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QR Codes Explained by Common Craft (VIDEO)

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An introduction to QR Code technology which makes the real world clickable like a website.

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Many schools are using QR codes as part of their technology in the classroom as a way to enhance their students' learning. What teachers love about this technology in the classroom tool is that it's making learning a lot more fun for students. You may have seen QR codes before -- companies use these tiny, scrambled-looking, black-and-white boxes as marketing tools. Essentially, these little boxes act as a shortcut to a web link when you scan them with your smartphone. QR codes (which stands for quick response) can be a great learning tool when used in the classroom. Here we'll take a quick look at what they're all about, as well as how they can enhance student learning.

Quick response codes are similar to a bar code in the sense that they provide information to the user. When you scan a QR code, it'll direct you to a webpage, video or file. Teachers like to use them because they're easier than having students type in a whole web address. This is especially true for the younger students who tend to mistype. A QR code will take the student directly to where the teacher wants them to go without having to type a thing.

How Can QR Codes Enhance Learning?

QR codes can enhance learning by engaging students. They teach kids to think differently. A great example of this comes from a school in Iowa. One classroom was given the choice to write about a book they've just read for a project. They could either do a book report on paper, or talk about their book on a tape recorder then link their project with a QR code for their classmates to listen to. One school gave their students a digital makeover by offering them a book talk, versus writing a traditional old book report. By giving students choices, they're able to have a creative voice, which is a great way to enhance student learning.

How Can You Use QR Codes in the Classroom?

Quick Response Codes can have a place in the classroom, and there are many ways that you can use them. Here are a few teachers' favorite ways to use them in the classroom.

As a Read-Aloud

One of the many uses for QR codes in the classroom is as a read-aloud. All you have to do is create a link to a book (YouTube is great for this), and the student uses her device to scan the code to listen to the book. To make it even easier on yourself, try laminating each QR code so students can use it time and time again. One teacher even went as far as creating a read-aloud bulletin board, where she wrote the title of each book followed by the QR code. This way, all students had to do is look at the bulletin board to see which book they wanted to listen to, then scan the code to hear it on their device.

To Simplify Research

Another clever way to use QR codes in your classroom is to help simplify research. If there are certain websites, videos, articles, or podcasts that you think will help your students in their research, then all you have to do is create a QR code for them.

For a Gallery Walk

Many teachers find that gallery walks are a great way for students to learn. They can be used to share students' work, or for students to learn about specific concepts. QR codes are a great addition for gallery walks because they allow the student to learn more about what they're seeing. If you're using them to share students' work, all you have to do is have a student's record an audio description of what they're sharing. Or, if you're using them for students to learn more about a concept, then you can link to more detailed information about what the students are learning about.

To Support Struggling Readers

QR codes can also help to support struggling readers. Many students who struggle with reading like to read along with someone because it's just easier for them to follow someone instead of reading it themselves. Try making audio recordings of the material that you want read, or link to someone else reading the material.

As an Answer Key

As you know, grading students' work takes time. QR codes can help to free up some of that time by linking to an answer key where students can check their own work. The goal to making this work (so students don't cheat) is creating a code for students to check after they've already solved a problem.

For a Book Review

Long gone are the days of book reports. With today's technology, teachers can create a whole new take on the old book report. All you have to do is have each student record what they think of the book after they've read it, then create a QR code to their book review and tape the code to the back of the book. This way students in the class that are interested in reading the book can listen to their classmate's opinion and decide if the book is right for them.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can use Quick Response codes in the classroom. Teachers also use them for scavenger hunts, to cite sources, to inform parents, to link handouts, to check student work, and to even award prizes. Once you've found the content that you want to link creating QR Codes are easy. All you have to do is go to a site like QRstuff, paste in the URL, and the site will provide your code, it's that easy.
Do you use QR Codes as part of your technology in the classroom? If so, what are your favorite ways to use them? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds Masters of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com, TeachHUB Magazine, and Hey Teach. She was also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com for five years. You can follow her on Twitter @empoweringed, on Facebook at Empowering K12 Educators, or contact her at Janellecox78@yahoo.com

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Technology in the Classroom: Using QR Codes

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Many schools are using QR codes as part of their technology in the classroom as a way to enhance their students' learning. What teachers love about this technology in the classroom tool is that it's making learning a lot more fun for students.

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Using QR Codes in the Classroom to Enhance Learning

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Have you used QR Codes in the classroom yet? Here are a few easy ideas that will get you started using QR Codes in your classroom.

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The magic of QR codes in the classroom - Karen Mensing

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QR codes are having a mini resurgence lately. We started to use them in class last year as another way of creating self portraits. One of my students took this new found tool to a new level and used it as a way of creating graffiti. It was wheatpasted on so he felt it was a legal form of protest. The poster came off with water and a scrubbing brush.

I was at a conference last term and all the sessions and speaker's details were placed up on a wall in the foyer using QR Codes. It was a great way of distributing the information but it also worked as a conversation starter for many of the participants.

How to make your QR Codes more Beautiful was one of our most popular post in the last month and the ITSC in Philadelphia had multiple sessions on the use of QR codes in the classroom so I thought it might be worthwhile reposting this .

