Using QR codes

Author Jay Rixon

Date 6th Feb 2017

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How can teachers use QR Codes to support learning & independence?

Some might say that IT and teaching have an uneasy partnership. When IT works in the learning environment it can be amazing, and when it crashes and burns it’s painful for the teacher and the learner, not to mention the observer. However using QR codes, in and out of the classroom, is a good use of IT. It’s a low tech way to get high end results and to help tackle that other tricky topic – devices in the classroom, such as smartphones and tablets.

What exactly are QR codes?

Initially used in advertising and in marketing campaigns, Quick Response Codes are those little black and white squares you see on packaging and promotional material. They are two-dimensional bar codes that load a web link, email address or contact information when they’re scanned with a camera on a smartphone or tablet.

How do QR codes add to the learning experience?

They are little nuggets of information waiting to be accessed by the learner, linking them directly to a specific website or YouTube clip. Teachers can place them on the side of a worksheet or class notice board, or embed them into a class PowerPoint or Prezi slide show. Learners can then be encouraged to use their smartphones or tablets, inside or outside the classroom environment, to access content the teacher has signposted for them.

Some example uses:

Starter activity e.g. a question or conundrum
A ‘discover more’ signpost on a worksheet or slide show which might be a link to a specific website, article or paper
Link to a Pinterest board, (a scrapbook of visual starting points), which the teacher may have strategically selected for the group
A link to the answer after a question has been set. The learner can check their answer or content, self-assess their own progress
An extension or ‘what next’ activity, a hidden gem, a topic, a question or structured task digging deeper into the activity
Homework or project tasks for the learner to remember independently
Quotes of the day or debate topics to stimulate discussion
Encourage students to create their own QR codes in response to a topic

Whilst the use of phones in classrooms is a hotly debated topic, I’ve found that using smartphones or tablets to access QR codes promotes a positive use of technology and demonstrates its value in the learning environment.

Providing QR codes for learners to scan helps promote independence in and outside of the classroom, and encourages a curiosity to find out more.

After using QR codes in my teaching and wider practice in education, I’m excited about their developing potential. I want my learners to be excited about learning and if these small black and white squares can help me facilitate that, then, dear reader, I’m in!

In the USA, QR Codes can be worn as tags by vulnerable children, young people and adults who might wander or need assistance. This is particularly useful for individuals with Autism or speech language and communication difficulties. Check out how this all started: www.ifineedhelp.org/about/page

How have you used QR codes to support of learning and independence? Share your ideas and QR codes here.

How are QR codes made? All you need is a web link and you can have a QR code. Any Internet search will show you many potential options – I often use these sites:

www.qrstuff.com

www.qr-code-generator.com