What is the product and process skill used within teaching?

Question

I am completing the City & Guilds 7302, and I'm stuck with Unit 2 of the diploma part, and want to know what a product and process skill is

Answer 1

Not sure if I understand the question, but product would be what the child did/made and the process would be how the child learned it. A teacher should think process over product because is it how the child learned it that's more important than what it looks like. Especially in primary grades. Sorry if this is way off of your topic...

Answer 2

A product approach
This is a traditional approach, in which students are encouraged to mimic a model text, which is usually presented and analysed at an early stage. A model for such an approach is outlined below:

Stage 1
Model texts are read, and then features of the genre are highlighted. For example, if studying a formal letter, students' attention may be drawn to the importance of paragraphing and the language used to make formal requests. If studying a story, the focus may be on the techniques used to make the story interesting, and students focus on where and how the writer employs these techniques.
Stage 2
This consists of controlled practice of the highlighted features, usually in isolation. So if students are studying a formal letter, they may be asked to practise the language used to make formal requests, practising the 'I would be grateful if you would…' structure.
Stage 3
Organisation of ideas. This stage is very important. Those who favour this approach believe that the organisation of ideas is more important than the ideas themselves and as important as the control of language.
Stage 4
The end result of the learning process. Students choose from a choice of comparable writing tasks. Individually, they use the skills, structures and vocabulary they have been taught to produce the product; to show what they can do as fluent and competent users of the language.

A process approach
Process approaches to writing tend to focus more on the varied classroom activities which promote the development of language use; brainstorming, group discussion, re-writing. Such an approach can have any number of stages, though a typical sequence of activities could proceed as follows;

Stage 1
Generating ideas by brainstorming and discussion. Students could be discussing qualities needed to do a certain job, or giving reasons as to why people take drugs or gamble. The teacher remains in the background during this phase, only providing language support if required, so as not to inhibit students in the production of ideas.
Stage 2
Students extend ideas into note form, and judge quality and usefulness of ideas.
Stage 3
Students organise ideas into a mind map, spidergram, or linear form. This stage helps to make the (hierarchical) relationship of ideas more immediately obvious, which helps students with the structure of their texts.
Stage 4
Students write the first draft. This is done in class and frequently in pairs or groups.
Stage 5
Drafts are exchanged, so that students become the readers of each others work. By responding as readers, students develop an awareness of the fact that a writer is producing something to be read by someone else, and thus can improve their own drafts.
Stage 6
Drafts are returned and improvements are made based upon peer feedback.
Stage 7
A final draft is written.
Stage 8
Students once again, exchange and read each others' work and perhaps even write a response or reply.


A summary of the differences

Process driven approaches show some similarities with task-based learning, in that students are given considerable freedom within the task. They are not curbed by pre-emptive teaching of lexical or grammatical items. However, process approaches do not repudiate all interest in the product, (i.e. the final draft). The aim is to achieve the best product possible. What differentiates a process-focussed approach from a product-centred one is that the outcome of the writing, the product, is not preconceived.

Answer 3

In terms of learning theory, product refers to the end result. i.e. what the students get out of the lesson and course. i.e. your learning objectives, such as 'at the end of the lesson, students will be able to describe the theories of pain'. At the end of the course, your student will get a GCSE/Level etc. If the activities and techniques that you use focus on something like the above in the subject(s) that you teach, or 'getting students through, the exams', you are encouraging them to develop product skills.

In contrast, process refers to how you'll get them there. E.g. in A-Level Psychology, students need to develop 2 types of skills: A01-Knowledge & description and A02-Analysis and evaluation, in order to pass A-level exams, as well as other skills, such as communication, team work, organisation, critical thinking etc. If your activities and techniques focus on developing something like the above in the subject(s) that you teach, or helping the students to 'think for themselves' or understand what they are doing & why as they go along, you are encouraging them to develop process skills.

I hope that this answer helps and sounds something like what you've been learning so far!

For further information:

Teaching today-Petty, G.

Psychology for teachers-Childs, D.

Good luck with the rest of your course!