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The document discusses various methodologies in comparative education, highlighting the evolution from descriptive and historical methods to modern approaches such as social, psychological, statistical, and scientific methods. It emphasizes the importance of understanding educational systems within their societal context and the need for objective analysis to evaluate and compare educational practices across different countries. The document outlines a structured problem analysis approach, consisting of description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison, as essential for advancing the field of comparative education.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
5 views6 pagesComparative Education
The document discusses various methodologies in comparative education, highlighting the evolution from descriptive and historical methods to modern approaches such as social, psychological, statistical, and scientific methods. It emphasizes the importance of understanding educational systems within their societal context and the need for objective analysis to evaluate and compare educational practices across different countries. The document outlines a structured problem analysis approach, consisting of description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison, as essential for advancing the field of comparative education.
Uploaded by
Haleema FarooqCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1.4 Methods of Comparative Education
Like other Social Sciences, comparative education has been studied at
different stages of its development with different methodologies. With
the interest of scholars from different disciplines in it, the development
of methodologies of studies of social science, the expansion of
knowledge and interdisciplinary approaches, the interest of the countries
of the world is one another and the coming up of bodies like UNO,
UNESCO, IEA, ILO, different methods have been applied for the study
of this discipline. The methods of comparative education are:
1. Descriptive methods. The time from which comparative
educationists try to trace the beginning of comparative education,
through third stage can be termed as the root stage only and then the
plant was not visible. It can be noticed in description only. This had
neither an si s. The :
r\ S nose O O
and had only some details of educational systems in other countries.
Herodotus (484-425 B.C.) in his commentary-on Persian Wars, Xenophan
(430-355 B.C.) in his details of training for citizenship in Persia, are
some examples of Greek interest in comparisons. Plato (429-348 B.C.) in
his Republic talks of improvements in society. Cicro (106-43 B.C.) in De
Oratore had compared Greek and Roman cultures and blamed Spartan
‘ining for encouraging homosexuality and robbery. Julius Caesar (102-
B.C.) in his commentary on Gallic Wars had not restricted himself to
warfare and had mentioned that Druids stressed memory and were not
Willing to commit their religious doctrine to writing. Tacitus (A.D. o'-
Genet’ Seveloped interests in the characteristics of Britons and
Comen me ages, the most important event in the “Decree by Grant
write a ful tnice” (A.D. 1268) that all Venetian ambassadors were to
iotiong wt of their activities abroad, to the inclusion of
Khaldun (A.D, analysis of the countries which had been visited. Ien
-D. 1332-1406) a Turisian scholar of Spanish-Arab lineage, f A Textbook of Comparative Education
had mentioned schools in his works. It seems as if he was concemeg
with elements of comparative education when he wrote: “Must
compare similarities or differences between the present and Past or
distantly located conditions. He must know the causes of similarities in
certain cases and of differences in others.”
In the earlier descriptions, mostly the persons who travelled abroad
were not basically interested in the educational systems of other lands
for any utilitarian purpose but were curious to know the wide world and
what people did there. These descriptions could not move beyond
subjective interpretations. However, in the 19th century, scholars were
not interested to know the foreign systems of education, but wanted the
best of it to be taken to their lands. They tried their hands on educational
matters like theory, finance, teaching methods, educational organisation,
curricula, control and level of academic achievement. Even at this stage,
objectives and quantitative data were lacking. No doubt, description is an
important ingredient in comparative education, yet it is of little use in tae
modem scientific approach to the problems of comparative education.
3. Historical method. Traditionally, comparative education had’
developed as the contemporary past of the history of education and'
hence had its roots in the discipline of history. A group of scholars even |
now look upon it as such, but the position is now changing. However, if
the above reason is convincing, then we can easily call i O
‘History of Education.” It is also true that comparative education has
borrowed as much from history, as from politics, sociology, philosophy,
economics, religion and culture. All these facts have influenced the
systems of education in different lands. Even when the earlier approach
had been historical, like other comparative disciplines, such as comparative
Jaw and comparative religion, it cannot be said that this can be @
complete method of comparative study of educational systems if
different countries. With the passage of time the emphasis has shifted
from history to sociology, politics and then to economics. Thus modem |
Comparative educationists vare not ready to admit that comparative
education has its roots in either of the social sciences, Bereday writes) |
“No branch ef pedagogy that has lost touch with one specific paret!
discipline has succeeded in maintaining high intellectual standards. Al!
one can say at present is that comparative education is emerging togethel
with and distinct from philosophy, history and sociology of education 4
part of the field of pedagogy (in the United S:ates commonly referred (0
under the awkward name—foundations of education)”. Comparative
educations seek to make sense out of similarities and differences amon Understanding Comparative Education
Ww
educational systems. It catalogues educational methods across ti
national
unt ay a
total store of mankind’s educational pale Pears as one variant of the
ience.
