QR Codes in the Classroom

This session was presented by Cynthia Karabush of Grayslake North High School at the ICE Conference 2012.

What is a QR code?

QR stands for Quick Response. A QR code is a black & white or colored two-dimensional square shaped graphic that contains information that can be scanned using a QR reader app on your smartphone, iTouch, or tablet. QR codes are used in advertising to provide more information about a product, provide deals not found elsewhere, and even track the effectiveness of an advertisement. QR codes can also be used to

• provide basic contact information
• open up maps
• provide a video greeting on YouTube
• link to your blog, resume, Facebook page, or your LinkedIn profile

You can even live on in eternity by having a QR code added to your grave site headstone that will take the viewer to a picture of you, your family history, a video of your life, etc.

Uses of QR codes in Education

QR codes pack a lot of information into a small area which makes them useful for a variety of educational purposes. I think one of the nicest features of a QR code is that it will take the viewer directly to what it is I want them to see and removes the time one might otherwise spend conducting a Google search for the same or similar information.

• Add a QR code to the inside cover of library books that link to authors, interviews, student reviews (written, audio, or video), or book trailers.
• Provide codes on handouts that take students to online tutorials, e.g., Khan Academy videos
• Scavenger hunts for information
• Flip your science classroom and use the code to take students to a video of your pre-lab demonstration they can watch before coming to class.
• Codes next to displayed art work can provide information about what inspired the artist to create the piece, provide some background on the artist, etc.
• Provide parents with information about faculty and administration during an Open House
• Create an athletic/activity QR code chart that provides information or updates
• Recipes!
• Add to maps that provide information about a location
• Create a par course of activities where people move around and learn about topics at their own pace. For example, have codes at exercise equipment stations that take students to videos showing proper use of the equipment and exercises that can be done with the equipment.

The link to this presentation provides additional uses. Below are some additional sites that I felt provide very creative uses of QR codes:

• http://theohiobloke.edu.glogster.com/qr-codes-in-education
• http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/51894

QR code generators

http://www.qrstuff.com/index.html

http://zxing.appspot.com/generator/

many others exist....

QR code readers

The presenter recommends http://www.i-nigma.com/i-nigmahp.html. I also like QR Reader for iPhone. Another reader that seems highly recommended is NeoReader.

How do you think you might use QR codes with your students?

This post is cross-posted at the District 211 Technology blog.

I usually just observe students blog posts on the Fremd High School American Studies Ning, but just had to comment on a recent student post that talked about a topic I am passionately frustrated about - the way the ACT test is being used in Illinois. Our students get that the way the ACT test is being used in our state is incorrect. They see the effects of periodic ACT practice in their classrooms and they don't like it. They don't see the benefit. So, I proposed an idea that they take action and show their parents, the school board, and Illinois politicians that they've had enough and to show why, using current research and discussions on high-stakes testing. I did this knowing full well that their instructor, Gary Anderson, would not be offended by my suggestion or look at it as an intrusion into his class as he wants his students to really get a feel for what it means to blog and have others comment on their posts. Please take a moment to read this important student blog post as well as the comments. My response is there and also below.

"I think it would be great for all of you to start a letter writing campaign to our politicians, school boards, and even create an open letter to your parents about this topic. Better yet, how about a class research project on this topic? Imagine this: Your class(es) create and publish a position paper that would highlight the most current research and discussion on this topic. You would present it to the D211 school board, then, perhaps, on to Springfield for action. This is a topic that is so important and needs to be addressed by the people it affects the most - you! Educators have been very vocal about this topic for the last decade, but those who should be listening are not or choose to ignore the research for the reasons listed by Mr. Anderson. This would be the first time, I believe, that student opinion, backed by research, could be used to actually transform Illinois testing and move us away from this current ilk that permeates every public school in Illinois. You could create and use a class wiki to keep all of your research. This would be an online place for true collaboration on this project.

As a former school board member in another community, I was shocked by the number of people who were, and still are, uninformed about the topic of high-stakes testing. Politicians, Journalists, and our parents need to be educated. Students often say their best teachers are their parents. I believe teaching is a two-way street and that parents have a lot to learn from our children. Use what you are learning from American Studies and show our school boards, politicians, and parents that you are very well versed on this topic and can help them all make good decisions about testing that will benefit all Illinois students. You can also remind politicians and school board members that you can or will, soon, be able to vote. What do you think?"

Free Laptops from Google

I really like what Google is doing with this program. They are giving away ~60,000 Cr-48 Chrome Notebook computers to people who live on the web and are willing to pound the Chrome OS. Google expects users will make this notebook their primary machine and provide Google with regular feedback. Am I a candidate? I took the "Are you Living on the Web" quiz and scored high, about a 8.5 on their 1 - 10 scale. I don't live solely on the web because I am forced to use our home grown desktop applications at work. In addition, our wireless network has some serious issues at the moment. But, I applied to receive a notebook, anyway.

How would I use the Google Chrome Notebook?

First, I wanted to analyze what I currently do on the web. The quiz was actually an excellent diagnostic tool for me. Here are the topics covered on the quiz :

Email: I would use the Outlook web app for work more than the client-based version of Outlook. The client version does have some more bells and whistles and I would miss those moving to the web version. We'll see. I do have several web-based email accounts, each serving a particular purpose: general web account registration, correspondence between family and my best friend, etc.

Calendar: Again, I'm tied to Outlook for work-related meetings and such, but can move to the web app. I really don't use a calendar for any other purpose. I keep family/friend appointments in my head. I do use my iPhone calendar as it syncs to all other calendars. Getting there.

