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This article examines the influence of teacher educators (TEs) on the development of epistemology and tolerance among the prospective teachers (PTs) studying in a newly introduced 4-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) program offered in the Departments of Education of Universities (DoEUs) and Government Colleges of Education (GCEs) in Pakistan. The new BEd is part of United States Agency for International Development (USAID)–led teacher education reforms in Pakistan to curtail the teaching of extremist values that are implicated in breeding extremism. The stated policies and recommended practices of the program are based on the principles of constructivism, critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication, which are expected to shape the PTs’ ways to conceptualize knowledge and knowing, and ultimately their attitude to different social dimensions. Considering that the aforementioned reforms have not focused on the development of the TEs, it is worth examining how the traditionally trained TEs implement this new program, and to what extent they are shaping the epistemology and attitude of the PTs. Using a descriptive quantitative pre–post intervention design, this study collected data on the epistemic and tolerance development of PTs of a DoEU and a GCE. Data were also collected on TEs’ epistemology, tolerance, teacher–students interactions, and teaching strategies. The analysis highlights a significant relation of TEs’ epistemology and tolerance on their teaching strategies as well as on the development of the PTs’ epistemology and tolerance.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to find out the perception of prospective teachers and teacher educators regarding the curriculum ideologies. The student–teachers and teacher educators from a public university of Pakistan participated in the study.Design/methodology/approachThe current study has employed quantitative approach and used descriptive survey research design. The data was collected through the convenience sampling techniques. The data was collected through a questionnaire developed by Schiro in 2008. The questionnaire consisting of six parts and each part contains four statements on the curriculum ideologies of Scholar Academy, Social efficacy learner centered and social reconstruction ideology. The population of study comprised of 200 Prospective teachers of education department of a public sector University of Sindh, Pakistan. The data was collected by using 4-point Likert scale. The likert scale was ranging from the first priority to least priority. The reliability statistics was computed through Cronbach alpha α = 0.763. The data was analyzed through Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 23.0 and mean and percentages were computed in this study.FindingsThe findings of the study revealed that most of the prospective teachers as well faculty members are following the scholar academy ideology to align with national goals of curriculum. The prospective teachers and faculty members believe that knowledge should be transferred from the institutions to the learners rather than the knowledge can be disseminated from the other sources as per the new dimensions for updated curriculum.Practical implicationsThe current study suggests curriculum ideology awareness programs should be given to prospective teachers and faculty members before their induction. The study also recommends that a survey study can be conducted from teachers and teacher educators before designing the national curriculum of Pakistan because majority of participants believed that knowledge can only be transferred from institutions.Originality/valueThis empirical study has given thoughtful insights to investigate the curriculum ideologies with new dimensions for those who are studying in teacher education courses and for their mentors. So, this study has contributed new knowledge in the context of Sindh, Pakistan specifically in the domain of curriculum ideologies and frameworks.

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