At the end of the day

A short list of what I hope students will get out of doing one of my subjects. This is my version of what universities call "learning outcomes".

Inspiration You should be inspired to learn more about the subject matter. If you did not like the subject matter, you should at least have a good understanding of why somebody might feel passionately about this topic.
Tools of the trade: Before you can become an expert, you need to master the tools of the trade whether it is a compiler or a wood saw. A semester, a couple of years is not adequate to master a tool, but you should feel you understand the variety of tools that are used in this area and the subject got you started on a couple of tools which you can improve with practice.
Learning to learn: We live in a rapidly changing world. You need the flexibility to learn, the knowledge to find similarities between new tools and old systems. The "learning muscle" is no different than any of your other muscles; it needs exercise to grow strong, needs practise to stay in shape. You should feel challenged by the ideas in a subject, not bored; otrhervise, you will not stretch that muscle, not see how far it can be extended when needed.
Transferrable skills: The amount of information stored has doubled from 2000 to 2003 and the rate at which we produce information is increasing. What this means is that whatever facts you have learned will quickly become obsolete. You should develop a deep understanding of the topic and of the tools since this results in transferrable skills. You do not learn C++ or Java, you learn programming techniques that apply to all languages, algorithms/strategies like divide-and-conquer which go beyond programming, critical thinking skills on how the pieces fit together for a program as well as for an argument, and an understanding of how to setup and use objective measurements to make decisions.
Can do that: You should be able to do at least 3 new things, and preferrable a couple fo dozen new things, that you were not able to do before you took the subject. You should feel competent in your ability and feel resourceful enough to learn what you do not know.
Fun: Emotions are an important and often ignored component of memory. If you are having fun while learning something, you are more likely to remember it (and even if you did not, you would willingly put yourself through the same learning experience again anyway). You should have fun while studying any subject. I do not mean the sit in front of TV or ride a roller-coaster or playing tetris like fun, but the deeper challenging, rewarding, time well spent kind of fun.