I have a huge gap in my musical education - I learned to hear the major scale pretty well, and I learned how to "derive" the modes from the major scale, but I never learned to 'hear' the difference between songs in one mode over the other, or to hear the difference in progressions in one mode vs. another.

I realize how the notes in the mode can be 'figured out' or derived from the relative major scale. But this has actually hindered me in a sense, becuase 'knowing' the names of the notes in a mode is a far cry from being able to hear when another musician is playing progressions that lend themselves to soloing in that mode. Also, when I hear different songs, I cannot hear if they are 'modal' or not - or even if using a modal concept applies to some of the pop songs I listen to.

So my questions are threefold:

1.) What's the best practice method (on my guitar) to learn the sounds of different mode progressions

2.) What books will give me the most common progressions used in each mode ?

3.) Do the typical major scale harmonized progressions hold equal utility for the modes - e.g.
I IV V,
II V I,
I VI II V I
or do different modes have different sequence progressions for some reason I probably won't understand.
(perhaps it will relate to the terms Tonic, sub-tonic, dominant, sub-dominant, yada yada)

4.) Is it more useful to think of modes with their roots expressed as a "I" chord, vs. thinking of them in the relative numbers of their major scale ? e.g.
for playing in A aeolian - is the progression Dm7 G7 C better thought of as:
II V I of C Maj, even though I should resolve to A root or
IV VII III of A Ael,
I realize they're equivalent, I'm looking for some pros and cons of each approach, and why one would choose to think of the numbers one way over the other

5.) BB questions:
a.)Which nomenclature will BB use with respect to question 4, and why ?
b.)Is it possible to have a listing of songs with respect to the modes used within them ? Can BB figure this out somehow and tell me which mode is being used ? I believe there was once a view telling me what key each song was in (is that still there) ?
c.) How often in typical pop tunes are modes changed, and for what affect - are there 'rules' or guidelines musicians use

6.) Can you give some good examples of famous pop or rock songs that are very modal, and if so - what few progressions and accompany scales give that modal sound ? For example, I know Santana mastered the Dorian mode - evil ways Am7-Bm7 progression; solo in D dorian.

I'll say up front - I know I posted LOTS of questions above. A small nugget on any one is appreciated.