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As mobile learning and technology is more readily integrated within classroom settings, QR codes can be used as an interesting method to capture a student's attention and make lesson material more interactive.

Quick response codes, also known as 'QR' codes, are simple, scannable images that are a form of barcode. By scanning a QR code image through a mobile device, information can be accessed including text, links, bookmarks and email addresses.

In the classroom, QR codes can be used in a variety of ways -- from conducting treasure hunts to creating modern CVs. Below is a number of articles, tutorials and lesson plans designed to help educators.

Articles and tips

1.) Twelve ideas for teaching with QR codes.
2.) 40 interesting ways to use QR codes in the classroom. 3.) 5 uses of QR codes in the classroom. 4.) QR codes in the classroom. 5.) QR Codes in the STEM Classroom. 6.) QR Codes in math class.
7.) 46 interesting ways to use QR Codes in the classroom. ( Google Doc)
8.) 75 Teched Out ways to say good job.
9.) Desktop QR code tutorial. ( YouTube)
10.) How i use QR codes in the classroom - A teacher's experience.
Resources, software and lesson help

11.) The QR treasure hunt generator.
12.) QR Codes in Education LiveBinder - by Steven W. Anderson. 13.) Qurify - a QR code generator to create messages for students. 14.) QR Code Easter Egg Hunt. 15.) QR Codes Pinterest board. 16.) QRpedia.org -- using QR codes to deliver Wikipedia articles to users. 17.) The periodic table of QR codes. 18.) QR Codes - Lesson and resources. 19.) Higher education and QR code use. 20.) Making lesson plans more interesting with QR codes. 21.) Tag My Doc - Assign QR codes to your documents. 22.) Ways to use QR Codes in the elementary classroom and using Google Docs to create them. 23.) "Resources that I've found for creating / using QR-Codes in Education", Doug Peterson. 24.) How-To-Guide: Recording audio files and generating QR codes.
25.) Stimulating oral storytelling using QR codes. ( YouTube)
26.) Interactive Bulletin Boards. 27.) QR codes in the classroom, Daring Library. 28.) Free QR Code enabled worksheets. 29.) 2 projects in math using QR codes.
30.) ZXing Project QR code generator. ( Calendars, email, events, URLs)
31.) QR stuff, resources. 32.) eTools for Language Teachers. 33.) Scrapbooking Resources - Stickers, stamps, quotes & more. 34.) Quick Response (QR) codes: Examples of use in education. 35.) Four Ways QR Codes could revolutionize education. 36.) QR Code Scavenger Hunt with ESL students. 37.) How to use QR codes in student projects. 38.) Lesson plan: Flip Cameras and QR codes. 39.) Lesson plan: QR Codes and the National Grid. 40.) Using QR codes to create educational posters. 41.) Stickybits: Scan your mobile world for social learning. 42.) QR Codes in the school library. 43.) Resource Roundup: 20 creative shortcodes to use in your projects. 44.) Giant QR Codes in the Classroom. 45.) QR code software packages. 46.) QR Codes: A beginner's guide. 47.) Examples of QR codes and school use. 48.) All about QR codes in your classroom. 49.) Hot QR codes in the classroom & library. 50.) QR Codes in education: Making print interactive. Related:

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How can QR codes be used effectively in class?

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9 awesome ways to use QR codes for the classroom - The ESL Educator

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Have you ever used QR codes for the classroom? What if I told you they are wonderful to use in your lessons as well? Hear me out ...

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QR Codes in the Classroom | For more QR code activities in the classroom >>> http://teachstart.co/2fHFa6H. | By Teach Starter | Facebook

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For more QR code activities in the classroom >>> http://teachstart.co/2fHFa6H.

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Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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By Tolulope (Tolu) Noah | August 10, 2022

Source: EDUCAUSE Review

QR codes can complement the design of more interactive and engaging learning experiences in higher education.

My obsession with QR (quick response) codes began over a decade ago, when I was a 5th- and 6th-grade classroom teacher. I used QR codes on bulletin boards so that during Open House, families could scan them to view students' digital work. I also used QR codes for assignments so that students could easily check their answers. When I transitioned to higher education and became a professor in 2013, QR codes came right along with me, and I have used them in ever-expanding ways. With their simplicity and versatility, QR codes lend themselves to a wide variety of uses in the college/university classroom.

What are QR codes?

EDUCAUSE defines QR codes as "two-dimensional bar codes that can contain any alphanumeric text and often feature URLs that direct users to sites where they can learn about an object or place." QR codes have been used in various industries and settings, including museums (to provide visitors with additional information about the artwork on display) and airlines (to make the boarding process more efficient). There has also been a resurgence of the use of QR codes during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, many restaurants have transitioned to using QR codes to give patrons access to menus in a way that minimizes contact with shared surfaces.

