Is 2011 the Year of the QR Code?



QR Code for the CareerTech Testing Center Blog



I found a very interesting post about QR codes on The Thinking Stick Blog by Jeff Utecht.

According to Utecht, the QR Codes, or Quick Response Codes, are little black and white 2 dimensional bar codes that are already creeping more and more into our lives.

These perfect squares of information can contain a link, a text, a phone number, or a text message. All you need ais a QR Code and a QR Code Reader (see Utecht's post for more information and suggestions on this quick and simple process).

What are some current applications?

Some authors are placing a QR Code at the beginning of every chapter. As you read a chapter you can scan the barcode with your phone or computer and be taken to a website where you can get up to date information, research that didn’t make the book, and comments from other readers who read the same section as you did.

Certain airlines, i.e. Delta and American Airlines are using QR Codes as boarding passes. You can now check in online, without printing a boarding pass, and the airline will send you a link that you can click on that loads the QR Code. Simply swipe the code at the gate and off you go.
(Although I haven't used a QR Code as a boarding pass, I wonder if the TSA checks your QR Code as you go through security as well?)

What are the educational possibilities?

Utecht states the QR Codes are a "way to engage students online and offline in and out of the classroom." He provides ideas for including QR Codes in foreign language and sciance instruction, but my favorite example is Utecht's use of QM Codes in the library.

"For example, create a QR Code that connects to Amazon reviews of the book. So kids can find a book, scan the code and it takes them to the reviews of that book so they can see what others have said about it. Or here’s even a way cooler option. What if you have students create reviews for books they read, you upload them to the school library site and then create a QR code that links to that student review from in your school. How cool would that be that kids would be actually writing reviews for other kids in your school about books!"

Are there implications for testing?

Absolutley! I can see QR Codes used in a variety of ways. In identification tests, multiple choice tests, and especially in performance testing.

What are some of your ideas about using QR Codes within your instruction or your assessments?

Please read the entire blog post on The Thinking Stick blog by Jeff Utecht!

Here is another interesting post entitled, On QR Codes in the Library and in our School Newspaper, posted by Joyce Valenza on the NeverEndingSearch blog.