Comparative education involves the step-by-step study of different educational systems to understand their similarities and differences. It covers components like structure, aims, curriculum, administration, financing and teacher education across geographical areas from individual countries to global systems. Ideological comparisons examine systems based on political, social and economic ideologies, while thematic comparisons focus on specific issues. The historical scope analyzes the discipline's development from early travelers' accounts to modern social science. The purposes of comparative education are to describe systems, assist development, highlight education-society links, and make generalized statements valid across countries.