How to Create and Scan QR Codes

QR codes can be created using websites that generate QR codes or certain web browsers, like Google Chrome. The iPhone and iPad have a built-in app called Shortcuts that can also be used to create QR codes (see figure 1). With the Shortcuts app, you can create QR codes that link to websites, contact information, calendar events, and even wireless networks (to make it easier for others to join a network).
Figure 1. Scanning and Creating QR Codes on the iPhone or iPad: A Guide for Higher Ed Faculty
To scan a QR code, you can use a mobile device with a camera, such as a cell phone or tablet. In fact, the cameras on most newer iPhones, iPads, and Android devices have built-in QR code reader functionality. If using an older device, you can download a third-party app to scan QR codes, such as QR Droid or QR Reader for iPhone.

How to Use QR Codes in Class

QR codes are useful for many teaching and learning tasks in the higher education setting. Faculty and students can easily generate QR codes that link to a wide variety of online content including maps, charts, graphs, audio or video clips, photographs, quizzes, surveys, PDF documents, websites, and collaborative documents. The possibilities for how QR codes can be incorporated into courses of any discipline are endless. Below are just eight ideas.

1. Provide Access to Course Content

One of the easiest ways to use QR codes is to provide students with quick and easy access to course materials. For example, QR codes in the syllabus can link to course readings or videos. Or QR codes on slides can quickly direct students to a website that they will be using in class. You can also create a QR code that points students to an online hyperdoc containing links to all of the resources that will be used that day. This becomes a "one-stop shop" for students during class and streamlines the navigation process.

2. Connect with Students

QR codes can be helpful for getting to know your students and helping them get to know you. For example, a QR code in the syllabus can link to a video of you introducing yourself to the class. You can also create a student survey in Google Forms or another online survey tool and use a QR code to link to the survey. You can add the code to your syllabus as the first "assignment" that students need to complete. QR codes can also make it easier for students to get in touch with you: a QR code on your office door can provide your contact information, office hours, and/or a website where students can sign up for a time to meet with you (e.g., via Calendly or SignUpGenius). In addition, QR codes can be used to check in with students about their experience in your course, again by linking them to online surveys or forms. For example, I created a Mid-Course Feedback Form in Google Forms, based on a template that my university provided.

3. Encourage Collaboration

You can create QR codes that link to online collaborative documents (e.g., Google Docs, Google Slides, Microsoft OneDrive files). Students can use these collaborative documents for brainstorming activities, shared writing exercises, presentations, and other discipline-based tasks with their peers. For example, if students are working on a small-group activity (e.g., analyzing a case study or learning about an important legal case), QR codes can link to collaborative documents for each group. Students can then access their group's collaborative document and work together to complete the task. Collaborative documents also work well for virtual synchronous instruction, as they can provide structure for breakout room activities.

4. Assess Student Learning

QR codes are very helpful for formative assessments. They can link to online quizzes, polls, and surveys (e.g., Kahoot!, Poll Everywhere, Mentimeter, Google Forms). You can then place these QR codes on your lecture slides at strategic pausing points. When it is time for students to complete an assessment, they can use their phones to scan the QR code and go directly to the chosen assessment tool.

5. Provide Examples

One of my favorite ways to use QR codes is to provide examples of a concept that students are learning about. For example, during my lecture on English language learners (ELLs), I had students do a Tic-Tac-Toe QR code activity. The handout had nine boxes, each of which contained a QR code and the title of the video it linked to. Each video showed a classroom teacher demonstrating how to use a specific teaching strategy with ELLs. I told my students to choose any three boxes in a row, watch the linked videos, and reflect on what they observed. Afterward, we had a whole-class discussion about their observations. The Tic-Tac-Toe QR code activity worked well because it not only allowed students to see examples of teaching strategies in practice but also gave students choice in what they watched (based on their particular interests). Also, when students heard their peers discuss the videos they had watched, students were intrigued to check out the other videos too.

6. Provide Additional Support and Feedback

QR codes are great for providing immediate support. For example, when creating the assignment guidelines for a research paper, you can include QR codes that link to citation, grammar, or other writing resources. Or, when crafting a practice or review assignment, you can include QR codes that link to tutorials that students can watch if they are stuck on a problem and need help. Do you have specialized equipment that students should use? You can create QR codes that link to tutorials or directions, then print the QR codes on labels and stick them directly on the equipment so that help is only a scan away. QR codes also work well for providing students with feedback about their work. You can use an online tool like Microsoft Flip to create audio or video recordings of your feedback. Then you can share those recordings with students via QR codes.

7. Make Learning Interactive

QR codes can easily be printed on copy paper or labels, making them an excellent tool for interactive learning experiences such as gallery walks, scavenger hunts, peer review, "walk and talks," and simulations.

