We’re currently piloting the Rockhaq school music reviews blog with selected colleges and schools in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. We’re fortunate to have attracted a mixture of Music, Media Studies and English students from our pilot colleges, who are studying a range of music and media courses from BTEC Diplomas and Certificates to A/S and A Levels.

One of our pilot schools is South Nottingham College, who are also using Rockhaq with various students, including their BTEC music pupils. What can BTEC music students gain from using Rockhaq blogs inside and outside of lessons? We’re trying several features and ideas out, including:

 

  • Letting music students connect their own music tracks to the Rockhaq school music reviews blog to be reviewed by their classmates – showcasing their music to others
  • Pupils from all colleges with a Rockhaq school music reviews blog can listen to and comment on any published music reviews – so, fostering a united music community
  • Music students broaden their knowledge of other music industry careers and how they are connected – so, how music journalism and reviews are related to PR and marketing
  • Music pupils are able to actively experience an alternative industry career path and also improve their literacy skills by writing music reviews

 

How Rockhaq benefits BTEC Music Students

Course Co-ordinator for Music Ed Whiteley sees various benefits from the Rockhaq school music reviews blog for his music students. He says: “There are many ways Rockhaq blogs can help our music students. Firstly, this gives a real insight into music journalism and blogging and the practical experience students gain from writing reviews mean that they could make a possible career out of it.
“Secondly, writing music reviews gives students a more exciting and engaging way to help improve their literacy skills, which is always a welcome benefit.
“Having the potential to review tracks by other users within the Rockhaq music reviews community and for students to review their own tracks could be a really useful student showcase. Where else would music students be able to do this?”

Listen up!

We’ve only really started but if you’re a music teacher who’s interested in trying out Rockhaq blogs at your school or college, then join our newsletter to keep up with our news stories and case studies, or reserve your place for a Rockhaq blog in September 2012. Places for 2012 are also limited and you can list your name for free, but you’ll need to reserve your school’s place before we turn off our reserve bookings form. You and your students can also keep up with our competitions and announcements on our Facebook page or by following us on Twitter.