Search

There has been a deliberate attempt to close the achievement gap by altering educational policies, yet the gap still exists. This phenomenology qualitative study sought teachers' opinions on whether STEM was seen as an effective intervention strategy for closing the achievement gap among African American students, and if so, why it wasn't used more frequently and, if not, what barriers were present. The research questions that guided this study were: What do educators perceive a STEM education can do to address the achievement gap for African American students? In what ways do educators in a kindergarten-8th grade classroom environment include STEM teaching techniques into their lessons? and What professional development supports are necessary to give instructors the confidence they need to include STEM into their curriculum design? The findings of this study, suggests that there is a strong connection between project-based learning, STEM techniques, and student involvement and success. Through an examination of teachers' implementation experiences in addressing the achievement gap of African American pupils, this study provides insight into why STEM adoption is not more widespread. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Ongoing inequitable educational outcomes for marginalized students drive this study. Data show that our current educational system is not meeting the needs of all our students. Our Black and Brown students continue to be underserved by the system. With over thirty years of research and data supporting the inclusion of racial topics and infusion of culturally responsive pedagogy into teacher education, how much implementation is currently taking place? The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which the topics of race and privilege and culturally responsive pedagogy have been infused into undergraduate elementary teacher education. This convergent mixed methods design was created with three data collection strands: mission and vision statements, surveys (plus contributed syllabi), and interviews. This design allowed for multiple data sources to be explored, analyzed, and compared. First, quantitative data was collected by identifying keywords in vision and mission statements of schools/colleges of education. Second, data from a primarily quantitative survey were collected from 58 participants across varying institutions and states. Third, qualitative data was collected from 12 volunteers who participated in a semi-structured interview to determine the impetus or barriers to their practice. Subsequent to the collection of data, analysis of the data in each strand was conducted separately, then the findings were compared across the strands to identify consistencies, inconsistencies, patterns and outliers. While inclusion in mission and vision statements of schools/colleges of education are limited and institutional requirements are limited, the findings suggest that the topics of race and privilege, as well as the best practices of field experiences and critical reflection are implemented at a high level in undergraduate elementary teacher education programs. Culturally responsive teaching strategies are included in most institutions at a basic level and are infused throughout teacher education content, methods, and multicultural courses in the majority. This implementation is most frequently driven by teacher educators passionate for the work and who surround themselves with like-minded colleagues who are also hoping to affect change in teacher education as well as the educational lives of marginalized students. Three implications for teacher education emerged. First, institutions should provide ongoing training regarding race, systemic racism and similar topics. Second, teacher educators invested in this work must surround themselves with like-minded colleagues. Third, teacher educators should find a critical colleague who will support them in the work while challenging their thinking and pushing their work. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

At-risk students are engaged in dangerous behaviors that lead them to become involved in the juvenile justice system and cause the feeling of low self-worth. This eventually causes at-risk youths to drop out of school and engage in detrimental behaviors that meddle in their academic success. The alternative education program provides these at-risk youth with the opportunity to develop positively their academics and behavior to complete a regular high school program. This mixed method study with quantitative and qualitative research enhanced the understanding of the perceptions of the effectiveness of alternative programs from an educator's viewpoint. Conveniently selected educators who worked at an alternative education site, had referred students to an alternative program, had worked with a student who was at an alternative site, or had a student who had been at a program completed a survey examining their perceptions of the effectiveness of alternative programs. From the selection, 10 educators were asked to partake in the qualitative section of the research to strengthen the validity of the research. The means were estimated to analyze the educators' perceptions of the effectiveness of alternative programs in southern state. The results revealed alternative education programs are needed and are effective in developing the needs of at-risk youths, which was consistent with the research shared in the literature review. Appendices include: (1) Survey Instrument; (2) Interview Guide; and (2) Sample Interview Responses.