Gallery Walks. Create QR codes that link to short passages of text, images, datasets, video clips, or audio clips related to the topic you are teaching. Tape the QR codes up around the room. Provide students with a graphic organizer, guided notes sheet, or reflection sheet to complete as they scan the QR codes and examine each resource. Afterward, facilitate a whole-class discussion about their observations and the emerging themes. For example, in my "Diversity in the Classroom" course, I used QR codes and graphic organizers to help students unpack the concept of microaggressions. In my "Intro to Teaching" course, I used QR codes to help students explore examples of ways that teachers integrate technology into their instruction.

Scavenger Hunts. Use a scavenger hunt activity to get students up and moving as they review a course-related concept. Make a set of QR codes that link to questions for students to answer, problems for them to solve, or quick tasks for them to complete. Place the QR codes in strategic places throughout the classroom, building, or campus. Then have students work in pairs or small groups to complete the hunt. They can document their work by recording their responses on a sheet of paper (if answering questions or solving problems), or they can take pictures or record short video clips as evidence of their completion of each task. You could even have students submit their scavenger hunt evidence online via GooseChase.

Peer Review. Have students generate a QR code that links to their work online, or ask students to submit their work to a cloud-based storage system (e.g., Google Drive or Dropbox) and create the QR codes yourself. Tape the QR codes up around the room, or create stations in the classroom with a few QR codes at each one. As students walk around the room or rotate through the stations, they can scan the QR codes to read their peers' work. They can also use sticky notes or index cards to record feedback about each person's work. Alternatively, you can make the entire peer review process digital by having students share a link to their work on Padlet, where they can also post feedback for their peers.

"Walk and Talks." Give participants a topic or question, and have them take a short walk with a partner to discuss it. You can level up this experience by creating QR codes with discussion prompts. Tape the QR codes up in strategic places around the building or campus to create a "discussion path." Then give students 10-15 minutes to walk the path with their partner, scan the QR codes, and discuss the questions. You can even scaffold the questions so that they become more complex as students walk or so that they prompt students to examine an issue from multiple perspectives. Afterward, facilitate a whole-class discussion about the experience.

Simulations. Use QR codes to simulate real-world experiences. For example, in their book Innovations in the Simulations Lab, Sarah Manacek and Lorraine Pitcher, nursing faculty members, describe how they have used QR codes to simulate barcode scanning. First they created an online spreadsheet that included a list of scheduled medications for a sample patient, and then they created a QR code that linked to the spreadsheet. They printed out the QR code and placed it on the wristband of a mannequin patient. Nursing students used iPads to scan the QR code on the mannequin's wristband so that they could practice the proper protocol for administering medications.

8. Extend Learning Opportunities

Want to encourage students to go further? QR codes can help with that. Include QR codes that link to supplementary information or resources on your handouts and slides. You might even challenge students to find additional articles, videos, or other resources about a course-related topic and to create QR codes for sharing their findings with peers. Students can also use QR codes to connect with a wider audience. For example, they can create PSA videos or websites and post QR codes around campus to draw attention to critical issues. If they are doing poster presentations or other types of research presentations, they can include QR codes that link to their references or other related resources.

Important Considerations

When planning to have students use QR codes for classroom activities, instructors should ensure that all students will have access. Some students may not have smartphones or tablets, and others may have limited cellular data. If this is the case, consider utilizing QR codes for small-group activities in which only one student in the group would need to have a device. Instructors can also reach out to campus academic technology departments to see if they have tablets that can be checked out for classroom use. Lastly, conducting QR code activities in settings where students will have access to free campus Wi-Fi is desirable, but backup plans are needed in case the Wi-Fi happens to be spotty or down that day.

In a study about using QR codes in field-based courses, David Chapple, Bruce Weir, and Ricardo San Martin found that training students in the scanning process before doing QR code activities is critical for success. We often assume that students feel comfortable with technology simply because technology is so prevalent. However, the study authors found that this is not always the case and that students would benefit from being informed about how QR codes will be used.

Conclusion

QR codes open up a world of possibility in the higher education setting. They provide a quick and easy way for students to access instructional materials, and they complement the design of more interactive and engaging learning experiences.

Notes

1. EDUCAUSE, "7 Things You Should Know About QR Codes," February 13, 2009; Dantrea Hampton, Amanda Peach, and Benjamin Rawlins, "Extending Library Services with QR Codes," Reference Librarian 53, no. 4 (October 2012).

2. I have created a brief video tutorial as well.

3. William Antonelli, "How to Scan a QR Code on Your Android Phone or Tablet," Business Insider, November 19, 2021.

4. "Teaching Research Strategies with Padlet," Carroll University (website), November 3, 2020.

5. See, for example, Responsive Classroom, Energize Your Meetings! 35 Interactive Learning Structures for Educators (Turners Falls, MA: Center for Responsive Schools, 2015).

6. Sarah Manacek and Lorraine Pitcher, Innovations in the Simulation Lab: Innovative Ideas for the Healthcare Simulation Setting Using iPads (Apple Books, 2020), p. 7.

