Keyword: «individual learning pathway»

The relevance of this study is driven by the internationalization of higher education and the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into academic communication. In light of the shift toward digital pedagogical tools, the conceptualization of the Individual Learning Pathway (ILP) for future foreign language teachers requires critical rethinking. While AI-enabled tools facilitate the individualization of academic writing, their effective implementation demands a high level of research agency and sustained dialogic mentoring. This study aimed to conceptualize the ILP as a process of dialogic co-construction and to identify mentoring practices that facilitate the transition from formal curriculum adaptation to the development of a professional-researcher identity. Grounded in sociocultural and learner-centered approaches within digital didactics, the research involved the design and piloting of an Academic Writing course structured around the ILP framework, focusing on drafting a scientific article in English. The pilot sample comprised 61 undergraduate students in teacher education programs. Results indicated that, despite high initial engagement, successful ILP implementation depends directly on the quality of mentoring dialogue: the mean score for research agency reached 4.60, and dialogue quality reached 4.53. A statistically significant precedence of research autonomy development over professional identity formation was observed (M = 4.06; p < .001, d = 0.71). Furthermore, very strong correlations were established between dialogue quality and agency (r = .89) and between mindful AI integration and research autonomy (r = .85). The theoretical significance of the study lies in reconceptualizing the ILP not as an administrative pathway, but as a dialogically mediated process of co-constructing meaning, wherein mentoring and critical AI engagement serve as catalysts for professional development. The findings hold practical value, as the developed ILP co-construction protocol can be integrated into academic writing courses to enhance teacher preparation programs in language and pedagogical higher education institutions.