The retention and persistence of students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions was the focus of this qualitative study. Former foster care youth resided in out-of-home care with state approved guardians who received funding and monitoring of services. When enrolled in college, foster care youth require more support than students who never experience foster care. A small number of four-year college institutions provide interventions to retain foster care students. The research sought to identify best practices and to establish a foundation for research. Foster care youth often have a history of abusive and neglectful life experiences. It is fundamental to assure that these students are provided with the appropriate resources to ensure persistence and success. By doing so, institutions may be able to increase student retention and completion. The conceptual framework reflects the historical context of students. The outcome of several different retention efforts is discussed. Finally, the literature explored access to higher education for former foster care youth. The research is aimed to provoke further research, best practice, and to inform research. Four research questions guided the investigation concerning the lived experiences of students who have come from the foster care system and who are enrolled in four-year college institutions. The stories former foster youth told about their interaction with faculty and staff in four-year college institutions inform this study. Four themes emerged from. A Narrative Inquiry into Transitioning from Foster Care to College the study, (1) campus-based support as an external support, financial support, family as an internal support, transition and access. Through the stories told we learned that former foster care youth require external support in the form of campus-based support, a direct liaison who is assigned to former foster care youth. Internal support is important in assuring consistency, a place to call home and lasting friendships. Financial aid is the driving force that allows former foster care youth to persist. Transition support is crucial in properly progressing into college and adulthood for foster care youth. Finally, best practices are discussed for monitoring success in students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The increasing numbers and influence of older adults is causing many segments of western society to re-evaluate the concept of old age. Medical advances and personal lifestyles have resulted in older adults living longer and healthier lives. As one ages, adjustments in work, family, and health must be made. Self-directed learning (SDL) is one way of negotiating these changes. There is a need for more research about older adults and self-directed learning, and there is a lack of research concerning the link between SDL and late life adjustment. The purpose of this study was to understand how older, rural adults utilize self-directed learning in the adjustments of late-life. This research study employed a descriptive qualitative design that used in-depth, semi-structured interviews for data collection. The sample of ten purposefully selected older adults from a rural area reflected diversity in gender, race, education, and employment. The age of the participants ranged from 75 to 87. Four research questions guided this study: (1) What is the nature of the SDL of these older adults? (2) What is the process of SDL? (3) What are the late life adjustments of these older adults? (4) How does the rural context shape the SDL of these older adults? Data analysis guided by the constant comparative method revealed the following findings: The nature of self-directed learning is highly engaging, variably structured, collaborative, and goal-directed. There is a specific process of self-directed learning beginning with an incentive to learn plus an interest, leading to accessing resources; with systematic attention and adjustments in their learning, some projects ended while others remained ongoing. There is also a catalyst, usually another person, interspersed in this process. The rural setting provided a constructive atmosphere for learning. Helpful aspects were the quiet and simple atmosphere, nature, and the people; negative comments centered on lack of resources. Three conclusions were drawn related to how older adults incorporate self-directed learning: late life adjustments are a primary incentive for self-directed learning, self-directed learning is an integral process in the lives of older adults, and the rural environment is a predominantly positive context for learning. Appended are: (1) Overall Plan for Research; (2) Telephone Questionnaire; (3) Letter to Participants; (4) Consent Form; (5) Interview Guide; (6) Learning Contract; and (7) Resources for Older Leaders. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.) [Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Georgia.]

This study explored the adoption of learning management system (LMS) technology by fire service instructors. The research identified what attributes of LMS technology lead to the adoption of the technology. This study used hypotheses and research questions related to diffusion of innovation theory (DoI) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) to develop a combined theoretical framework to identify those attributes. The study combined the five perceived attributes of innovation constructs of DoI: relative advantage (RA), compatibility (CP), complexity (CPX), trialability (TR), and observability (OB) with the two main constructs of TAM: perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). This quantitative survey research collected responses from 357 fire service instructors from across the United States and utilized two types of statistical analysis to review the data. First, correlations were examined to explore the relationships between the attributes of the innovation and adoption; and, answer research questions for each construct's correlation to adoption. Second, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine if the proposed combined theoretical model was appropriate for this population and supported the hypothesized relationships among the constructs. While the attributes of innovations have been widely studied in other fields, there is very little research involving this population. This study advances an understanding of what innovation attributes lead fire service instructors to adopt and implement technology in their classrooms and training centers. Findings indicated all of the constructs positively correlated to the intent to adopt and fire instructors prefer innovation attributes that are compatible with their way of working and that demonstrate advantages and usefulness over other options. SEM indicated that the proposed model was not appropriate and a new model with better fit was developed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In recent years, colleges and universities have witnessed an increase in the number of adult learners entering higher education (Hardin, 2008; Osgood-Treston, 2001). The