Conducting Oneself in Accordance with the Professional Ethics of University Professors

Abstract

Background and Aims: A study of the level of conducting oneself by the professional ethics of lecturers is useful for educational administrators, lecturers, and educational personnel to examine themselves on their level of lecturers professional conduct and is useful for planning and setting policies for developing teachers or lecturers in universities, including helping to develop the quality of students according to professional ethics more successfully. The purposes of this study were to (1) study the level of conducting oneself by the professional ethics of lecturers, and (2) compare the conducting oneself by the professional ethics of lecturers classified by gender, age, educational levels, and work experience.

Methodology: The sample consisted of 350 lecturers who had taught at Ramkhamhaeng University (Hua Mak). A stratified random sampling was used. The research instrument was the rating scale questionnaire. The data were analyzed by frequency, percent, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA.

Results: (1) The levels of conducting oneself by the professional ethics of overall lecturers were always (\bar{x} = 3.78, S.D.= .298). When considering each aspect, it was found that there was a level of practice in every aspect. The average professional ethics was at its highest level (\bar{x} = 3.86, S.D.= .273), ethics for service recipients (\bar{x} = 3.81, S.D.= .302), ethics to professional associates (\bar{x} = 3.80, S.D.= .298), ethics for society (\bar{x} = 3.61, S.D.= .488), and ethics towards oneself (\bar{x} = 3.81, S.D.= .343) respectively, (2) The comparison of conducting oneself by the professional ethics of lecturers classified by gender, age, educational levels, and work experience showed that: 1) Lecturers with different sexes conducting oneself by professional ethics in component of an ethics towards oneself, ethics to professional associates, and ethics for society were significantly different at the .05 level. 2) Lecturers of different ages conducted themselves by professional ethics in components of an ethics towards oneself, professional ethics, ethics to professional associates, and ethics for society were significantly different at the .05 level. 3) Lecturers with different educational levels conducted by professional ethics in components of professional ethics, ethics for service recipients, and ethics for professional associates were significantly different at the .05 level. 4) Lecturers with different work experiences conducted themselves by professional ethics in every aspect were significantly different at the .05 level.

Conclusion: This study showed that Ramkhamhaeng University lecturers always conduct themselves by professional ethics in every aspect. Because of the work in the lecturer's profession, having morality and ethics will be respected by students, accepted by parents, and supported by colleagues and supervisors, leading to advancement in work and career.