How QR codes can create a seamless digital classroom for you

You're trying to integrate digital technologies into your classroom in a seamless way, but when you do get access to the school iPads, you don't know what to do with them! Your early years students can't find the website you want them to go to and they can't remember their password anyway! Does this sound like you?

Never, in the history of teaching, have teachers been expected to do more work with digital technology without the access to adequate resources.

So what can you do to seamlessly integrate digital technologies into your classroom?

I'll let you into a little secret - QR codes!

If you're familiar with barcodes on products in the supermarket, then you already understand the concept of QR codes. You scan the code with a QR scanner (visit the App store to find free apps for this) and it takes you to the website, image, picture etc.. that you want your students to go to. 

Okay, so some of you are familiar with QR codes but did you know you can create your own QR codes?

Yes, that's right. No more writing website addresses on the screen. No more http://...anything anymore!

How can you use them in your class?

Here are just a few ways I use them in my classroom:

1. Quickly accessing that regularly used website. It could be Mathletics, Reading Eggs or just an online dictionary. Copy and paste the url into the QR code generator and save the QR code. Copy and paste the code into a word document many times, print and cut, then give to students to stick inside their English/Math/Homework book for quick reference.

2. When you want your students to visit one random website as part of a lesson. Create a QR code (as listed above) and save to your computer. With your computer plugged into the whiteboard, display the QR code and let your students scan the code from their desks.

3. To show parents examples of student work. Save student work samples into a Google Drive document (one folder per student) and create a shareable code for that folder by clicking the three little stars on the top right hand corner (as shown below). 

That then becomes your url and copy and paste this into a QR code generator. When you have parent/teacher meetings, stick the code to your student's folder and scan for parents, so they can view their work as you talk. Even better still, print a copy of the QR code so that parents can take it home and review their child's work in their own time! (Note: you don't need a Google Drive account to access the files via shareable urls but you will want to make sure the files are not editable). 

Those are just a few ways you can use QR codes to help you in the classroom. Can you recommend some others below in the comments section?

If you'd like to try one of my QR codes, scan the image below and you'll see how they work.