growth in adult students attending college encourages institutions to better understand the specific needs of the adult learner population. While adult learners may enter higher education for a variety reasons, nontraditional learners generally face similar challenges while pursuing academic endeavors. The purpose of this study was to examine the academic, social, and environmental needs of adult learners, as perceived by adult learners and faculty, to enhance the way four-year universities address the needs of this student population. This study used quantitative measures in its design by using the survey method. The survey, with a convenience sample of 136 adult learners and 74 faculty members, was used to measure responses to each of the research questions. The dependent variables of this study were academic, social and environmental needs; whereas, the independent variables included adult learners and faculty members. To analyze the research data, three 2 x 2 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were used to compare means between adult learners and faculty perceptions to academic, social, and environmental needs of adult learners in a four-year setting. The quantitative findings of the study indicated a statistically significant interaction occurred between part-time and full-time status in relation to academic needs. The results also indicated a statistically significant interaction occurred between part-time and full-time status regarding adult learner environmental needs No other relationships were found through the analyses of participant data. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Response to Intervention (RtI) has been widely accepted by many school districts in the United States as an instructional method that can be used to consistently decrease learning gaps and ultimately enhance learning for all students. Though implementation of RtI as an instructional method has not been legally mandated, many school districts have applied the elements of RtI to identify students that may have learning disabilities according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its reauthorization, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to determine how new teachers perceive their skills to implement RtI elements into instructional activities. Specifically, these new teachers' perceptions were reviewed in the context of their knowledge derived from teacher preparation programs, district professional development, professional collaboration, and co-teach classroom environments. Participants for this study were purposefully selected to represent teachers of specific demographics with classroom RtI responsibilities in a north Texas public school district. Six teachers provided input to the study: three from elementary (grades K-4) and three from intermediate schools (grades 5 and 6). Of the schools, two represented Title I designation. The researcher used the following three data collection methods to determine the teachers' perceptions: face-to-face interviews, an examination of artifacts, and a documents review. Results from each source were analyzed for similarities and differences that were used to identify consistent themes. Themes were developed from this process to assist in clarifying how new teachers perceive their RtI skills and knowledge. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of high school students' perceptions of their Geography course in a Southeast Texas high school. Five focus groups of students were assembled (seventeen students in two groups of four and three groups of three participants) and asked a series of six questions relating to the different curricular aspects of geography. Using phenomenological methods, a reduction of the focus groups responses were made into a final summation of the perceptions of students and their coursework. Findings of the research illustrated that students had various perceptions about geographic coursework. Various perceptions included: learning about unfamiliar places, using geographic tools to find locations, cultural awareness, and degradation of the Earth, adaptation to the Earth, conflict, migration, polluting, and use of geographic terminology. Future implications for practice include the inclusion of emerging spatial technology, GIS autobiographical and curricular emphasis on the six strands of geographic education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Traditional research often excludes the voices of marginalized populations such as African Americans, who are usually written about instead of being allowed to tell their own stories (King, 2005). This research gives African Americans the opportunity to "tell their stories" of segregation and integration. Leaving the telling of our stories to others may have already had severe consequences, such as the perpetuation of stereotypes of African Americans, their communities and their academic abilities (Brown, 2009). This research hopes to shine a different light on the cohesiveness of the Black community and the Black academic experiences these participants had during the 1950s-1970s. There were 20 participants identified from yearbooks, social media and snowball sampling; from the 20, nine were selected to be interviewed. All participants were African American, male or female, and were selected based on other criteria such as age and where they attended school between the years 1950 and 1970. The researcher included a personal narrative which orients the reader to the context for events recollected by the participants in this phenomenology utilizing historical narratives based on the researcher's personal experience and oral histories from other African American individuals from the community. Critical Race Theory was used to guide the research to answer how African Americans who attended Black neighborhood schools in a Southeastern Pennsylvania town during the 1950-1970 eras describe the influence of forced integration on their community and the Black academic experience. The findings from this study are that racial and cultural identity and the Black academic experience were important to student connectedness to the participants' schools and neighborhood; and the teachers, extracurricular activities and relationships were critical characteristics influencing these participants' perceptions of their segregated schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Recruiting and retaining African American students in middle school gifted education continues to be challenging in American schools. African American students continue to be underrepresented in middle school gifted education and accelerated programs, even when they qualify to be gifted education participants. The case study that follows focuses on identifying, observing, and examining the practices, policies, and procedures of a Georgia middle school identified as successfully recruiting and retaining African American middle school students who qualify for gifted education. The participating middle school, was able to recruit and retain qualified African American students in gifted education