Observable Learning

Having missed the class, I'll try to answer the question as briefly and as well as I can.
Is learning observable?
After looking through some other posts, and having seen them come to the conclusion that it is neither a black or white answer I'd tend to agree. It is easy to say that a student has memorized a piece of information in the academic fields, say an important date, or the syllable sequence of a haiku, because they can repeat the information on command. But is that learning or memorization, and is there a difference? I believe that there is, and that they are also entwined. Learning comes from within and is done through making mistakes, or learning from others mistakes. Can this be accurately observed? In the world of fine arts I think that it can be. I student can make a drawing based on a photo, compare the drawing to the photograph, and with guidance learn what works and what doesn't. If the next drawing is better, then the student has learned. I think that his learning can only be measured against himself in this case, but it is observable because the two drawings could be compared. In the case of the more academic disciplines, I really feel like real learning would be difficult to observe, as there is much more memorization involved. How do you tell the difference between a student who has trouble remembering things versus a student who isn't learning? I don't know, but my hope is that through student centered, and hands activities there is a greater chance that a student will learn something, even if it is hard to observe.