This presentation has been around for quite a while but it is worth revisiting.

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40 Interesting Ways to use QR Codes in the Classroom

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QR codes are having a mini resurgence lately. We started to use them in class last year as another way of creating self portraits. One of my students took this new found tool to a new level and used it as a way of creating graffiti.

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Leah Cleary: Secondary Resources for Social Studies and English

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These days QR Codes are old news, and in 1:1 classrooms, they may seem redundant. Why not just share the link digitally with students?

But there are so many ways to use QR Codes in the classroom besides linking to websites that can really spice up your lessons and make learning more interactive. You can hide questions and answer keys within QR Codes. You can also hide pictures and further information on a given topic.

Below I'm going to give you ten suggestions for using QR Codes to make your lessons more interactive. I'm also going to give you a free template for making a fun scavenger hunt with QR Codes. But first, I want to show you a super easy way to create them using Google Sheets and a free add-on.

Make QR Codes in Five Free and Easy Steps

Step 1: Open a Google Sheet.

Step 2: Get the free QR Code Generator add-on.

Step 3: Type what you want hidden in the QR Code into a cell.

Step 4: Highlight that cell and open the QR Code Generator.

Step 5: Select the format you want the QR Code in (a doc, an image, etc...).

And now for some fun things you can do with your new powers....

10 Ways to Use QR Codes to Build An Interactive Classroom

1. Round-Robin Discussion Starters

After delivering a lesson, place students in groups of four. Give each group an envelope containing four QR Codes. Instruct each student to randomly draw a QR Code, scan the code, and take two minutes to jot down their responses to the question or prompt that the QR Code obscured. They don't
talk during this part. When their time is up, give them 10 minutes to have a round-robin discussion, each student focusing on their prompt or question.

Type the instructions and glue them to each envelope.

Write first in the cell of one of the QR Codes when you generate it to ensure the students don't waste time deciding who starts the conversation and instruct them to go clockwise from there.

Use the timer and traffic lights on classroomscreen.com to keep everything moving. Here's a for using classroom screen.

Hide activities inside QR Codes, and glue them to the sides of dice.

Place students in groups and have each group roll the dice to decide what they will do.

Place a different cube in four corners of your room, each for different learning styles. Place an activity obscured by a QR Code on each side of the cube that has to do with that learning style. Instruct students to go to the corner of the room that represents how they feel they learn best, and roll the die to see what they need to do. For example, in the kinesthetic corner, the cube could have (1) act out the story/event and record it, (2) mime your vocabulary and record it (3) make a model of a scene/event (4) create a card sort with people/characters/places/vocabulary (5) make a map of a book/place (6) mimic the poses of portraits/photographs/literary descriptions, and take pictures.

Use the above as station activities for various topics.

Roll a reward--when students are rewarded, have them roll the die and scan the QR Code to see what they won (homework pass, restroom pass, sit where you want for a day, free quiz answer, extra points on an assignment, extra xp [if you gamify], candy)....

For station or group work, embed the answer key or suggested answers in a QR Code on the handout. As students finish, instruct them to check themselves and reflect on why they missed the questions they did.

If your students are prone to changing their answers so they don't have to reflect, instruct them to write in pen.

If your students will scan the QR Codes and simply copy the answers, put the answer keys on separate cards that they will not get until they show you their completed work, or have them check their phones and devices until a certain amount of time has elapsed. If you are circulating the room, you'll have a good idea of who is actually working.

Whenever a student hands in an excellent project, take a clear, well-lighted picture of it. Save the pictures on a secret board on pinterest. Right click the image, select "copy image address," and paste it into a cell in Google Sheets to generate a QR Code. Include a QR Code of relevant project examples on project handouts.

If your school blocks pinterest, load the images to a Google Site and grab the links from the published site, or use this method on Dropbox:

Add QR Codes to your posters and bulletin boards to direct students to films, images, music, or readings about the topic.

6. Virtual Tours and Gallery Walks

Set up a virtual tour or gallery walk inside your classroom using QR Codes. For example, each corner of your room could be dedicated to a specific country. You could post QR Codes that lead to Google Maps, pictures, music, and other relevant information from that place.

7. Jigsaw Learning and Review

Jig-Saw Reading is a tried and true method for covering a lot of information in a brief amount of time. Type page numbers into a Google Sheet and generate the QR Codes on a doc. Cut up the doc, and give each student or group a QR Code. They scan the code to find out what their part is.

Likewise each student or group could get a QR Code that leads them to a video or a reading over a specific topic (say a particular unit for end of term review) that they then will present to the class.

This is like Choose Your Own Adventure and it requires more effort on the teacher's part if you come up with a different scenario for each potential choice."Make choice 1 and scan this QR Code. Make choice 2 and scan this QR Code."

But how about having students create their own using your guidance? I'll use history as an example, but you could do this with character choices in novels or short stories, too.

Pick a historical example, and think of a series of choices that led to a certain point. Think of one counter choice for each decision. For example, "Henry VIII has a choice. The pope has refused his request for an annulment of his marriage with Catherine of Aragon."

