Listening comprehension and listening strategies plays a crucial role in the process of acquiring a language. This study aims to investigate to what extent the listening skill is practised in upper secondary schools in the south of Sweden. Research studies within the field of listening are few which indicates that the listening skill is not considered as essential in second language teaching as the other three skills: reading, writing and speaking. Previous studies indicate that teachers should educate students metacognitive awareness when teaching listening. The results summarize the teachers’ answers, reflections and attitudes conducted from semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the results focuses on the four categories distinguished from the teachers’ answers: Teaching Approaches, National Exams, The Individual Student and Metacognitive Awareness. Some of the teachers do not possess the knowledge of how to teach listening that develops students' listening proficiency. As a conclusion, the study shows that a hierarchy exists among the four skills to which teachers adjust to, and this may be detrimental in achieving educational aims.

This thesis offers an assessment design for collaborative learning, utilisation of blended learning support through current communication technologies and highlights the crucial role of the tutor. The thesis designed and tested a theoretical framework which encompassed an active learning environment and resulted in the development of the shamrock conceptual framework. To test the theoretical framework, clarify the role of the tutor and the impact on the learner experience two studies were undertaken using pedagogical models that combined the concepts of learner-centric, sociocultural and dialogic perspectives on collaborative learning and technology in meeting the needs of learners in the 21st Century. In the first study, the role of the tutor was found to be crucial in setting, implementing and guiding learners using the assessment design as part of a social constructivist pedagogical practice. The pedagogical approach adopted was to blend face-to-face and Wiki learning experiences and was found to promote learner ownership, engagement and the fostering of a learning community. The second study validated the first and provided additional asynchronous technology experiences in addition to the Wiki blend in the assessment design. Study 2 examined the role of the tutor and the learner whilst using current technologies comprising podcasts and video and a Wiki in the collaborative experience. Findings showed that the Wiki supported community and collaborative aspects of a sociocultural practice whilst learners were engaged in authentic learning activities and led to a well supported learning environment. The importance of technology design and use to accommodate collaborative and community aspects was found to be an essential component. It was found that technology is not simply an add-on but rather needs to be planned and considered purposefully by both tutors and learners when used in a blend to supplement learning on campus as part of an assessment design in higher education. This study has shown that, for this to happen, academics need to be provided with the appropriate support, knowledge and skills required in developing a blended learning experience using a Wiki supplemented by class contact on campus as part of an assessment design.

Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB MLE) has become an important concept in the field of primary education in many parts of the world. MTB MLE is a form of education that deals with the bridging of learning in the mother tongue to using one or more languages as languages of instruction in schools. This study took place in the Southern Nation and Nationality Peoples Regional State of Ethiopia (SNNPRS) to investigate the implementation challenges faced by two sample minority languages, namely Dawuro and Kontaatho, that use the mother tongue as both medium of instruction and as a subject in primary schools. The study focused on the drawbacks that hindered the proper implementation of the education and training policy regarding mother-tongue education in minority language areas. To conduct the study, the qualitative research method was employed. Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Colleges of Teacher Education, primary school directors and teachers of mother tongue as a subject and as a medium of instruction, parents and relevant community representatives took part. From the Ministry of Education, two experts from the Curriculum Design and Implementation Directorate and two participants from Mother tongue and English Language development directorate were purposively invited to participate in individual interviews. Similarly, three instructors from one of the Colleges of Teacher Education and 32 mother-tongue teachers drawn from eight schools of the target area were also individually interviewed. In addition, three heterogenous focus group discussions were conducted with stakeholders comprising community and parents’ representatives, schoolteachers’ representative, students’ representatives and school directors. The study was based on the social constructivist and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development theoretical assumptions. The findings of the study indicated that MTB MLE is not being successfully implemented in the minority language areas in the SNNPRS because of the deficits in awareness raising, proper teacher training, readiness of the languages in relation to orthography and scientific terminology to be used as medium of instruction, availability and quality of teaching and learning materials, standardised orthography, availability of guidelines and a strategy to carry out the MTB MLE programme, support and follow up of the implementation of the MTB MLE programme. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)

Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)