7. David Chapple, Bruce Weir, and Ricardo San Martin, "Can the Incorporation of Quick Response Codes and Smartphones Improve Field-Based Science Education?," International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education 25, no. 2 (2017).

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah is Instructional Learning Spaces Coordinator at California State University, Long Beach.

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8 ways to use QR codes in the classroom - Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

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By Tolulope (Tolu) Noah | August 10, 2022 Source: EDUCAUSE Review QR codes can complement the design of more interactive and engaging learning experiences in higher education. My obsession with QR (quick response) codes began over a decade ago, when I was a 5th- and 6th-grade classroom teacher.

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How to make and use QR Codes in the classroom

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Let's face it: QR codes are everywhere now, and they're popping up in elementary school classrooms right and left. These nifty little boxes got some serious mojo as the pandemic shook the world, and the result is QR code mania. So how do you harness the QR code trend in the classroom? How do you make a QR code for your classroom, and heck, what IS a QR code?

Our teacher team has put together a raft of cool QR code lessons and activities to use with kids in the classroom, and we've got all you need to know about using QR codes in the classroom to make lessons more interactive and just plain fun.

What Is a QR Code?

OK, let's just start with the basics (feel free to skip over this section if you already know the answer here, but some folks are still saying Q-what now, and we're here for y'all too!).

A QR code is a pattern of black and white squares that functions similarly to the barcode on that carton of milk you pick up at the grocery store. But unlike a barcode, a QR code is 2-D instead of one-dimensional, which makes it much, much more sophisticated. QR codes can be scanned with a device such as your smartphone or tablet to access apps or coupons, make payments, and more, and you can use them in the classroom to send your students to websites, unlock information on your bulletin boards, and well ... a lot of other things.

The letters QR are short for Quick Response, and the code was created back in the 1990s by a man named Masahiro Hara, then an employee at the Japanese company Denso Wave. For about 20+ years, the QR code sort of languished in obscurity, but with the pandemic - and the need to reduce touching - QR codes are suddenly EVERYWHERE.

And yes, that includes education!

How to Make a QR Code for Students

Creating QR codes for students is pretty simple, we promise. There are plenty of free sites out there to create QR codes for your students, and you can just do a quick Google search. But if you're a bit wary of "just Googling" and using the first thing that comes up, we get it.

A few things you'll want to keep in mind - most free QR codes generators will allow you to make a static QR code that links to one website and cannot be changed. If you want to create what are called dynamic QR codes - meaning you'll be able to change what they link to in the future - you are likely to be charged. Make sure when you're creating a QR code for your students that you've stuck to the static kind or you're likely going to have to buy a subscription.

This free QR code generator is super simple to use - just enter the link you want the QR code to open or the text or file you want the QR code to show your students, and it will create the code for your kids in seconds. It will even allow you to add colorful frames and text to encourage your students to scan it. QR codes can also be re-sized, so you can make them large for bulletin boards or tiny for embedding in a quiz.

How Can Students Read QR Codes?

OK, so you've made a code that links to something, but how do your kids read the QR code? That is pretty easy too - you'll need a device with a camera on it, such as a tablet.

Many devices now read QR codes simply by pointing the device camera at them, and that may include the tablets in your classroom. Not working for your device? Search for a "free QR code reader" in the app store, or use the "Quick Scan" app. It is available for free through the App Store for iPads, and is also free to download for Android too!

Worried about your students getting lost on the Internet? Because you control the QR code when you make it, you get to decide exactly where it sends your students. There's also no worry that your students will accidentally mistype a web address and land on a shady page because, once again, you're controlling that trip to the web!

How Do You Use QR Codes in Education?

Some teachers were already using QR codes in the classroom before the pandemic (maybe that's you?). But now there are more than teachers ever using these little squares of code to do everything from making it easy for young students to log into services to creating links to videos and study guides.

And of course, there are fun QR code activities that enhance learning - which we'll get to in a second.

Some important things to keep in mind when you're using QR codes in your classroom:

Make sure your QR code isn't blurry. In order for your students' devices to "read" the code and take them to the right place on the Internet, they'll need a clear image.

Avoid lamination. We know, we know. Lamination reigns supreme in the classroom, but when light reflects too much off your QR code, it can distort the image and make it harder to scan.

Limit the number of codes. Younger kids with unsteady hands will struggle trying to hold a device precisely over just one code, and the device may pick up nearby codes if you have crowded too many together.

Test the code. We mentioned that QR codes will keep your students from stumbling into shady places on the internet, and it's true! But just do a quick check to make sure you typed that code correctly. This is also important if you're incorporating a QR code activity into homework as students won't have you there to make a quick adjustment.

QR Code Ideas for the Classroom

Now that we got all that out of the way, let's talk about the fun ways to use QR codes in the classroom to engage your students!

