Using QR Codes in the Classroom

One of the fundamental advantages that tablets and mobile devices have over computers is their portability, but the least utilized, I think is the presence of a camera. Today, I want to show you some of the fun ways that I use Quick Reader codes, or QRs, in my classroom.

QRs are those barcode/crossword puzzle looking squares that you see on packages and advertisements. When they are “scanned” with a mobile device and the right app it links you to the website or text of your choice.

1. Typing in web addresses is difficult, especially on a mobile device with a keyboard for letters and a different one for numbers and symbols. With the QR it is as simple as Open App, Snap QR and, in the case of an iPad, open the webpage in Safari. Quick, simple and it avoids the frustration of missing a number or letter and ending up at the dreaded “error” page.
2. Use them to assign seats: This takes a bit of time, but it is a fun way for students to become proficient at using a QR scanner. Create a text QR at http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ for each students name. Print each QR off and place it at the seat you would like them to occupy. Then give each student a mobile device and have them find their seat. It works better if students are not allowed to talk, otherwise,  in their excitement, they will reveal seat locations.
3. Check Your Answers: Some classes, especially math, like to have students complete an assignment and then check their answers. Posting the answers in the classroom or putting them on a piece of paper works, but it is too easy to just glance at it. If you have your answers in a word document, copy and paste them into the text section of the QR generator and post the QR on the assignment or on the board. When the student thinks that he or she is done, they can grab a mobile device and snap the QR. This is also helpful for parents because it can help them reverse engineer the problems if they’re a little rusty. Another variation, would be to post the answers on a class blog or website and put the QR and link on the assignment. That way computers and mobile devices can be used.
4. Quick Assessment: Let’s say I wanted to find out if my students could identify the subject in a sentence. I would put a sentence on the board, like “I saw elephants in Africa.” Typically, students gravitate towards nouns when they’re trying to figure out the subject. I would place a QR under “I, elephants and Africa.” What you do next is up to you. One option would be to have the “I” QR link to a page that says, “you’re correct,” but this is also an opportunity for targeted instruction. Link the incorrect answers to a page on identifying subjects or with additional practice. Send the correct answers to a page that works on predicates or some other worthwhile activity. If the page(s) you forward students to is/are on your blog, you could use traffic data to determine the classes’ overall performance. Just make sure that students are answering the questions honestly and not comparing the QRs to find the odd-one-out. 
5. Useful Feedback: This technique isn’t much different from the one listed above, but it is very easy to integrate into your classroom. If you are correcting, or even just browsing through your students’ work you can paperclip or staple a QR to their work. This QR might send them to a text that says “Congratulations,” but what I like to do is link the QR to a page that will help them do better on the next assignment or activity. For instance, if the assignment was fractions and a student obviously had trouble with finding common denominators, I would generate a QR that takes the student to a quick tutorial on finding common denominators and maybe a Google Form that will allow me to see if the additional activity made a difference.
6. CLASS BLOG: Print out some QR Codes and slip them in with report cards. It is a great way to promote your class blog, especially because the QR is still kind of novel.

Sometimes these techniques may come across as being needlessly technological. Why don’t I just put a page number from the book at the top of their assignment? The answer, for me anyway, is that this is a lot faster and more convenient for me. Furthermore, students seem to be more comfortable with “digital” personalized instruction, whereas singling out students to work on a particular issue seems to be a little less popular, and let's face it, you can't get to every student every time.

If you do something awesome with QRs, please share!