Scan Your Way to Digital Learning Day

Welcome to Stop #4 of our Digital Learning Day blog hop. As you may now know, we're celebrating Digital Learning Day which is on February 17. I'm teaming up with Tech With Jen, The Techie Teacher, iLive2learniLove2Grow, and ERIN*tegration to share our tips in using QR Codes in your classroom. If you're just beginning the hop, you can begin with Tech With Jen.

I love using QR Codes. They are so easy to use and can be implemented in the classroom in many different ways. One of the most popular ways to use QR Codes is with url's. Students don't have to worry about typing websites incorrectly and teachers know that the students are going directly to the selected websites.

When reading informational text passages or books about a certain subject, students may want to learn more. Try using QR codes at a learning station with an informative book. A perfect example is We're Roaming in the Rainforest. This book comes alive by using QR Codes that link to different websites about the rainforest.

This beautifully illustrated book takes students through the rainforest as they learn about exotic animals and their habitats. Students can learn even more by scanning the QR Codes and going directly to websites about the rainforest and the animals living in the rainforest. I created a Google Site with the url transformed into a QR code. Then, I attached the QR Code to a page in the book. Students can then have book and website resources.

I created additional QR codes that link to a rainforest song, text, video of the other rainforest animals, Google Map of the rainforest, and a pdf slideshow. These QR Codes can be placed on different pages of the book. As students read the book, they can scan the QR Codes to bring the book to life.

Here are the steps in linking a QR Code to a website:

1. Determine the website url you want to change to a QR Code. Try this website about different rainforest animals. http://www.rainforestanimals.net/index.html 

2. Copy your url into your QR Code Generator. I'm using QR Code Generator which is another very simple online application you can use.

3. Click on "Save." A QR Code is created on the right.

4. Select "PNG" for the digital format of the QR Code, name the file, and then "Save." The QR Code will immediately download and you can drag it to your desktop and inserted into your document. I use QR Codes on task cards all the time.

Try this free product with your students. It's free during the week of the blog hop. Just click on the image below.

Scan the QR Code below to find out the fourth clue for your chance to win an iPod. Then, move on to The Techie Teacher. I hope you're learning all the different ways you can learn about QR Codes on Digital Learning Day.