for 2 or more years, demonstrating substantial enrollment and completion gains for students. The case study explored educational policies and practices of education administrators and leaders, uncovering methods for success. Educational administrators and leaders were interviewed to uncover practices and methods for successful recruiting and retaining of African American students in middle school gifted education. There is a gap in the literature regarding policies, practices, procedures, and methods to address underrepresentation of African American students in middle school gifted education. The practices, policies, and procedures identified in the case study will be transferrable to educational administrators and teachers for implementation in schools intending to recruit and retain African American students in gifted education as well as those already enrolled. These policies, practices, and procedures will provide insight for teachers of African American students in general education and other accelerated education programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This qualitative action research study examined teachers' perceptions about co-teaching and its effectiveness as an instructional model for students with disabilities. One-on-one interviews were conducted with eight elementary and secondary teachers from a medium sized school district located in Southwest Ohio that has a students' with disabilities population exceeding 24%. Four of the participants were regular education teachers and four were special education teachers assigned to elementary and secondary grades who are currently implementing co-teaching in their classrooms. Analysis of the data revealed that participants overwhelmingly perceive co-teaching to be an effective instructional model. Participants identified higher student achievement, academic growth, greater student understanding, higher test scores, and better differentiated instruction as benefits of co-teaching. Four themes emerged based on data analysis: team teaching is the most effective co-teaching strategy, co-teaching increases academic achievement, lack of planning time is a concern, and relationships are important in a co-teaching classroom. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

With increased accountability and newly introduced alternative paths to administrative licensure, stakeholders are compelled to re-conceptualize the preparation of principals from a front-loaded process during the pre-service phase to a well-distributed plan across a principal's career. In a recent review of state policy, states have shifted their focus from university-based leadership development programs to a system of continuous professional development, specifying a shared responsibility for such development (Roach, Smith and Boutin, 2011). Such regulatory shifts force employing schools and districts to reflect upon and accept their role in supporting the successful entry of new principals, that is, to formally and informally induct new school leaders into their organization as well as the profession. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the research base on the induction of principals by focusing on an increasingly popular induction support strategy, that is, the coaching of new principals. This study sought to thoroughly explore new principals' experiences with coaching, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the effects of coaching to emerge from the principal's perspective. This study utilized a mixed method, cross-case study design that began with the traditional satisfaction survey, moved to follow-up telephone interviews and then examined new principal conceptions of the coaching experience through in-depth interviewing. Rather than start with a priori definitions and codes of points of investigation, new principals emergent descriptions reveal their deeper understanding of satisfaction with an individualized induction support. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Providing effective administrative leadership that has a positive impact on student achievement often is problematic for school principals. Research suggests that collaboration and shared decision making are functions of effective leadership, and according to the premises of effective school instructional leadership, leadership should change with respect to a given situation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between principals' perceptions of the temperament component of their leadership style and student achievement in adequate and high performing schools. All students in this district are required as part of the No Child Left Behind Act to score proficient in reading and math by the year 2014. The theoretical foundation of this study is effective school instructional leadership theory, which suggests that leadership should change with respect to a given situation, and that factors such as temperament influence the ability to assume a context specific leadership approach. Temperament dimensions of principals were measured by the Majors Personality Type Indicator (Majors PTI). Student achievement was measured by the Academic Performance Index (API) score according to the state curriculum tests in a large suburban school district. A group of 17 schools were classified as either adequate achieving schools or high achieving schools based on API scores. Spearman correlation analyses indicated a statistically significant association linking only the Majors PTI classification of ESTJ with the high achieving school classification (rho = 0.528, p = 0.029). The findings linking principals' individual temperament and student achievement have the potential to influence social change by better informing internal career coaching and succession planning within schools as well as selection processes for leadership positions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a web-based college awareness program that would aid college-bound students in their search for a college or university that fit their interests. Since there is an increase in computer usage among high school aged students, and there are a very few college awareness programs included in the everyday high school curriculum, an internet based college awareness program can save hours of research in that all the information is in one place. It can also provide an alternative resource for those seeking information about college. A web-based college awareness package was created with Yahoo! Site Builder and Adobe Capitivate3. Users will be able to access different information on the top schools in their field of interests. A pilot test was conducted to evaluate the program. In order to evaluate the web-based college awareness program, a specific group of participants were asked to participate. This group of participants consisted of high school seniors, high school juniors, and professional adults with a variety of knowledge of college preparation and application processes ranging from "very little" to "very strong." The researcher recruited participants by advertising through school announcements, and