Improving Quality in American Higher Education

Improving Quality in American Higher Education edited by Richard Arum, Josipa Roksa, and Amanda Cook is a collection of white papers produced by mostly faculty as part of the Measuring College Learning project. Each chapter focuses on one of six academic disciplines—history, economics, sociology, communication, biology, and business. The authors of each chapter suggest the concepts and competencies undergraduates should learn within each discipline and include suggested learning outcomes. The clear identification of concepts and competencies is the strength of this book. Such information can be used by faculty in designing individual courses and entire curricula. The book’s last chapter includes perspectives from thought leaders on assessment. As they point out, the Measuring College Learning project has so far produced recommendations of what students should know but has not yet explained in detail how to measure students’ learning. The chapters’ authors do provide a review of current measurement tools and point out gaps in those instruments. Those involved with the project recognize much work remains to be done. In the meantime, they have produced a useful outline of what students should gain from a 21^st century college education.