Getting to Know You

Back-to-school is a perfect time to introduce QR codes and prepare students to use them throughout the school year. And what better way to introduce them than with a QR code-style back-to-school activity?

Extension Activities Corner

Create a fast-finishers' corner or a bulletin board where QR codes reveal an extension activity when a student scans it. Color-coordinate the activities for each subject area. Codes on green paper could reveal math activities, codes on blue paper reveal reading activities, etc!

Create a Store with QR Code Price Tags

Assign "prices" to items around the classroom for students, and give each of your students a budget so they can go "shopping." You can use the coin manipulatives from your math textbook or simply give them a number that they then have to keep in mind as they "shop."

Print out QR Code Price Tags, attach them to the items, and have your students scan the codes to reveal the price and calculate whether or not they have enough "money" in their budget to buy the item.

Extra Idea: Create a table for students to record their "purchases" and track their total spend.

QR Code Live Worksheets

Make your regular old worksheets come alive by adding QR codes that take students off the page and onto a relevant website, interactive game, or video.

Set Up Learning Pop-Up Spots

Teacher Theresa Pembroke of The Kinder Ninja shared this fun QR code idea with us - she set up poster-sized QR codes that students could scan to learn more about a book or topic.

She also created QR codes that are linked to voice recordings of the children in her class talking about 'farms'. These were then displayed around her room and the children were able to scan and listen to what their classmates had to say about farms!

Take a QR Code Trip Around the World

Take your students on an adventure with QR codes without ever even having to leave the classroom!

Generate QR codes that - when scanned - provide clues about a certain location from around the world.

Place these around your classroom.

Provide students with a map where they can plot their trip around the world as they work through each of the clues, finding the next location.

Make A QR Code Scavenger Hunt

QR code scavenger hunts are essentially a digital version of the old-fashioned scavenger hunt, and they're a lot of fun for the digital generation! To get started, download and print this 3-Digit Place Value QR Code Scavenger Hunt. Alternatively, create your own using these fun QR Code Scavenger Hunt templates.

Homework Helping Tips

You can't be there when students are doing their homework ... but your QR codes can be! Create QR codes that link to the specific strategies or information needed to support student learning (for example, reading strategies, spelling strategies, or mathematics strategies).

Add the QR code to reading folders or homework sheets as an easy way for parents to access the information they can use to help their children with learning at home.

Anatomy of Anything

Teaching parts of the body, parts of a machine, or even parts of the world gets a lot more fun when you incorporate a QR code activity!

1. Place QR codes on the different parts of a model (e.g. a skeleton, a simple machine, or a globe).

2. Provide students with a variety of definitions on cards or on a worksheet.

3. Students scan the QR codes to reveal the name of that part and match the name to the definitions.

QR Code Cubes

Use a QR code generator and this blank 3D QR Code Activity Cube Template to create QR code cubes that kids can flip around for discovery. The key to this QR learning activity is that each code reveals a different question or activity.

Create cubes for reflection questions, journal questions, brain break activities, or fast-finisher tasks ... there are countless applications!

Digital Student Work Presentations

Incorporate QR codes into student work presentations so that they can be accessed by their peers! For example, if you want to share book reviews, display a picture of the book cover with a QR code that links to the student's review online.

1. Use a shared space on your school intranet or website where students can upload their completed digital works.

2. Generate a QR code for each student's work.

3. Create a display incorporating the codes, where students scan to reveal and view each others' digital works.

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These QR Code Classroom Activities Are Taking Elementary Schools by Storm

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Wondering how to make QR codes and use a QR code generator to engage students? Find QR code activities and more ideas!

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Creative tips for the interactive classroom

Photo credit: The Daring Librarian via flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

As mobile learning becomes more and more prevalent, we must find effective ways to leverage mobile tools in the classroom.

As always, the tool must fit the need. Mobile learning can create both the tool and the need. With safe and specific structures, mobile learning tools can harness the excitement of technology with the purpose of effective instruction. Using QR codes for instruction is one example of this.

A Quick Tutorial

QR stands for Quick Response. It's basically a quick, scannable barcode-like image that takes you to a specific digital destination. The one to the right, for example, will take you to a QR code generator. There you will be able to create all sorts of QR codes. (Feel free to search the web for them.) Before that, however, you will need an app that reads the QR codes. There are plenty of free QR code apps to download for Android and Apple Products. Just search. To read them, all you need is a phone with a camera. Free makes teachers happy, and of course makes the implementation of these practices easier. QR codes can send you to a link, mobile number, email, SMS, bookmark, link and more. Mary Beth Hertz did a great introductory blog on QR codes and mentioned ideas like scavenger hunts and advertising for the classroom. Below are some more ideas to give you a starting point for using QR codes.

1. Create 21st Century Resumes

Have students use QR to create resumes that link to other content such as their professional website or portfolio. All schools do some level of resume building and technical writing. Help them bring it into the 21st century by creating a resume that requires interaction. Not only will this help engage them in technical writing, but also their work will be innovative.

