Mind Your Ps and QRs...

Several weeks ago I was browsing and reading various school librarian blogs when I came across the use of QR codes.  QR represents quick response.  Data such as text, hyperlinks, personal or professional contact information or geo location (just to name a few examples) are embedded in these square mosaic designs.   Once I knew what they were I started seeing them more and more often.  Within days of reading about this use of technology I purchased an orchid plant.  On the back of the company's tag was a QR code.  When scanned it directed me to a web site with beautiful photographs and  a multitude of useful and interesting knowledge about orchids.


Smart phones or other mobile devices that contain a QR code reader application are used to scan the QR code and will display what the creator desires.  A simple search on your favorite site will include a list of the best applications for your particular phone.  I downloaded the Android QuickMark app for my new Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S phone from Verizon. 


At this link Dana Huff, a teacher at Weber School, a private high school in the Altanta metro-area gives an excellent, brief overview of QR codes, their creative function in the classroom setting and additional resources regarding this new (at least to me) cool technology.  An additional recent post of possible uses can be found at New Media Photographer Digital Marketing Blog by Rosh Sillars.  While geared more for business without too much of a stretch of your imagination these suggestions could be utilized for educational purposes.  

To create a QR code I used the generator Kaywa.   Below is a direct link to this blog created in a matter of seconds.   Using this free generator enter in an URL, text, phone number or SMS before clicking the generate button.  You can save the code as an image, with a permalink or embed it using HTML code.

BeQRious appears to be a site that offers a free generator with registration if you wish to store codes in folders, manage or edit them.   At this site QR codes can be made for an URL, email address, phone number, text, V card, text message, YouTube video, 14 different social sites, or a geographical place on a map.  The code below directs you to a map of Charlevoix.  They also offer the option of placing an image inside your code.  A created code can be embedded using HTML or saved in  PDF or GIF format.

One possible use of QR codes for this librarian is going to be sending students to book trailers, web sites or blogs of author's who have newly published books that would make for good reading during  genre studies or for those required research papers.  It is going to be fun to send them to movie trailers that have been made for those books that are appearing on the silver screen.  

Of course the having and use of phones in the classroom will need to be reviewed.  But maybe I can think of an ingenious way to display them outside of the school setting.  Hmmmm...