QR Codes “Scan Your Way to Engagement” Pamala Heller Woodland High School – Henry County

What I hope you get from this session: What is a QR code? How do I make a QR code? How can I use QR codes to engage students? How can I pair Google Drive with QR codes to help make my job as a teacher more effective and efficient? Sample classroom engaged with QR codes.

Get Out Your Devices!!! Go to your “app store” (Wherever you download new apps to your device) Go to the search box and type: Scan Regardless of the type of your device, the first one (or one of the first) should be the one shown to the right called Scan Hit Download! It’s FREE Note: There are others out there, but this is just one I have found to work the best.

A QR code gives you QUICK RESPONSES through various forms of media and outlets

Two Types of QR Codes DYNAMIC: Most used when you are linking a code to a webpage URL that has a chance of changing or that you know will change If you use a dynamic code and then the URL changes, you DO NOT have to change the code you have already made. STATIC: Most things you will do in your classroom and elsewhere will work fine with this type If you link a webpage to a static code and the URL changes, YOU MUST change the code.

Different ways to use QR Codes Text URL Links Pictures Videos Contact information And much more!

Where can I go to make QR Codes? User Friendly No Clutter Webpage More Options to Code From Color and Picture Backgrounds for Codes Note: There are other sites out there that will allow you to do this. However, these are the two I have found to be the most effective.

You Can Even Make Fun Codes!

Want to make it even more fun…

So….How can this help engage the students and enhance instruction? Interactive Vocabulary Completely student led activities Get them up and moving No more “I didn’t do my work because the sub couldn’t help me” (or at least less of this ) Student led remediation of topics they don’t understand Send them straight where you want them instead of navigating through search engines

Scavenger Hunt! Mission: Find the 36 hidden QR codes around the room Write down the problem on your paper, and figure out the solution Check your solution with the QR code answer If wrong, ask a friend for help before moving on If right, go find another code! Get at least 15 done by the end of the class period

Sub Day!! Mission: 36 Systems of Equations Problems Complete as many as possible Check your solutions as your work through the QR codes You must show all work to receive credit Talk with classmates about issues you find

What did I find out doing these activities? Students were more actively involved in their own learning. More student to student conversations happened instead of student to teacher Students are naturally competitive and tend to use this competition to push each other through the activity. Many students who usually give up very easily while working tended to persevere more through these interactive activities. (S.M.P.!!!)

Even if students didn’t have devices, the other students were very quick to lend their devices for use to these students thus creating an atmosphere of positive learning and peer interaction. Students still needed reminders to write work down instead of just answers, but they got better with the next activity (sub day). Students are eager to have more freedom to work on their own and help each other through the problems since they have answers to check with. I became a fly on the wall to the learning experience of the students instead of the sole deliverer of information, and the students were awesome teachers to each other!

SMPs that were used during these activities are…. MP1…Students will persevere through problem solving! MP3…Students will construct and critique arguments and work of others! MP6…Students will attend to precision while discussing!

How can QR Codes help me be more efficient and effective as the teacher? Open house becomes easier Parent information surveys Student information surveys Sign in records Your contact information Record keeping is a breeze Student tutoring sign-ins, sign-ups, etc. When parents ask did they come… Data collection becomes interactive Have students complete summarizers through QR Give students questions/notes through QR for assignments

How can I use Google Drive to help make my QR Codes into living, breathing things? Look at how easy it becomes to have students sign in to tutoring, test retakes, etc. through making a Google forms! After a few days, students were accustomed to signing in via their electronic device and needed little to no reminding to do so!

So, how do I make this awesomeness!!???? Go to drive.google.com Sign-in or Sign-up!!

Click Create Then click FORMS

Choose a background designed if desired and Title your form. Then hit OK

Create your questions and add more as necessary You can choose between several question styles! When you are done adding questions, click choose response destination You can check what you live form looks like at any point during the process! Google Drive saves your work automatically as you go! No more saving nightmares!

Once you have clicked choose response destination, Name the spreadsheet what you want. Click on Always create a new spreadsheet, and you will never have to do this process again! It will automatically generate a response spreadsheet when you create the form. Click Create Your responses will now be added to the spreadsheet as they get submitted for ever and ever! You can always make changes to it yourself as well.

You will now have a response document (spreadsheet) listed in your Google Drive with the link to the form you created.

When you are ready to send this survey through OR to create the QR code for it, hit send form.

Copy this link into your or copy it into the QR Generator you use online!! Then just save the QR code and print it out!

Students’ Thoughts on QR Codes and Using them in the Classroom… “I like it. It makes the class different.” “It helps me learn faster” “I really like them. It gets us more involved in class and makes me more excited for class” “I like it because it is fun but still educational at the same time” “I like the idea of the QR codes and I think we should continue to use them. It is a more fun way to do my work” “It is helpful but can be difficult to use” “I like using QR codes because it’s a great way to use your phones for something other than texting, twitter, instagram, etc.” “I don’t think that it matters because I don’t have an iPhone or thing with a scanner, and if you are not technology smart t doesn’t help you” “I like it but I don’t have a scanner so I have to use other peoples phones”

What questions can I answer…?