2. Show Exemplars

You can create QR for linking students to examples of quality work, whether it's PowerPoint or slideshare for a class presentation, or people speaking a foreign language specific to your current lesson.

3. Provide a Service

Integrate QR with a PBL or Service Learning project where students can create the codes that will link to the content they create. If students helped create awareness around spreading germs, for example, they might put the codes around the school or in a parent newsletter. They can take it a step further by creating codes for a local business or organization.

4. Make Your Classroom Greener

Save a few trees! Instead of making more printouts than everyone needs, give your students a QR that takes them to the instructions, announcement or assignment. It can save you space on your wall, and keep your classroom greener.

5. Incentivize and Praise

Award prizes by having students scan a code leading to an animation or badge. When they pass a test on commas, perhaps they get a code that takes them to a badge for Comma Guru! Students can even create their own codes to award each other. When a student sees something great happen, they can give a code that links to messages such as "Good Job from Andrew" and "Thanks for doing your part for the team."

6. Make Learning Stations

Put codes in different areas of the room that will take students to different online activities, videos or content. Using a great tool like the discussion protocol of reciprocal teaching (PDF) or a graphic organizer will help facilitate their interaction with the linked content.

7. Check Answers and Reflect

Have students check their answers by scanning the QR code after completing a test or assignment. As a teacher, you can visually confirm when students are checking their work and can also check in to see how they are doing. This will help track individual learning and can provide an opportunity for you to facilitate student reflection.

8. Provide Extension Assignments

A great way to provide optional activities for students who want to excel is to simply put the code on the class assignment and let them follow it to the extension activity or question. It won't take up much space, and might facilitate a little excitement about the extension assignment.

9. Compile Research

Have students create codes linking to items discovered during research. These could be posted in class wikis on a specific topic, or on a wall in the classroom. It helps give them ownership of the research process and literally creates "walls that talk."

10. Create Interactive Labs or Dissections

Codes attached to a skeleton model or dissected pig can take students to important directions or content. Or vice versa. Maybe this will help them to create the lab themselves or make a model for the class lab.

11. Differentiate Instruction

Perhaps you have a poem for students to analyze. You can provide additional scaffolding with a link to a recitation or focused questions to get them started. Use the QR to help you manage differentiation of the various strategies in your tool belt of teacher practices.

12. Vote

QR codes can be a great voting tool allowing students to vote by simply scanning the code as they enter or exit the classroom. This can save time, and it gets your students up and moving.

QR codes are a great arsenal for the teacher tool belt. Just remember, this technology is a tool and needs to fit a purpose. It can help create engagement in a lesson, manage your classroom, be part of student work or facilitate inquiry in a project. Please comment below and give us some or you best examples of how you use QR codes in the classroom. I like to say, "The wisdom is in the room." You are all rockstar teachers, so I would love to hear your ideas.

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Blogger and PBL specialist Andrew Miller offers an array of creative suggestions for using Quick Response codes in the classroom.

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This is a great video to watch

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Have you been looking for a way to get your students more engaged with learning without adding too much more to your already full plate? Using QR codes in the classroom is a great way to do this. QR codes can be used to make your lessons more interactive for students, but don't require much additional work on your part; you'll simply be generating a QR code for the resources you'd likely be using anyway.

I've put together a list of 17 different ways you can use QR codes in your classroom. Many of these ideas center around instructional uses, but some are also designed to help improve communication with parents and students.

What You Need to Know About QR Codes

QR stands for quick response, so a QR code is a quick response barcode. These 2D barcodes can be scanned using special QR code scanners, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. QR codes provide a lot more storage space than traditional barcodes. This means that they can be used to link out to various sites, information, text messages, videos, audio files, and so much more.

Most smartphones come with a built-in QR code scanner. If there isn't one already loaded onto a smartphone, there are lots of apps that can be downloaded to provide you and your students with the ability to scan QR codes.

When a QR code is scanned, the person scanning it is instantly taken to the information that was linked to the QR code when it was generated. This means you can quickly and easily share resources and information with students and families in a tech-friendly manner.

Generating a QR code is very simple too. You can find online QR code generators, and all you'll need to do is enter the information, websites, or documents you want the QR code to link to. After you've entered this information, you can generate the QR code which will be ready for you to share with students and/or families.

QR Codes in the Classroom

QR codes can be a valuable tool in the classroom. Unlike so many other resources, QR codes are free to create. And, many students or classrooms have access to smartphones, tablets, or other devices with a QR code reader, which is all you'll need in order for your students to access the content you embed in the QR code.

There is a huge potential for QR codes in the classroom, as Karen Mensing shares in her TED-Ed Professional Development Talk:

Incorporating them into your instruction will help increase student excitement and engagement because it makes learning more interactive. QR codes can be used with students in all grade levels and subject areas. They can also be a helpful tool for parental communication.

