Professional Ethics among University Teachers: Unfolding Differences Based on Age, Teaching Experience, and Academic Discipline

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Zeinab Kafi ¹

Sahar Tabatabaee Farani ²

Mona Tabatabaee Yazdi ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Khorasan Institute of Higher Education, English Language Department, Mashhad, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Khayyam University, English Language Department, Mashhad, Iran

³ Associate Professor , Tabaran Institute of Higher Education, English Language Department, , Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/lts.2026.100583.1465

Abstract

Professional ethics among university instructors is an important factor in enhancing higher education quality. This study examined the relationships between teaching experience, academic discipline, age, and instructors’ professional ethics using a quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental design. Data were collected online from 200 male and female university instructors across various academic disciplines using a professional ethics scale. Data were analyzed using Welch’s ANOVA, the Games–Howell post hoc test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results showed significant differences in overall professional ethics according to teaching experience, particularly in commitment to the organization and society. No significant differences were found across academic disciplines. Age was not significantly correlated with overall professional ethics, commitment to students and profession, but showed weak positive correlations with commitment to the organization and society. Overall, the findings highlight the multidimensional nature of professional ethics, indicating that individual and professional factors are not uniformly associated with its dimensions.

Keywords

Professional Ethics in University Teaching Scale

Dimensions of Professional Ethics

Teaching Experience

Academic Discipline

Age

Subjects

• Language Education

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