The two choices could be (1) obey the pope and stay with Catherine OR (2) leave the Church and divorce Catherine.

Place a QR Code beneath each choice with pros and cons of each decision. Instruct students to select one of the choices, scan the QR Code to read the pros and cons, and construct their own scenario of what happened based on that decision.

Have students share their scenarios with the class and compare their scenarios to what actually happened.

If you use this to introduce a topic, after students present, give a presentation or show a short film about what actually happened. Give students a Venn Diagram to compare their scenario to the actual event.

This can also be used to review a topic. It's interesting here, because students who paid attention generally (though not always) select what really happened. This is a good opportunity for students who missed something to clarify and review.

Save student scenarios to create one big Pick Your Own Path review for exams, embedding student scenarios in the QR Code for each choice.

This is a spin on the exit ticket. At the end of class, post three QR Codes near the door, or project them on your screen. Post one for "I Got It!", one for "I Kind of Got It", and another for "What Did We Just Learn?"

"I Got It" could lead to a fun Gif. "I Kind of Got It" could lead to a form where they can explain their confusion. "What Did We Just Learn?" could lead to a summary of the lesson.

10. The Trusty Scavenger Hunt

I've blogged about this one before, but that was in terms of using it for a lengthy exam review. I also like to use these for review over shorter topics. It's way more fun for the students that a worksheet.

I type a series of questions into a Google Sheet (being sure to number them), generate a doc with the questions as QR Codes, cut them up, and hide them around the school or my classroom. Students scan the code, and answer the questions on the numbered answer grid I provide.

I have a template for this. I like it because I type the questions into the template, copy and paste them into the spreadsheet, generate the QR Codes as images, and then insert them into the next page of the template. Then I have two options for implementing the hunt--with or without QR Codes.

You can grab the simple, editable template here for use in your classroom.

Do you use QR Codes in your classroom? How do you use them? Leave a comment and let me know!

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10 Ways to Use QR Codes to Build An Interactive Classroom

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These days QR Codes are old news, and in 1:1 classrooms, they may seem redundant. Why not just share the link digitally with students? But there are so many ways to use QR Codes in the classroom besides linking to websites that can really spice up your lessons and make learning more interactive.

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There are so many tools that educators can use to get students interested and engaged in their work. Like most teachers today, I integrate technology into my instruction everyday. I'm lucky to work in a school with one-to-one technology and use iPads with my students throughout every school day. That makes it easy to use QR codes in my classroom -- and there are many reasons I love using QR codes!

What is a QR Code?

A Quick Response Code is a digital image that can be scanned without the beam of light needed to scan barcodes at the supermarket. It's used in advertising and marketing for smartphone users. You may have seen QR codes on flyers, subway posters, brochures and even cereal boxes. They are often accompanied with a message that says, "For more information scan this code." They can be scanned using one of the many free QR scanner apps available for smartphones and tablets. When you scan the code, you'll be taken directly to a website.

What does this marketing tool have to do with education? If I want all of my students to visit one website, I'll create a QR code for that website. And that's only one of the benefits.

How QR Codes Can Make a Difference in the Classroom

1. Eliminate the Frustration of Long Web Addresses

Instead of asking students to type in a long web address where they could easily make mistakes, a QR code will take them straight to a website. It's easy to type in USAToday.com, but directing students to a specific article might require them to type in a combination of case sensitive letters and numbers. QR codes are perfect for students of all ages, but especially for children with special needs and those students who are easily frustrated.

2. Take Students Directly to a Designated Website

We all want to avoid using search engines that might bring our students to the wrong website. This direct approach also limits their exposure to similar sites that might not be kid-friendly. You can create a list of QR codes for websites to make Internet research easier for students.

3. Save Time

Instead of waiting for each student to type in a long web address, they can all quickly scan the QR code. You won't have to waste valuable minutes from your lesson because all students will be on task and viewing the correct website in seconds. Try projecting the QR code on the board or printing just one QR code for each table of students to save yourself the time of making extra copies.

4. QR Codes are Easy to Make

Websites like Qurify.com allow you to generate your own QR code for free. Copy and paste a long web address, and they'll create a code that is unique to that particular website. You can save, print and distribute the QR code to students.

5. Change Up Your Normal Routine

I love to keep things new and exciting for my students. Try creating scavenger hunts that will get your students to visit a variety of websites to gather information on a topic. Get students engaged and moving by placing QR codes in different parts of your classroom or school building.

Are you already using QR codes in your classroom? I'd love to hear how you're integrating this technology tool into your instruction.

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Five Reasons I Love Using QR Codes in My Classroom | Edutopia

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There are so many tools that educators can use to get students interested and engaged in their work. Like most teachers today, I integrate technology into my instruction everyday. I'm lucky to work in a school with one-to-one technology and use iPads with my students throughout every school day.

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Qr Code Centers Worksheets & Teaching Resources | TpT

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Browse qr code centers resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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Qr Code Lesson Worksheets & Teaching Resources | TpT

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Browse qr code lesson resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.