Describes the educational philosophy of Thomas Aquinas College (CA), which centers around: (1) student consideration of primary sources rather than textbooks and (2) a liberal education as defined by the Roman Catholic Church. Discusses the relationship of curricular offerings to this philosophy and examines the college's impact on students. (JP)

This study at a midwestern, private, liberal arts college compared undergraduate student reactions in an educational psychology course between students whose reading assignments were in a conventional textbook vs. those of students whose reading assignments made use of primary sources, such as original research or case studies. At the end of each…

Directs a class at the University of Minnesota (Duluth) for teachers at developing effective research skills and historical mindedness. Teachers study a topic and write curriculum using primary sources as basic texts. Outlines the curriculum process and includes three case studies. Includes teaching activity worksheets. (NL)