outcomes, shmoutcomes

There is, I agree, something to be said for accountability in higher education. We should be able to articulate in specific terms how students will be better off by taking our classes---what skills and knowledge can they demonstrate at the end of the semester that they did not already possess. As the parent of four college students, I find some sympathy with the idea that the high cost of college should be justifiable by some tangible, verifiable benefit. And I agree that it is better to act before action is imposed upon us by the federal government. And yet, I can't help but wonder whether we are not off on one of those periodic goose-chases we educators periodically cannot resist. After all, the best part of taking our classes is not so easily measurable as to be put in "outcomes". Did our students gain a more sophisticated understanding of history? Were their critical thinking skills sharpened? Did they gain a heightened appreciation for their responsibility to protect the environment and their fellow man? Aren't these the real skills we are trying to teach---not merely "can the student identify three defenses to a contract"? But it is the latter "outcome" that we will identify because it is easier to demonstrate and quantify. And, thus, in the process of trying to quantify what we do, we end up selling it short, and risk losing what is most important.