Teachers as behavioral role models in higher education: a systematic literature review and future research directions

Abstract

While teachers’ academic role is well established, their role as behavioral role models in higher education remains insufficiently explored. This systematic review employs the PRISMA framework to analyze 17 included studies from 2,695 records (2015–2024) retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The analysis identifies three fundamental categories of teacher role modeling: Ethical Qualities, Pedagogical Expertise, and Relational Mentoring, which form the basis of a new conceptual model that frames role modeling as a multidimensional professional practice. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), version 2018. The synthesis demonstrates the significant impact of teacher behaviors on student development while revealing critical research limitations, including geographical narrowness, overreliance on student-reported data, and discipline-specific constraints. These findings, drawn mainly from Asian and European contexts, underscore the urgent need for cross-cultural research in underrepresented regions (Latin America and Central Africa) to validate their global relevance. The review offers practical guidance for educational stakeholders and lays a foundation for more comprehensive investigations of the influence of teacher behavioral role models in higher education.