Empirical Research as an Area of Research Activity of Polish Catechetical Experts

Abstract

Contemporary Polish catechetical idea takes into account various issues of teaching and Christian education in the family, at school or in the parish. A lot of attention is paid to concepts and models of teaching religion in schools. Polish catechetists from various academic centers (eg. Lublin, Poznań, Olsztyn) make attempts to verify the existing catechetic theories through empirical research. Significant here is the contribution of Fr. prof. Stanisław Kulpaczyński from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. The article focuses on methodological and substantive aspects of empirical research in the Polish catechetics. First there have been described methods, techniques and research tools. It has been shown that Polish katechetetics usually employ quantitative and qualitative methods using a questionnaire. They select different groups of respondents. Most often they conduct empirical research in schools – among young people and among catechists from different dioceses. From the merits they are interested in their issues such as catechesis in schools, the formation of catechists, religion teaching methods, giving marks on catechesis, conflict solution, cooperation with parents, parish catechesis. The results of empirical research are presented in articles and monographs as well as in doctoral dissertations. On this basis the Polish catechetists work out new catechetical solutions.