How I Use QR Codes

Recently, I presented a couple of sessions on QR Codes at a district summer conference. I've been using these in my classroom for about a year.

QR stands for Quick Response, and they are similar to bar codes. One of the biggest differences---besides their appearance--is that QR codes can store a lot more information.

(Look to the right of this post to see the QR Code for this blog on the sidebar.)

My students love creating them and scanning them. Very easy to do! I like QR Stuff or QR Kaywa for creating codes. For scanning, we use the i-nigma app. It's very quick!
(Thank you, Tony Vincent from Learning in Hand for this very special tip!)

I use them in my classroom in these ways:

• to provide more information on nonfiction books

Example: I created one for The Plant Hunters.  It links to a video interview with the book's author, Anita Silvey!

• to give parents access to my contact information
• to create scavenger hunts
• to provide instant access to my class blog

Students can use them to:

• add more information to maps

Example: My students created this Texas map and used QR codes to provide additional facts on each region.

• share book reviews
• create timelines

QR codes have been around a while, and they have become yet another tool in my teacher toolbelt. When I first started out using them, I was trying to figure out how I could use them in my teaching, and I learned that their biggest benefit is that they provide quick access to resources or instant feedback on questions/checks (such as using them to have students check math problems). Next, I tried to figure out how to use them in instruction to advance the content. This wasn't easy! Should they be links to videos or tutorials? Yes. Links to audio? Yes. This was very advanced thinking! And it was then that I realized that I wanted my students to engage in this very type of thinking themselves. THEY should be the ones figuring out how to use them---whether to showcase their learning or advance content that THEY have created.

How have you used QR codes? Please share your ideas!