asking personal friends. The analyses provided positive results demonstrating that the program's content and material were relevant for college-bound students. A survey created by using Microsoft Word and the website survey monkey (1999) was used to gather data necessary to meet the research objectives. The web site allowed the researcher to choose how the questions and answers were displayed, and structured. The survey consisted of 2 main sections, 5 rating scale items in each section, 6 open-ended questions, and additional space for added comments under each question. The frequencies of responses to the statements were recorded. Participants chose whether they 1-strongly agree, 2-agree, 3-not sure, 4-disagree, 5- strongly disagree. The open-ended questions helped the researcher refine and make needed adjustments. Recommendations for further development of the program include (a) further development of the questions, (b) including information about community colleges, and (c) marketing advertising space to universities and educational companies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between emotional intelligence and administrative advancement in one urban school division; however, data acquired in the course of study may have revealed areas that could be further developed in future studies to increase the efficacy of principals and, perhaps, to inform the selection and training process for prospective administrators. This phenomenon, then, might increase aspirants' opportunities for advancement and augment the pool of potential leadership candidates as well. The open-minded administrator realizes that extremely well honed interpersonal skills are critical in order to inspire and emotionally move others to work towards a shared vision. Without a high degree of emotional intelligence, such a collaborative climate may not be created easily. Attuned to the feelings of others, leaders rich in EQ can help their peers to achieve at high levels and work comfortably in a cooperative way. The self-report version of the "Emotional and Social Competence Inventory" (ESCI) (Goleman, 1998) was administered electronically to principals and assistant principals in one urban school division. In turn, each principal or assistant principal was asked to provide an email address for four other individuals capable of assessing their interpersonal skills via the 360 degree version of the ESCI. Data were collected using the statistical package, SPSS, and analyzed using a variety of statistical analyses. Variables included level of emotional intelligence, age, gender, ethnicity, and level of school (elementary, middle or high); number of times an individual applied for an administrative position; the length of time it took to be appointed to such a position; and the number of administrative positions held. This was a nonexperimental, quantitative comparative/descriptive study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Graduate education in hospitality is a growing field with a number of different approaches and philosophies which inform the decisions and directions put forth by program administrators. A case study explains the methods and justifications used by one institution to conduct a self assessment to assure high quality graduate hospitality education. One study brought to bear the grounded theory method of data collection and analysis to glean the concerns and trends apparent to those most directly charged with perpetuating graduate education in hospitality. The author employed grounded theory coding structures for analyzing expositions of important trends and concerns for hospitality graduate education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This report traces the development of an in-house library program for preschoolers and out-reach media mobile program for culturally disadvantaged preschoolers. Activities philosophy, problems, and success in planning library story hours, media collection development, and out-reach program development--converting a bus into a media mobile-- are discussed. Four objectives are specified to attain the goal of encouraging and exposing preschoolers of all races to free educational opportunities at the library. Success in meeting these objectives is evaluated, using circulation and attendance statistics and observations. A survey of the day care center, church school, and parents shows that 100 percent of the participating adults wish the program to continue. The program has met with success in reaching out to preschoolers via the media mobile, in giving parents of different social, economic, educational, and religious backgrounds opportunity to better understand the library's value to parent and child, and in developing a basic preschool collection with media and equipment. The questionnaire and a selected bibliography are appended. (KP)

Mice and rats are critical to our understanding of human biology. They share most of our genome, are susceptible to most of the same diseases and usually benefit from clinical therapeutics, if only at very high doses. Equally important has been the development of new rodent research tools that allow us to manipulate their genome, to induce new likenesses and illuminate our similarities. However, there remain substantial obstacles to modeling clinically relevant human somatosensory experiences, such as chronic pain, in rodents. Conventional rodent pain assays require robust stimuli to generate brief behavioral readouts and they are able to detect the effects of analgesics only at levels well beyond clinically effective human doses. New technologies are needed that are sensitive to low intensity nociceptive stimuli and are able to detect the effects of analgesic drugs at clinically relevant doses. It is possible to tell when someone is in pain simply by his or her body language; but rodents and other prey animals do not as readily show behaviors that betray the presence of pain or injury. We propose that ancestral selection pressures have favored propagation of prey that mask outward signs of injury or disease from the predator, and that behavioral indicators of ongoing pain or itch in rodents should therefore be most evident when the appearance of predation risk is minimized and/or from a viewpoint not naturally seen by predators. Based on this hypothesis, we developed new devices and techniques for observation and analysis of voluntary rodent behavior, with careful consideration of their ecological position as nocturnal prey animals. Here, we demonstrate the capability of one of these new technologies to detect the prolonged effects of low intensity nociceptive stimuli in freely behaving mice and rats and to show that clinically relevant analgesic doses can extinguish pain related behaviors in rodents. Applying the same hypothesis to the study of pruriception (itch), we built another device that optimizes quantification of rodent scratching behavior. We demonstrate its utility by using it to reveal new insights into the cellular basis of pain and itch sensation and advance novel therapeutics for human injury and disease., Medical Sciences