In addition to incorporating them into your lessons, you can also find other ways to use QR codes in the classroom to help you provide positive reinforcement to your students. For example, you may choose to create a large poster with numbered QR codes. When you notice a student doing something you'd like to praise, you can tell them to go to the poster and scan number X. The QR code would take them to a specific message you created such as, "great job working" or "I like how you persisted even though that was challenging for you."

17 Ways to Use QR Codes in the Classroom

Keep reading to find out 17 creative ways you can incorporate QR codes in your classroom. Many of these ideas are great for students of all ages, while others may be more geared towards a specific age group.

1. Create 21st Century Resumes
What You Will Need to Prepare

Students need to prepare a resume and documents and resources highlighting their qualifications.

QR codes

Description: Older students who are getting ready to start looking for a job can use QR codes to create a 21st Century resume. Students would put together a resume as they normally would, and they would also upload additional information to prospective employers to view, such as a portfolio of their work, a website the built, or videos or images highlighting their strengths. These resources, in addition to their resume, can be linked to a QR code. Employers would be able to view all the information about the student by following the link from the QR code.

Best For: High school or college students getting ready to enter the workforce

2. Check Answers and Reflect
What You Will Need to Prepare

Student assignments

Link to completed assignment with correct answers

QR codes

Description: You can also use QR codes as a way to allow students to check their own work and reflect on their answers. You can add QR codes to the bottoms/backs of your worksheets, and after students have solved the problems/written their own answers, they can follow the link from the QR code to check their work. You can include a spot on the paper for students to identify any errors they caught after checking their work. You can also ask them to reflect on why they think they made these errors and what they will do differently next time.

Best For: Upper elementary, middle, and high school students

3. Create a Scavenger Hunt
What You Will Need to Prepare

Various classroom items

Clues to direct students to the items in your room

QR codes for each item

Description: Get students engaged by using QR codes to create a fun and exciting scavenger hunt. Students will need to decode clues to find the next item in the classroom that will send them to the next clue. Each item for the scavenger hunt will have a QR code that students will scan to reveal the next clue. Then, they can follow that clue to find the next item and scan the corresponding QR code to keep going.

Best For: Icebreaker/get-to-know-you activity for middle school and high school students

4. Offer Extra Practice for Early Finishers
What You Will Need to Prepare

QR codes

Grade-/subject-appropriate websites for students to visit when they finish their assignments

Description: When some students finish quicker than the rest of the class, it can often create a challenge for teachers. Rather than trying to pull together something for your early finishers to work on when you are teaching a small group or working with a student, have a QR code ready for them to scan. The QR code can take them to other assignments, readings, or educational games they can work on when others in the class are still finishing their work.

Best For: Students in any grade

5. Simplify Research Projects
What You Will Need to Prepare

Locate websites with information related to the topic of a research project (older students could do this on their own)

QR codes

Description: The next time you're planning to have your class complete a research project, consider using QR codes. As students find important information on the topic, they can link it to a QR code. This will allow them to easily locate their sources and can also make it possible for other students in the class or individuals reading their work to check out the sources they used.

Best For: Students in any grade level, with some modifications made for younger students

6. Give Tutorial Help for Homework
What You Will Need to Prepare

Tutorials and sample problems/solutions for homework problems

QR codes

Description: Completing homework can be a challenge when students don't remember exactly what was taught at school. Parents helping their children complete their homework aren't always familiar with the strategies you used during instruction. Adding a QR code that links to a quick tutorial with example problems and solutions for parents and students is a great way to make sure your students know what to do. This can also help make sure parents understand the strategies that are being taught in school so they'll be able to reinforce them with their children.

Best For: Elementary and middle school students

7. Specimens and botanical gardens
What You Will Need to Prepare

Compile websites with information about each type of plant or specimen.

QR codes

Description: If your school has a garden (or you have some plants in your classroom), you can create a QR code for each different type of plant. Students, or anyone else interested, could follow the link on the QR code to learn the name of each plant and other interesting/important information.

QR codes could also be used in the science class to help students learn more information about different specimens in a test tube or bottle. Follow the same procedure above and create a QR code for each different specimen and link it out to information about the specimen.

Best For: Middle and high school students

8. Provide Extension Assignments
What You Will Need to Prepare

Extension activities/websites for students to visit

QR codes

Description: QR codes can also be a great tool to create an extension assignment for your students. You can challenge your students by sending them to a website that you create that gives them further instructions for what you want them to do. For example, if students have just finished reading a book, their extension assignment could be to write a different ending for the story or to research information about the author of the book.

Best For: Upper elementary, middle, and high school students

9. QR codes for unique student identification
What You Will Need to Prepare
QR codes for each student that link to their personal/account information

Description: If each student in your school had a unique QR code, it could help staff members with entering information about the student or linking things to their account. For example, the librarian could scan the QR code to open up a student's page when checking out a book and the cafeteria workers could scan the QR code to charge a student for a school lunch.

