edu 304 - comparative education - National Open University of Nigeria

another country that has the same problem. The researcher will also
study the education problem of another country in relation to their
culture. The researcher will not only study the education problem of
another country but he will also examine the solution applied to such
problem by the affected country. From this, he will think of how he will
be able to solve their own educational problem as well. It should be
noted that Culture, economic, Socio Political factors vary from one
country to another as a result of which educational problems and
solutions may not necessarily be the same.
3.4.3 Case Study Approach
In this approach, an education Comparativist from Nigeria can go
to Iraq to study the primary education Level of the country. His report
(is believed) will be very comprehensive for his readers to understand. If
it is possible for the researcher, he can take all the educational systems of
the country and compare such educational system with his own
educational system. The problem with this approach is that as a human
being, the investigator may not be totally objective in his report.
3.4.4 Area Study Approach
The world area here could refer to a village, a town or country
depending on the educational comparativist who wants to carry out the
study. Under this approach, the educational comparativist will engage
himself in the educational practices of only one country, if it is a country
that he has chosen. The investigator is going to involve himself in
several activities as a result of which he is going to arrive at a body of
generalizations on the educational system he is studying. The study
under this approach is always based on geographical, linguistic or racial
boundaries.
However, Bereday (1958) is of the opinion that "one of the oldest
and clearest ways of introducing the subject (Comparative Education) is
to study one geographical area at a time" He therefore identified the
following stages in the area study approach:
(a) Descriptive Stage - At this stage, an Educational Comparativist
can make a description of his own educational system as well
as practices. The researcher has to start by reading
extensively. He will start by reviewing the available literature
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