Sharing Reading Experiences with University Students Using Goodreads

Abstract

Extensive reading (henceforth ER) practitioners emphasize the importance of keeping track of what students read. Some prefer to implement paper-based reading logs while others use an online ER site such as M-Reader or X-Reading. This paper reports on an alternative attempt to share reading experiences with students using Goodreads, "the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations." Seven third-year and eleven fourth-year university students participated in the experiment. The students signed up for Goodreads and kept track of what they read in their online accounts. Although the fourth-year students were too busy job-hunting to read, the third-year students were able to try out the application inside and outside of the classroom. Unlike M-Reader or X-Reading, it was not meant for ER class management; however, it provided a potential direction to inspire students and lead them to the life-long pleasure of reading.