Best For: All grade levels

10. QR Codes in Libraries
What You Will Need to Prepare

QR codes for each book/select books in your classroom library

Links for related websites or other information for each book

Description: You can use QR codes to help your students learn additional or related information about the books in your classroom (or school) library. Create QR codes that link out to information about the author, other books he/she has written, or other related topics. For example, if you have a non-fiction book in your library about whales, you could create a QR code that would direct students to other websites where they can learn more about whales.

You could also make a QR code project for students for some of the books in your library. You could assign each student/group of students a book, have them read the book, and then create a summary, essay, video trailer, or other projects that a QR code would direct others to.

Best For: Upper elementary or middle school students

11. Event announcements, voting, and additional information
What You Will Need to Prepare

QR codes that link to event information

QR codes for each option when casting a vote

Description: If you/your school is planning an important event that you want students and families to attend, create a QR code with a link to information about the event. You can also set it up so that the QR code will add the event to the calendar of the person who scanned it.

QR codes can also be a very useful way to let students vote on classroom matters or school-wide elections. A QR code can be created for each choice, and students can quickly, easily, and anonymously cast their votes by scanning the QR code that matches their vote.

Best For: Middle and high school students

12. Image Galleries and Digital Projects
What You Will Need to Prepare

Prepared image galleries related to a topic of study

QR codes

Description: You can also use QR codes in the classroom to create image galleries for students to visit to gain more information about a topic. For example, you could link to a gallery with images related to a historical time period and have students make inferences about the time by looking at the images.

You could also have students create their own digital projects or image galleries to go along with their work. They could add a QR code so people reading their work could visit the pages they create to see and learn more.

Best For: Middle and high school students

13. Interactive Classroom Calendar
What You Will Need to Prepare

Classroom calendar

Links with additional information about the events on the calendar

QR codes for each event

Description: Create an interactive classroom calendar for students and their families by using QR codes. When you print out your calendar, or share it electronically with students and families, add a QR code under each event or important item on the calendar. The QR code could link to more information about the event, direct students or parents to sign up, or share other information that they may need to know before attending.

Best For: All grade levels

14. QR Code Self-Check Stations
What You Will Need to Prepare

Digital files of answer keys for assignments

QR codes

Description: Rather than having an answer key written out for students to use to check their work, consider making QR code check stations for your students. Create digital files of your answer keys for various worksheets and create a QR code for each file. Place the QR code on the back or bottom of the worksheets your students are completing and have them follow the QR code once they have finished working to check their answers.

Best For: Upper elementary, middle, and high school students

15. Extension Activities Corner
What You Will Need to Prepare

Websites for students to visit

Extension tasks

QR codes

Description: You can create a few different QR codes that will take students to different tasks they can work on to extend their learning. These tasks can be related to what they have been studying. Consider finding websites that cover similar information to what you've been learning or creating your own prompts/questions for students to work on. Create a QR code for each task, and students can follow the QR codes when they have completed their other assignments.

Best For: Upper elementary and middle school students

16. Digital Student Work Presentations
What You Will Need to Prepare
QR codes to link to students' digital projects

Description: In this digital age we are living in, having students create digital presentations is one way to help prepare them for the future. You can incorporate QR codes by creating (or having students create) a QR code for each presentation or project. The QR codes can be shared with the other students in the class who can use them to view the work of their classmates. You could even use this as a method to allow students to critique each other's work and offer feedback to one another on drafts of a project.

Best For: Middle and high school students

17. Differentiate Instruction
What You Will Need to Prepare

Digital files of differentiated tasks and readings

QR codes (possibly color-coded)

Description: Differentiating instruction is always a challenge. Keeping track of different worksheets and assignments for the different students in your class can be a challenge. However, if you use QR codes and digital assignments, you can really simplify things for yourself while still ensuring your students get what they need. Create digital files of readings and assignments for the different learners in your groups. Then, create QR codes that link to these assignments. You could even consider making the QR codes different colors for different groups. This way, even when you update the assignments, students can know which color QR code they should use.

Best For: All grade levels

Closing Thoughts

There are lots of ways to use QR codes in the classroom. Using QR codes can help engage your students, while also helping you make sure you are meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners.

If you are looking for other ways to keep your students engaged in instruction, be sure to consider the colors you use for your learning environment and how you decorate your classroom. Thinking about how you decorate your classroom door is also important since it is the first thing students will see as they enter your room and can help set the tone for your classroom.
Last Updated on December 18, 2020 by Emily

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Using QR Codes in the Classroom - Find 17 Great Ideas for Teachers

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QR codes are everywhere these days. Read on to learn 17 ways they can be used to help engage students in learning and enhance your lessons.

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Cite Sources: Have students use QR to link out to sources they use for research for paper writing