3. Social method. It i is
- i : 'ceful factor fi
modification of ‘aps, that is why the dictatorial parr —_
more controls upon educational systems and streams i
countries. Democratic ways and means are introduced a
that students be prepared for democratic responsibilities in their later
life. These elements in education are introduced to mould the future
shape of the society to achieve national and social objectives. In the
words of Bereday: “To this day no school programme can be adequately
explained without reference to the ultimate philosophical commitment to
the socisty it serves, nor°can educational changes, while ignoring the
historicat period in which they take place.”
It is vith this point of view that scholars say that society moulds the
schools in accordance with its philosophy. Accordingly, Sadler says,
“..the things outside the schools matter more than things inside the
schools.”
Scholars like Sandford, Kandel, Hans and Millinson have laid
emphasis upon forces and factors influencing the educational policy and
practices. Hence, for the students of comparative education the important
factor is not as to what the school system, curriculum, administration and
teaching methods look like, but as to why they look like that. This cannot
be understood without knowing the society in which that system has
come up as changes in society aie reflected in the changes in education.
, to understand a pattern of education in a social setup, it is
essential that society along with its philosophy, psychology, economics,
Politics and racial factors, be properly understood and educational
system be interpreted in the light of it. This approach is called “social
approach” and at times is known by the name of “forces and factors
approach”,
lieved that because a nation’s educational system is
Sttongly affected by its culture and consequently embodies ideas
Teflecting that culture, this in fact gives’ basis for comparative enquiry for
se who are interested in the outcome of educational politics in a
Variety of countries.
= Psychological method. With the help of this method, educationists
mean “ducational attainments of the students of different countries by
~ for Eval tools, which are universally accepted. The International Project
‘uation of Educational Achievement is doing substantive work. It 18 A Textbook of Comparative Education
7 inning made by the educationists and psychologists in th;
is ee geutaions ie developing iotemationally” valid =
Se achievement tests, selections of Scientifically Tepresentative data,
mechanics of accuracy in recording data, establishing internationally
recognised quotient and norms are yet to be overcome, With the
development of proper tools and techniques, accompanied by the
scientific results of research project being taken up in this methodol
of comparative education, it seems that this approach has a bright future,
-5. Statistical method. It is also known by the name of quantitative
method.and became popular in the 20th century. Now comparative
educationists are making their use more frequently and such matters are
being investigated. What percentage of income is being spent by the
developed countries on their educational system? Is spreading of higher
education increasing unemployment problems? What are the techniques
being used by different countries of the world to know their future
manpower requirements?
Such data may be useful for the solution of some of the problems of
education such as curriculum, discipline, planning, school size enrolment,
employment, development of manpower resources, etc.
This method needs to be refined by way of carrying on research
Projects, so that limitations like mistakes in working, biases in data,
accuracy of questionnaire, non-availability of internationally equivalent
terms are overcome.
6. Scientific method. This method is mostly used in research studies
by way of minimising subjectivity and maximising objectivity so that the
quality of foreign schools is systematically explored as .a means of
evaluating one’s own educational system. This is called problem
approach. In the words of Bereday: The Problem analysis is #
“Pprenticeship for the total analysis and at the same time a crowning 0!
the research Steps....It involves a selection of one theme, one topic ad
the examination of ils persistence and variability throughout te
Tepresentative educational systems. The question of what is development!
education, for example, or what is science training or what afe
methods of teaching language in a relevant set of countries would
fitting subject of problem analysis,
In his attempt to explain the process of problem analysis, Bereday
divided it into four steps: a
(a) Description. In thi Step, the pedagogical data of the co sl
comparison is described in detail. For this purpose living and relev*"
educational problem ought to be selected, The problem be descril Understanding Comparative Education
19
such countries where it exists so that proper insi
solve these problems by examining Beare nae teas °
problem. In this way the description of problem such as a such
education, educated unemployed, discipline, education as an fnveane
education and manpower planning, education and national integration =
seen in different countries in the context it exists.
(b) Interpretation. In the second step the description of the data is
evaluated in pedagogical terms. It is understood as to why that problem
has existed in different countries of the world. For example, why
Britishers want their schools to give religious education during the
school hours and why America and India want secular type of education
in their institutions? What are the historical, economic, social, religious
and geographical factors influencing that problem in different countries
of the world?
(c) Juxtaposition. The third step involves establishing similarities and
differences with regard to the educational problem. For this purpose at
first the criterion of comparability is fixed and hypothesis for comparative
analysis is formulated. For example, all societies share common social
educational goals, but each one puts different emphasis upon them. In
USA emphasis is upon progress though individualism and the dynamic
goal is reflected in series of consequences leading to permissiveness in
schools. In England the progress is anticipated in maintaining law and
order (and character formation) by placing emphasis upon self-discipline.
USSR wanted to progress through collectivism which was the functional
goal, leading to functional discipline by way of idealising duties. Japan
wants to progress by way of fulfilment of duties. Bereday says: “An
attempt to juxtapose by generalisation, the central ideas of each nation
and to trace the way of which they are reflected in education is not
Nena hare objection. For one thing, the categories present
8o broad that disputes may arise i i
nie oie ‘put y about their use in one country rather
ane eau Pentes approach at first the hypothesis for