PHOTOCALL
AUGUST 3–7 2009
SUMMER SCIENTIST WEEK
EXCHANGE BUILDING
JUBILEE CAMPUS
NG8 1BB
How do children understand what other people are thinking? What is the best way to test young children’s hearing? How do we learn to navigate around our environment?
Children aged three to 11 are being invited to the annual Summer Scientist Week at The University of Nottingham between the August 3 and August 7 2009 to help search out the answers to these questions and many more — and have fun in the process.
With the help of games like: ‘Zap That Bug!’; ‘Team Alien’; ‘Food Snap’ and ‘Digicubes’, researchers from the School of Psychology and the Learning Sciences Research Institute hope to shed new light on the development of crucial skills and gauge how children learn from the world around them.
Dr Lucy Cragg, from the School of Psychology, said: “The Summer Scientist Week is getting bigger and better every year. It is great fun for all the families involved and is definitely the most enjoyable way to carry out our research. We’re looking forward to an action-packed event this year, with more fun and games than ever.”
The researchers are expecting around 200 children to take part in the week long event. They are interested in how people learn and how children develop new skills. They particularly want to know how people understand what others think and feel, how children learn in different environments, how toddlers develop language and learn to read, and how we learn to control our own thoughts and actions.
Their studies during Summer Scientist Week involve different tasks and games, from balancing boxes and navigating around a room to playing computer games or deciphering puzzles. There will also be other activities to entertain children such as face painting, arts and crafts, and electronic games, as well as posters giving information to parents about the research projects themselves.
All of the studies will be run by experienced researchers and have been approved by the University’s ethics committee. Summer Scientist Week takes place on the University’s Jubilee Campus. The event is sponsored by Bayard Magazines and a Learning Curve grant from Danone Baby Nutrition.
The activities, at the Exchange Building on Jubilee Campus, will run from 10am to 1pm, and 1pm to 4pm, each day of the week. Parents and/or guardians should accompany their children to the session. Advance booking is recommended. For more information, a description of the research studies, and to book a half-day place during the week of August 3-7, visit http://www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/summerschool/summer.scientists@nottingham.ac.uk
Alternatively, contact the Summer Scientist team on 0115 846 7930, or
