How to use QR codes in research and teaching

See on Scoop.it – M-learning, E-Learning, and Technical Communications

You have seen QR codes in ads, but do they make sense for academics? This post discusses why, when and how you can use QR codes in research and teaching.

Danielle M. Villegas‘s insight:

I have a cousin in the UK who has a Master’s in Educational Technology, and I remember us having a conversation several weeks ago about the use of QR codes. She said they were everywhere in Europe and very heavily used not only for advertisements, but also being highly touted in ed tech circles over there. I told her that I hadn’t seen it as much here, but I didn’t doubt that it could work.

Then, just yesterday during my first day of work at the new job, my new manager took me to the company’s "Innovation Center", which is like a small visitor’s center, to show some of the latest innovations of the company. And sure enough, since the entire Innovation Center is meant to be a highly interactive learning tool in a confined space, I saw the use of the QR codes there. Of course, the global headquarters of the company is based in Germany, so in that respect, I wasn’t surprised that the QR codes were being used based on what my cousin had told me. But I was pleased to see how they were effective in providing additional information. At certain stations in the room, there would be a tablet with a a built-in camera in front of a small stand up display of a photo with a QR code. To learn more about the particular product or process, the visitor would just take a photo of the QR code, and voila! Video and other interactive content would display on the tablet. It was actually very cool.

This article is really good because it’s a great primer for how to use QR codes effectively. This is a must read!
–techcommgeekmom

See on www.joachim-scholz.com

Author: TechCommGeekMom

Danielle M. Villegas is a technical communicator who currently employed at Cox Automotive, Inc., and freelances as her own technical communications consultancy, Dair Communications. She has worked at the International Refugee Committee, MetLife, Novo Nordisk, BASF North America, Merck, and Deloitte, with a background in content strategy, web content management, social media, project management, e-learning, and client services. Danielle is best known in the technical communications world for her blog, TechCommGeekMom.com, which has continued to flourish since it was launched during her graduate studies at NJIT in 2012. She has presented webinars and seminars for Adobe, the Society for Technical Communication (STC), the IEEE ProComm, TCUK (ISTC) and at Drexel University’s eLearning Conference. She has written articles for the STC Intercom, STC Notebook, the Content Rules blog, and The Content Wrangler as well. She was very active in the STC, as a former chapter president for the STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter, serving and chairing on several STC Board committees, and most recently was the STC Board Vice-President before the organization closed.. You can learn more about Danielle on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemvillegas, on Twitter @techcommgeekmom, or through her blog. All content is the owner's opinions, and does not reflect those of her employers past or present. View All Posts

3 thoughts on “How to use QR codes in research and teaching”

I’ve been thinking about you today, Danielle, wondering how the new job is going. Sounds exciting.

Thanks for this article. Aren’t QR codes fascinating? For the last year and a half, I’ve been putting a QR code on my business card and resume, following the example of someone I met at a workshop who had a QR code on his business card. I think they’re ugly but oh-so-handy. I also put a QR code on the first page and back cover of my book.

It’s stunningly easy to create your own QR code. You can have it include various kinds of info. To explore, Google “free qr code generator” and try a few.

TechCommGeekMom says:

January 4, 2013 at 2:55 PM

I actually have a QR code for this website, and was thinking of having it printed on the back of a t-shirt, so that every time I went to a TC conference, I’d wear the t-shirt and people could photograph or use a QR reader to read it off my back, taking them here. Of course, I should probably think about getting put on my business cards as well. I don’t even have business cards, but I’ve been thinking about it lately, so it’s a good idea to include them.

Reply
1. Marcia Riefer Johnston says:
  
  January 5, 2013 at 1:55 AM
  
  You would be the first on the block to have a QR code, Danielle, you geeky girl, you.
  
  Reply

Marcia Riefer Johnston says:

January 4, 2013 at 2:47 PM

I’ve been thinking about you today, Danielle, wondering how the new job is going. Sounds exciting.

Thanks for this article. Aren’t QR codes fascinating? For the last year and a half, I’ve been putting a QR code on my business card and resume, following the example of someone I met at a workshop who had a QR code on his business card. I think they’re ugly but oh-so-handy. I also put a QR code on the first page and back cover of my book.

It’s stunningly easy to create your own QR code. You can have it include various kinds of info. To explore, Google “free qr code generator” and try a few.

1. TechCommGeekMom says:
  
  January 4, 2013 at 2:55 PM
  
  I actually have a QR code for this website, and was thinking of having it printed on the back of a t-shirt, so that every time I went to a TC conference, I’d wear the t-shirt and people could photograph or use a QR reader to read it off my back, taking them here. Of course, I should probably think about getting put on my business cards as well. I don’t even have business cards, but I’ve been thinking about it lately, so it’s a good idea to include them.
  
  1. Marcia Riefer Johnston says:
    
    January 5, 2013 at 1:55 AM
    
    You would be the first on the block to have a QR code, Danielle, you geeky girl, you.