QR Codes Explained and Ideas for Classroom Use

When I lead workshops or give presentations I typically don't distribute handouts in paper form. Instead I just give the link to my digital resources for that day's presentation or workshop. Recently, I have started to deviate from that policy just a little bit. Now I like to place printed QR codes in a dozen or so locations in the room. Those QR codes are linked to my slides and digital handouts. I started doing this because often people would miss the links when they're just on a slide at the beginning and end of the presentation. This way people can scan the QR codes with their phones and tablets and have instant access to the resources for the day.

Distributing those QR codes before the presentation also creates a good segue into conversations about what QR codes are and how they can be used in schools. One of the resources that I occasionally use to explain QR codes is a commercially licensed copy of QR Codes Explained by Common Craft (disclosure: I have an in-kind business relationship with Common Craft).
After showing the video the next resource in my list is Russel Tarr's QR Code Treasure Hunt Generator. The QR Code Treasure Hunt Generator will walk you through each step of creating QR codes for use in your classroom. The QR Code Treasure Hunt Generator also offers some examples of using QR code treasure hunts in classroom.

The following posts have more ideas about using QR codes in schools:
Interactive Bulletin Boards
QR Codes in the Classroom
QRPedia - QR Codes for Wikipedia Entries
Assign QR Codes to Your Documents
Create a Mobile Language Lesson With QR Voice
Tom Barrett's Interesting Ways to Use QR Codes