**In order to scan the QR Code, you must have a free QR Code reader app installed on your phone.
The first way I use QR Codes is with Artsonia.com. Each of my students has a small sample of artwork posted on Artsonia.com. http://www.artsonia.com/ Within the museum, the students all have a portfolio page that contains only their work. I taught them how to copy the URL linked to their portfolio page and create a QR Code using this site. http://createqrcode.appspot.com/ Because I have dived (sometimes blindly) into trying to teach my students new ways to use technology, I am learning many lessons along the way. First, I learned that I should check to see if the technology lesson will work before introducing it to my students. To check this, I cannot be signed on the staff server because the filters are different than the student server. I need to sign on as a student to see if the filters will allow my students to access the sites needed to complete the lessons. Had I known this, I would have learned that the students couldn't get on the QR code generator site I referred them to. If they would have been able to get into the site, the students would have simply pasted their URL in the rectangle and hit the "Create QR Code" button. However, when my students tried to access the QR Code page, they found out the site was blocked/banned by the server. Things like this will happen. I learned that when using technology, I am bound to run into a few road blocks along the way, but I cannot let those blocks scare me into not using technology. (This doesn't typically happen because I have also learned that my students are the experts and I am not afraid to ask them for help. They love it and have told me that's why I need them..so they could help me when I need it.) I ended up creating the codes for each student which really didn't take long. Once you try to make one, you will see how fast a code can be created. I ended up saving the QR Codes for each class into a folder and sent the folders to a dropbox on the server. (When doing this, be sure to label each QR Code with a student name or it will be an organizational nightmare later because you will have to scan each code to determine to whom it belongs.) Students entered the dropbox and dragged their QR Code to their desktop and used it in a couple ways. One way they used it was by pasting it to their Art Evaluation for student led conferences. When parents attended the conference, they could scan the code with their SMART device and enter their child's portfolio page. This was a great way to show the work without having to have over 500 works with me. If parents didn't have a SMART device, they were able to check out out an iPod Touch from our tech specialist. I wasn't able to attend conferences because I had tech classes that night, and I later found out this wasn't as successful as I hoped. There were two problems that I didn't anticipate. First, parents couldn't access the page because they were not connected to the internet and didn't have access to the guest password on the school's wireless network. Also, I failed to remember that the iPod Touches were password protected so if people did try to check out an iPod Touch to scan the code, they were locked out. No one else knew the password. These things and the ones mentioned above, happen when dealing with technology and can be discouraging if you allow it to get to you. I just learned a few things that I will plan for next time.
The second time I used QR Codes was during the nights of our Spring Musical. During that time, I have each student from all my classes select a work of art to display. This year, I had my 6-8th grade students attach a QR Code next to their selected work. When people attended the Spring Musical, they could also view the artwork on display and scan the QR Code to enter student portfolio pages online. (This time I knew to display the guest password so they could get into the internet.) Students in K-5th grade didn't have a QR Code next to their work. Instead, I had a QR Code on a poster that patrons could scan to enter the school's page. I'm not sure how that went because it was on Tuesday night and I was at my last night of tech class (how ironic). We have another performance scheduled for Thursday night and I since created this video to help people understand the process. We'll see how it goes. I will be there this time.
Click on the link to see the Voice Thread tutorial. http://voicethread.com/share/3068298/ or scan the QR Code attached below. Please note - You must have a Voice Thread App installed on your device in order to view the QR Code scanned Voice Thread. (I couldn't get my device to work because I didn't have the latest software.) Someone will have to let me know if it worked.
***Students will be able to enter the QR Code, linked to their online art museum portfolio page, to their digital Voice Thread project.
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