the physics of floating on water. The meaning of Archimedes’ Principle, centre of mass and relative density will all be explored. Finally a transition will be observed, and explained, of the reorientation of floating disks from model 1 to model 2 behaviour. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 11, 12 and 13 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Physics: Moire from curtains to precision measurements | |
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This session explores the behaviour of certain patterns using elementary geometric models. Regular patterns, as found for example in curtains or other fabrics, are used to illustrate Moiré pattern formation. A prior understanding of angles, perhaps sin- or cos-functions, would be a distinct advantage if undertaking this masterclass.
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 11, 12 and 13 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
Psychology
| Psychology: Psychology in the real world | |
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This masterclass aims to introduce students to some common practical applications of Psychology in the real world. Practical activities will encourage students to think critically about two cognitive applications: 1. Eyewitness Testimony
2. Intelligence Testing
Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Negotiable |
| Target audience: | Years 10, 11, and 12 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 20 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
Sports Science
| Sports Science: Physiology lab session | |
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Students will be introduced to the uses and equipment of a high performance sports science support lab. They will have a chance to try out a physiology test that is used with elite endurance runners. The use of an on-line gas analyser means they will be able to see in real-time the physiological responses to exercise of increasing intensity, and will be able to compare their results to that of elite endurance athletes. They will also gain an insight into the areas of exercise physiology that can be assessed in the lab and how this benefits athletes. Data can also be taken away to be used by teachers in class. Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. Note: Students should bring a PE kit |
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| Dates: | Dates available on request. |
| Target audience: | Years 12 and 13 |
| Maximum number of participants: | 10 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Sports Science: Sports nutrition | |
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OPTION 1: Healthy Eating OPTION 2: Sports Nutrition Other info: This masterclass is an academic session and does not include any sports activities Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Dates available on request. |
| Target audience: | Years 9 and above |
| Maximum number of participants: | 25 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Sports Science: Sport Psychology | |
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An introduction to sport psychology; students will explore what they understand by the term sport psychology, how professional sports people use sport psychology, how they can use sport psychology to improve their sport performance and how what is learned in sport can transfer to other areas of their lives. This session is interactive) (tailored for the age group), and activities can include team building tasks, discussion about how sport is influenced by psychology, including their experiences, activities to look at the mental skills a professional athlete possesses and how they use these. This session can be generic or focussed on one of two sports - athletics or football. Other info: This masterclass is an academic session and does not include any sports activities Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Dates available on request. |
| Target audience: | Year 9+ |
| Maximum number of participants: | 25 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Sports Science: Physical activity and health | |
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OPTION 1: Health and fitness measures OPTION 2: Body Types Other info: This masterclass is an academic session and does not include any sports activities Please call Alexandra Skewis on 01509 222488 to enquire about booking. |
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| Dates: | Dates available on request. |
| Target audience: | Can be adapted to any year group |
| Maximum number of participants: | 25 |
| Duration: | 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes |
