I recently purchased a task card activity from Teachers Pay Teachers that used QR codes as a way for the students to check their answers. I have always been intrigued by the use of a QR code in the classroom, so I decided to stop wondering and give it a try. Perhaps foolishly, I decided to try it during an observation with my principal. However, my principal enjoyed seeing the technology and discussed other applications for the QR codes within the classroom that would be beneficial for students, teachers, and parents. I appreciated the feedback and brainstorming from him and decided to see how hard it was to make a worksheet with QR codes on it.
Well, it was a cinch and if you haven't tried them, you have to try them! I made the simple worksheet that you can download below this paragraph. I used it for Lesson 82 of the Saxon Algebra I (2007), so all of my fellow Saxon users feel free to take it and use it! Just one caution, the problems are the examples from the book's lesson. I dd that intentionally, so that I could have students who were truly stuck and not sure what they did wrong check their work to the books work if I was busy helping others. I never had to do that though because they helped each other so well.
To make this, I Googled "How to make a QR code" and found several websites that would
let you make a QR code. I used the website http://www.qrstuff.com/ to
make the codes and then download them for free. Then, I copied and
pasted them onto the worksheet. I am a novice to doing this though, so
my formatting is simplistic.
The students used their cell phones with a
QR reader/scanner to check their answers. I found that the students
really liked being able to check the answer as soon as they finished the
problem, so with some simple ground rules, I had no problems with cell
phones being used for other purposes.
I am really excited about the possibilities that I can do with the QR codes. Next time, I would like to have a "Need help?" section at the top with a QR code attached to a You Tube video or another source for students who are stuck or just need reassurance and I am busy with another student. I am feeling like this could be a really good thing for my students and how I teach.
Thanks for sharing! I like using QR codes as hints as well as to check answers. Sometimes all a student needs is a small prompt to get them started, such as "what step would cancel out the -7?"
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