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Everything you need to go from zero to hero in QR technology. Read on for examples, "how-to", history and even a bit of the strange.
QR Codes in Education
QR codes or quick response codes are square black and white codes that can be scanned and direct users to all types of information including URLs, event details, contact information, pictures, text messages, and more. QR codes are being used more and more and have endless possibilities for use. The biggest way in which QR codes are being used is in advertising and marketing campaigns. QR codes can easily be made by going to any number of free QR code generator sites online and once made the QR codes can be read by smartphone QR code scanner apps. Besides being a very useful tool in marketing, QR codes are starting to emerge in other areas and are even beginning to be used in education.
QR codes can be used in education to dispense complex instructions for assignments more efficiently. Some ideas for using QR codes in classroom management include:
- Create a link to your contact information so students can easily get in touch with you.
- Uses QR codes on a calendar so that students can scan them and easily obtain their homework assignments for that day.
- Post QR codes on your course website that provide information such as exam dates and due dates for important assignments.
- Use QR codes to point students to training materials and videos as well as Blackboard activities that students will need to learn.
QR codes can also be used in a variety of ways and incorporated into lesson plans and activities. Some ideas for how to incorporate QR codes into lesson plans and activities can be found below:
- Mark class equipment such as microscopes with QR codes that students can scan to learn how to use the equipment.
- Share QR codes with students that lead to videos reenacting historic battles that you are teaching about in class.
- Place QR codes at the end of slide shows so students can scan them to reveal more information not included in the lesson.
- If you have a skeleton in class, attach QR codes to the different parts so that students can scan them and learn about the different parts of the skeletal system.
- Use QR codes to link students to discussion boards or forums where they can share ideas and information.
- If your class does snack time, tag foods with QR codes so that kids can scan them and learn nutritional information about the food.
- On the first day of school, make students QR code name tags so that other students can learn more about them, this is a great way to get new students to interact with one another.
QR codes can also be used for classroom assessment purposes:
- Create quizzes for students and have a QR code that they can scan to check their answers.
- See if students understand the material you are teaching in class by having them scan a QR code that leads to a questionnaire.
- Allow students to scan a QR code that leads to a fun website so they can take a break after their work is complete.
Use QR codes to engage students and allow them to interact with the lesson you are teaching:
- Have students take a walk outside and place QR codes on different species of plants and trees so other students can learn more about them.
- Have students create a scavenger hunt and incorporate QR codes into it. This will be a fun activity for students that they can also help create.
There are endless uses for QR codes in the classroom whether you are looking to have students create their own or are using them to measure student success. Think outside the box and come up with some fun classroom activities that incorporate the use of QR codes.
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