By now, most of us know what QR (Quick Response) codes are. Those geometric blocky things that take you online when you scan them with a smartphone or tablet are pretty much everywhere. QR codes can be used in the classroom in a multitude of ways (to get an idea, see this post by the amazing Kathy Schrock).
If you are overwhelmed by the tidal wave of possibilities, try getting your feet wet using this simple activity. A basic QR code scavenger hunt can be easily created in a matter of minutes by any teacher, even those who are not very comfortable with technology. This morning, I watched a first grade teacher assess her class using a QR code scavenger hunt that she had made in 10 minutes before school. One of the students came up to her during the activity and exclaimed, “This is the best day of my whole life!” When students enjoy the assessment, you know you are on to something.
How did she do it? She went to the QR code generator at classtools.net (http://www.classtools.net/QR/), typed in her questions, and let the tool generate QR codes. She then printed them out and taped them up around the yard. With the i-nigma app on the iPad*, her students were off in groups of 4 (scanner, writer, reader, and clue spotter) to read the questions and record their answers.
What I really like about this QR code generator is that
- it’s very easy to use, so it’s a great way to start if you are nervous about using tech
- the codes can be printed large or small; larger codes are easier for young students to scan, while small codes can be better hidden to make the hunt more challenging
- the codes are text-based, so when students scan them, they can read the clue even if they don’t have internet access on their device
- the codes are numbered, so students can easily list the answers and know which clue(s) they still need to find
- you can save your scavenger hunts and edit them later if you want to make changes
*Also available for Android
Note: I know that recently I told you my goal was to do a daily post, but have not been doing that. Outside forces have conspired against me, but things are improving, and I hope to be back to daily posts soon.
