Product versus Process

I am always fighting the battle of the learning process versus the learning product.  It is important that students learn process, but I also want students to be able to pull together a project that focuses on detail and precision:  nice visuals, nicely coloured drawings, printing or computer rendered work.  

As I straddle two teaching systems (I teach in a public system and my sons attend the Catholic School system), I find that each tends to focus on either the product or process more exclusively.  The system I teach in is focused primarily on the process of learning, which is very important.  The system my sons attend focuses more detail on the product of learning.     I think both are not mutually exclusive, and go together.  Form and function.

Above is a sample of my son's grade two project that parents were encouraged to help out with.  However, the students were taught how to write the particular categories, and then type them out on the computer, how to draw pictures of each category, and how to present their work in poster format.  This standard of work has continued to be the focus in each year of school.  What I love about it is that my sons know how their work should look as well as the detail and standard that is expected of them.  All their projects are rubric based.  They are required to print neatly, or by grade four, handwrite.  They are required to colour their work, and outline their projects in fine liner. 

Now, I know many educators would think that this level of detail is unnecessary and is too product orientated. What if a child has written output issues, or cannot draw, or work does not visually adhere to the standard of the class?    I disagree. Technology is there to help students not only with the process but the product.   Furthermore, the skills and attention to detail that is required of my sons work makes them better learners.  It is not wasted effort and time.  All project work is considered important, and worthy of this time and effort. 

How can we focus on processes but also value the product we have students create?   How do we get students to put these skills together? Can and should teachers focus on the output or look of work over the process the students have undertaken?  I know that I love the look of good work, and this doesn't mean that it has to be neat, but it has to look "pulled together" and be clear to the audience what is going on.  Sometimes I wonder if the standards I have are too high, as sometimes students will say, "do I have to colour this?".  I will usually explain that I want colour to show the audience what is going on...it will help to explain the project, and make their project look complete.  This is important to some students, but not to others.  And, I guess this is the key; for some learners the look of their project and their work is very important, while to others, it is the ideas that they can explain, regardless of the end result or product. 

Individualization, customization, and standards - trying to put it all together.