Skip to main content

Goodreads in the Classroom


This weekend I participated in the Goodreads challenge. I have never used Goodreads other than when I've come across a summary or review of a book I've looked up. I liked how easy it was to post to the discussion and it got me thinking about how you could use Goodreads in the classroom.

1. Invite students to keep track of their books

Students can easily add books to their "read" bookshelf and add books they're interested in reading to their "to read" bookshelf.

2. Connect with authors

Students can follow their favorite authors, track what they're reading, and get notifications when they post to blogs.

3. Find recommendations

You can have your students request a recommendation for a certain genre or suggest books to other classmates.

4. Create private discussion groups

You can extend book discussions outside of the classroom by posting to a private discussion group. Students can then respond to each other within the Goodreads platform. You can also post videos or polls in the discussion group.

5. Save books with a scan

The Goodreads app can access your camera and scan barcodes to books you're interested in reading. The books are then automatically added to your bookshelf to save for later. 

Here's a video to help you get started:


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Role of Social Media During a Pandemic

In the face of COVID-19, social media has been a great way for people and communities to stay connected even while physically separated. Just imagine if this pandemic happened 15 years ago. Where would we have been with remote working and schooling from home?  Social media plays a big role in keeping people updated on current events about the pandemic. We have realtime information right at our fingertips in the face of a worldwide event. This information can help keep us safe and provide us with a better understanding of what is happening and how it may impact us. Of course, we have to be careful of spreading false information or getting information from places other than trusted sources. Until a month ago, most of us haven't heard of the term "social distancing" but now it is becoming the main term used in posts across multiple social media platforms. It has influenced the way we respond to others and how we have prepared for the pandemic. Another term I have heard is ...

Social Media in the Classroom

I was thinking about a topic on the discussion board this week regarding ethics and using social media in the classroom. I wrote about how I think using social media in the classroom can be problematic, but I started to think about the ways social media can be useful in the classroom. Maybe not for elementary or middle school, but it might work for high schoolers. After all, when you think about the favorite activity of today's students you'll probably come up with the obvious answer: social media.  Students learn plenty of new things everyday but they rarely get precise instructions on how to use social media. Instead, they rely on what they see from other users and this doesn't always lead them in the right direction. However, the teacher can set an example and explain how social media can help them learn and establish a great online reputation. Here are some ways social media can be used in the classroom: 1. Connect the class in a Facebook group. Create a private group a...

Using Twitter for Professional Development

Twitter is a tool that I've never really been interested in nor knew how to use properly. I created an account years ago when it became popular but I saw it as just posting statuses that I could do on Facebook so I didn't really get the point. I tried following hashtags and accounts I thought I'd be interested in, but I became too overwhelmed with my crowded feed.  Learning that we'd be using Twitter for this class seemed like it would be frustrating for me but I decided to give it a go. I created a new Twitter account and did some research about how to use Twitter for professional development. When it comes to creating new professional opportunities, making connections is one of the most important steps to take. Social media is an excellent way to do this and I now understand how Twitter can play a role in professional development. Twitter allows you to connect with like-minded fellow professionals in your field and find solutions to problems. Often times, online conta...