Investigating the Role of Teaching Experience in Moral Intelligence and Professional Responsibility among Vocational Instructors: Comparing Experienced and Novice Groups

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the role of service experience in moral intelligence and professional responsibility of vocational instructors in girls' vocational schools of Qorveh county by comparing experienced and inexperienced groups. The research method was descriptive and causal-comparative. The statistical population included all vocational instructors working in girls' vocational schools of Qorveh county in the academic year 2025-2026, from whom 180 individuals were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Moral Intelligence Inventory by Lennick and Kiel (2005) with 40 items and four dimensions (integrity, responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion), and the Teacher Professional Responsibility Scale by Santoro and Morehouse (2021) with 25 items and four dimensions (accountability for student learning outcomes, adherence to ethical and professional standards, commitment to continuous professional improvement, and respect for organizational rules and regulations). The validity and reliability of both questionnaires were confirmed in previous studies as well as in the present study. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27 at both descriptive and inferential levels. The findings revealed a significant difference between vocational instructors with short service experience (less than 5 years) and long service experience (more than 15 years) in terms of moral intelligence and professional responsibility (p < 0.01). In other words, vocational instructors with long service experience had higher moral intelligence and professional responsibility compared to those with short service experience. Moreover, this difference was observed across all dimensions of moral intelligence and professional responsibility. The overall conclusion indicates that service experience plays a significant role in enhancing moral intelligence and professional responsibility of vocational instructors, and paying attention to this variable in professional development programs for inexperienced vocational instructors seems essential.