QR Codes In The Classroom

What are QR Codes?

A QR Code is very similar to a bar code and stands for Quick Response. The image consists of square dots that can be scanned and reveals whatever information it contains. QR Codes can contain text, links to web addresses, videos, files, or audio messages and much more.

I had the opportunity to try out GooseChase, which is an app that creates a scavenger hunt utilizing QR codes. After trying it out I think it would be a great resource for teacher to use to promote active learning. It gets students up out of their desks and get them excited about learning. I wanted to discuss what I believe is a benefit to using QR codes in the classroom and provide some ideas on how I hope to use them in the future and how others can use them in their classroom.

Why Use a QR Code?

One benefit that I believe comes from using QR Codes is the ease of giving students a web address and allows them to be independent. This allows teachers to release responsibility onto the students and be the facilitator of learning rather than providing all the answers for them all the time. Using QR Codes is just plain fun as well. What student doesn’t love to be able to use a device at school?

How to use QR Codes

One way that I know I would want to use QR Codes is for students to listen to reading. Teachers can link QR codes to audio books and all students have to do is scan the QR Code with a device and listen to the story being read out loud to them. This is a really effective way for students to get more reading time in without needing an adult to be there to help them or to read to them.

Another way students can use QR codes is for individual research. QR codes can be linked to various websites and videos that can be used for a variety of projects and activities. For example, if the lesson was on life cycles, the teacher could have sheets containing one insect or animal per sheet with two or three QR Codes on the sheet to scan and the student can learn all about that species and collect research.

Teachers can also create answer keys for students using QR Codes as well. Students can scan the Code after completing their work and check their answers.

I think QR Codes have the potential to be used successfully in a variety of ways inside the classroom! For more ideas on how to use QR codes in the classroom check out this iTeach blog post I found.