Easy Innovations

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Never used or even heard of a QR Code? Relax!

A Quick Response Code is a more intricately designed bar code capable of housing significantly more information. First developed for the automotive industry, QR Codes have gained popularity because of easy and fast readability by scanners to connect mobile devices with a camera to online content.

In education, QR Codes can be gimmicky and economically divisive, honestly, so it takes some thoughtful planning before implementation; one MUST have a mobile device with a camera to utilize a QR Code. If you remember that a user has to take a picture of a QR Code, that can help you figure out when a QR Code would be useful or not. In many cases, just listing a web link will do, and having BOTH - a QR Code and a web link - is probably the best practice. For example, using a QR Code in your email signature doesn't make sense because to use it, a user would have to take a picture of their computer or mobile device. A web link is the best idea in this case.

Here are some great ideas for utilizing QR Codes in your classroom:

1. Language arts teachers could have students write literature reviews and post those to a blog page on their teacher web page. A unique QR Code could be created that would link to each student review and all the subsequent comments, and that QR Code could be added to the cover of the reviewed book; ask the media specialist before doing this to library books : )
   
2. Got the iPads for a day or two? Use a QR Code to link to instructional videos that will help the kids learn a process or procedure, or the codes may allow instructional differentiation.
3. Add a QR Code to any paper communication that is sent  home that will link parents quickly to relevant and helpful online information such as permission forms, field trip destinations, grades, student work, etc.
4. A QR Code added to a homework sheet could link to supporting material, an audio version of the work, and/or extension or enrichment material.
5. Create posters with QR Codes to promote an upcoming event or activity. The codes could link to the event website, student videos, or maybe even a pre-event contest or competition.
6. At EBCS, we added QR codes to posters to further explain the artists or artistic sytle of student art work displayed in our halls. (See picture below.)

Check out these links for more insight and information about using QR Codes in the classroom:

• The Ohio Bloke
• ZDNet 50 QR Code Resources for the Classroom
• More Tips for Using QR Codes in Education
  

We'd love your feedback, so please add your ideas for innovatively using QR Codes by posting a   comment!