I am so excited about the possibilities with using these tools we have explored this week. I have a million different ideas running through my mind and I can't wait to write up a Donor's Choose project to get some iPad's in my classroom to use with these tools. I created 3 different QR codes: one with each of the programs and it was SUPER EASY! I couldn't believe how easy it was. I have never worked with QR codes before and thought it would be a lot of work...boy was I wrong! The first QR code I made using QR Code Monkey - I linked a Youtube video (an interview with an author) to this code and I have two ideas of ways to use it. It could be put in/on books written by this author so that the students/teachers/parents could learn more about this author before or after reading the book or there could be an "Author's Corner" which could be a bulletin board or even just a poster board with featured authors of the month and you could have a picture of the author or their books with the QR code beside it.
The next QR code I made using QR Voice - since I did this on the Fourth of July, I just put a "Happy 4th of July" message on it. Again, very simple to use and I think this option would be best for short/simple instructions as you are limited to 100 characters.
The third program I worked with was I-Nigma. Very simple to use, it only took me a few seconds to link the website and with this one I linked my "Library" website. The idea I had for the library website was to put the QR code on a beginning of the year welcome back letter to students and parents and they can scan the code to take them to the library website. Hopefully, this would draw more students and parents into using the resources on the library website right from the beginning of the year.
I really like your idea to use QR codes for an "author's corner." I think that would be a great way to expose students to new authors in an engaging way. I also wanted to add that I thought creating QR codes would be a lot more complicated than it is and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it really is! As teachers, there is always so much for us to do so it is sometimes overwhelming to think about learning how to do something new and then adding that to our to do list. However,QR codes are so easy that I could certainly include them in my planning without too much extra effort.
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