The paper is about the issues of teaching ethnic minorities in Soviet and post-Soviet Georgia on the example of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages. The research is a scientifically unstudied issue, because no special scientific research has been conducted on the teaching of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages. The dissertation discusses the peculiarities of teaching Abkhazian and Ossetian languages in the 19th century, during the period of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, in the Soviet era and in post-Soviet Georgia. In the research, a proper place is given to the modern state of teaching Abkhazian and Ossetian languages both in the controlled territory of Georgia and in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. Although it is currently difficult for Georgian scientists to obtain appropriate information from the Abkhazian and Ossetian sides, taking into account our scientific contacts, we have obtained data on issues related to the teaching of the Abkhazian and Ossetian languages. The research is structured in chronological order. Important political events and changes were determined as the principle of periodization, which caused systematic changes in important issues for research. In the research of Abkhazian and Ossetian language teaching, we use comparative research methods, narrative method, documentation analysis, and use empirical research methods to investigate the peculiarities of Abkhazian and Ossetian language teaching in the post-Soviet era. The main conclusions of the research are: The teaching of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages was carried out from the beginning with the involvement and active participation of Georgian educational spaces; In teaching the Abkhazian and Ossetian languages, the educational policies of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union are often similar; In the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921), there were opportunities to use the languages of ethnic minorities living in Georgia and to teach in these languages; In the 20s-50s of the 20th century, the changes of the Abkhazian and Ossetian alphabets were characterized by similar trends and were determined by the language policy of the Soviet Union; Frequent changes of Abkhazian and Ossetian alphabets threatened the Abkhazian and Ossetian educational process, the creation of original Abkhazian and Ossetian literature; In the 60-80s of the 20th century, the teaching of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages was characterized by stability. During this period, the alphabets no longer change, school and university textbooks are published, a significant part of Abkhazian and Ossetian young scientists continue their studies at a University of Tbilisi and scientific-research centers; The GeorgianOssetian and Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts and armed conflicts that arose in the 90s of the 20th century, as well as the 2008 war, significantly affected educational processes, including Abkhazian, Ossetian, and Georgian education; The government of Georgia implements several initiatives and programs for entrants living in the occupied territories of Georgia; Abkhaz and Ossetian youth lack access to international education; Russian language has a great influence on the usage of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages, Russian-language school and university education causes a tendency to reduce the original literature and translations in Abkhazian and Ossetian languages; The teaching of Abkhaz and Ossetian languages both in the controlled territory of Georgia and in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia contains errors, Abkhazian and Ossetian languages are rarely used by young people in formal environment and professions. At the end of the paper, recommendations are presented regarding the improvement of the teaching of Abkhazian and Ossetian languages.

There has been a heated debate about incorporating L1 in teaching L2, its possible ambivalent affect and positive outcomes. To address this issue, the doctoral thesis offers an overview of the historical and ongoing interdisciplinary scientific studies. In that respect it is an important piece of research which is focused on translanguaging. The aim of this dissertation is twofold: it investigates translanguaging pedagogies as a promising EFL teaching method and also identifies a methodological gap in the translanguaging literature which is related to the need of establishing a precise framework for its pedagogical use. The overview serves as the basis for an updated framework of using translanguaging for pedagogical purposes. The thesis also reviews the empirical part of the research which is based on different sources of data to ensure triangulation and provide a description of genuine academic situation in the Georgian setting in terms of teacher-learner experiences and preferences. The dissertation presents a convincing argument that EFL teachers need to adopt a holistic view of all languages and incorporate intentional translanguaging pedagogies into their teaching practice to welcome students’ L1 and see it as a resource rather than an obstacle to find productive ways to enhance their speaking skills. The study contributes to the perception of translanguaging pedagogies as a highly efficient method to be for adult learners to accomplish a learning goal, especially if it is improvement of speaking skills.

The goal of our research was to examine the psychological mechanisms of self-regulated learning within technology-enhanced educational environments. We aimed to develop a model that clarifies the role and function of technology in this process. The introduction of technology in higher education significantly changes traditional learning models, creating environments enriched by technological tools. These environments use various technologies and information systems to improve the learning experience. Modern technologies offer many advantages, However, despite these opportunities, technology-enhanced learning also requires high levels of motivation, autonomy, and independence from learners—key components of self-regulated learning skills. Self-regulated learning helps us understand how learners take charge of their own learning experiences. Although self-regulated learning is not a new concept in educational psychology, the ongoing digital changes necessitate an expansion of traditional models and the creation of new approaches. For our theoretical framework, we used Pintrich's integrated model of self-regulated learning, which looks at the concept holistically and includes factors such as motivation, cognition, affect, and contextual elements. This focus on context suggests that we can expand traditional components of self-regulated learning within this model. Our research was carried out in two phases employing mixed methods. In the first stage, we conducted focus group discussions with higher education students to gather their perceptions and attitudes about using technology in learning. Based on these insights, we enriched the integrated model of self-regulated learning with themes related to technology. In the second stage, we administered a questionnaire based on our findings to students, creating a psychological model of self-regulated learning in technology-enhanced environments, which we validated through confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis revealed that the psychological mechanisms of self-regulated learning in these environments are, similar to traditional views, multi-faceted. Both the new and classical models share common components such as goal orientation, self-efficacy in task domain, help-seeking behaviors, note-taking etc. However, the new model expands the scope of these components to incorporate technology use. We also identified new components, confirming our hypothesis that technology alters the psychological mechanisms of self-regulated learning. Interestingly, these new components can be categorized into positive and negative aspects, where some enhance self-regulated learning while others complicate the process. In conclusion, technologies should not be seen merely as external tools for learners. They fundamentally transform the psychological mechanisms of self-regulated learning. Our findings indicate that technology plays a crucial role in facilitating and guiding self-regulated learning. Thus, we must view technologies as integral to both the learning context and the psychological mechanisms involved. This research highlights how the technological era is reshaping both learning environments and the psychological mechanisms of teaching and learning Incorporating these insights into educational curriculum design and teaching methods is essential for promoting students' self-regulated learning skills. especially in fields like educational psychology, education policy, and teacher training.