Module 9 QR Codes

QR Codes in School

QR Codes provide information in a condensed form– linking you to websites, flyers, texts, videos– anything that can be posted to a website or cloud drive. They could link families to resources through posters in the foyer of the school — link to health centers, enrollment forms, school events. I think the hallways of the school and local community center areas could be home to small posters created by students with QR codes linking to their longer work, whether art, essay, blog, video, audio, etc. It would be a great way to share  the work of the school in ways that those text scores neglect. QR Codes could share the real story of the school, not the narrative published based on one day’s score.

QR Code Resources

My students research and present information related to their inquiries. How they present is determined by them according to their audience and purpose. In the beginning of the year, we have fewer options. The resources I created are available in the classroom as examples to demonstrate how a hallway poster could share information by providing an example for my students — the QR code is in a poster that links to a video, which is an animated presentation about topping trees, or rather not to.

Another option for students is to create a “Do You Know” video and graphic to share their information. So, I placed a QR Code that links to the informative video and infographic poster in the directions for creating such a video and poster, and in the options of our social justice project. Posting them in the classroom provides reminders and examples of their options. I can also copy these slides to paste into any project direction or in a resource list.

QR Code Example for an informative poster [both example and howto]:

Protect-Trees-from-Topping-1n8nwb2

 

QR Code Example for a video [in the directions]

 

QR Codes:

Example Poster:

Example How To Poster:

Example Video

How To create Avatar Video

I also displayed the poster with a QR Code to the same video [pdf of flyer] so students could see how their poster would link to their work, in whatever option they chose.

 

The physical poster shows students how their research in becoming an “expert” in a topic can be shared with others in the community. This adds authenticity to our work since we’ll be sharing in other places — perhaps banks, museums, government offices. An example provides a model so students can evaluate the model’s work and discuss what worked and what could be improved so they can complete excellent projects with a more authentic element.

QR codes expand the learning by providing examples of student options as they consider their research, audience, and purpose.

Additional QR Code Resource

Students often flounder at choosing how to share their learning — how to build their presentation with multimedia to enhance the message they share about their topic. Yet this is key even in Common Core State Standards [Focus Standards]:

W.6  Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

6-8.WHST.2.a – Text Types and Purposes: Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

2.c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts

6-8.WHST.2.f – Text Types and Purposes: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

So, as the year progresses, I need to help students think about and choose options that best fit their content, audience, and purpose. I decided to create a flyer with QR Codes linking to the options most frequently chosen by students. I posted the flyer in  the classroom and included it in the Options section of projects. Once again, QR codes expand the learning by sharing the possibilities students could use to meet objectives while sharing their content for their audience and purpose.

QR Code to flyer:

This helps students see what’s possible –to share and discuss what works and what doesn’t so that their work as authors is professional and authentic. It gives them agency over choosing the best design in content and presentation for their information.

PDF of Flyer

I think QR Codes can be helpful in many ways, and the ones for this post are for guiding students to develop their agency from models; we would even add their How Tos into other flyers. I think links on books to audio versions or further information is also a good use. My favorite though, is extending the school into the community via flyer created by students with QR Codes linking to excellent and authentic writing and research completed by students.


All images

by Sheri Edwards

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