Television: I watch lots of movies. There are a few television series I follow, but not many and certainly not regularly. Plug for Netflix: I love it. When I want to see it, I stream it. So, why do I keep throwing money at Comcast? Sports? The Cubs? This quiz is changing the way I'm thinking about cable. Wait! I've never been able to find Le Tour de France streamed live. How much would I miss the commentary by Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen?

Music: I subscribe to Pandora but have over 3000 songs that I have purchased over the years and saved to my iTunes. I have some of the music on my iPhone and I can connect that through my car's speakers to have music on the go, what I want to hear, when I want to hear it. I can also bring up the Pandora app on my phone and play their mix. I like my options, here.

Video Games: I don't usually play video games, but when I do, I play them on my iPhone. I find there are other, better, web-based activities that occupy my time, when I'm on the web.

Sharing Documents: I'm doing this more and more. Email isn't cutting it. I'd rather use Google Docs, Zoho, or MS Web Apps. I'd love to pick one, but much of this depends upon what service the other person uses. At work, MS Web Apps will become the norm, but not required.

Photos: Here, I do live on the web. I use Picassa web-based photo albums. You can upload photos directly to your Picassa account. The interesting thing, though, is that you have to install Picassa on your machine to use it to organize all of the photos on your computer. Once it's installed, you can edit, email, save to web albums and do so much more, all from one application.

Chatting Long Distance: Skype, anyone? I used this to speak with two of my kids when they studied abroad. Wonderful. Visual. Free. Can't ask for more than that, right?

Okay, that's about it for now. Let's see if a Chrome notebook comes my way.

My Life as a Reader

My Life as a Reader is something I first read about at the Teaching Sagittarian blog. A similar post can be found at the Langwitches blog. The challenge is to list 100 things that shape or define you as a reader. Three classroom applications of this idea began to percolate through my brain cells as I read through the lists found at these blog posts.

Tech angle: Use a class wiki to keep all the lists for easy reference, editing, comparing, etc.

1. Students could create their list and look for patterns in their reading habits. They may discover they read very little or are very narrow in their reading selections, especially if students look for inspiration when writing. The patterns could form the basis of an essay on their how their lives are shaped by what they read.


2. Perhaps students could 'peer edit' each others lists to look for patterns and share these with the list owner.


3. I'm also wondering if sharing the lists would inspire students to read more and branch out into other genres.


4. Hold a class discussion about a particular controversial (or any) topic. Have students refer to their reading lists to see if there is any commonality between those who side one way or another about a particular aspect of that topic. I think a discussion of our differences in reading selections may help one another to better understand our differing opinions about a particular topic. This may seem to be an obvious causal relationship, but has anyone ever actually done this with a class of students? Use the wiki to summarize the discussion and add a table that summarizes the similarities and differences in reading that seem to be apparent.
5. World Language and ESL students could write their list in the language they are learning.

More classroom ideas will come to me, I'm sure. But for now, I'm going to begin my list and update this post over time. We'll see how far I get. My list will most certainly not be in any kind of chronological order. I'm excited to see what I learn about myself as a reader that I don't already know.

1. The first book I remember reading on my own and still my favorite childhood book of all time is "Go, Dog, Go".
2. The first book I remember being read to me was "Harold and the Purple Crayon". This is my second most favorite childhood book of all time. I actually own a copy of the collected stories.
3. I get books from a book store more often than from a library. I like to have books at my disposal and read them as time permits.
4. I visit a book store weekly.
5. I usually start reading three different books and finish them all within one week of each other.
6. Mystery thrillers with an espionage flare are my favorite books to read.
7. Science fiction books comes in a close second to Mystery books.
8. A friend turned me on to Romance novels. Suzanne Brockmann, oh, yeah...
9. I have become a fan of vampire novels but have not read Bram Stoker's Dracula. Why is that? "The Historian" was the last vampire novel I read. It's by Elizabeth Kostova. Get it.
10. There are currently 186 novels and 17 coffee table books in my house. I've have not read all of the novels but I have looked through all of the coffee table books!
11. I love reading books to children and making up voices to go with the characters.
12. I also like changing the story line to make children laugh when I make silly and outrageous deviations from the otherwise well known story line.
13. I like reading books on my iPhone but like holding a book even more.
14. I own a few vintage copies of novels from "The Saint" series by Leslie Charteris.
15. I love to 'read' German magazines. (I do speak a little German.)
16. I do not get a daily newspaper but will if one is given to me.
17. I do read the news from various online resources every day.
18. Reading sequels is fun for me. I like to see how character's lives change over time.
19. I spent almost three hours in an antique store several summers ago looking for books.
20. There used to be more 'how to' books in my personal library than novels. As I grow older, the opposite is now true.
21. 'How to' books helped me become a plumber, electrician, landscaper, decorator, carpenter, wood worker, engineer, linguist, masseuse, better teacher, medic, yogi, bicyclist, mechanic, bird watcher, zoologist, brick layer, gardener, and more recently, a chef.
22. It's not enough to have one book that I can use to teach myself French, German, or Spanish. I have at least four per each of those languages.
23. My iGoogle account has over 20 different RSS feeds coming in. No, I don't get to them each day, or not even each week, sometimes. Too much to read!
24. Having a personal learning network with Twitter can be a good thing. But, be careful. Again, too much to read!
25. I'll read a book or magazine (real and electronic) before Twitter and RSS feeds.
26. I always bring two books to read at the airport or on the plane.
27. Two books and magazines accompany me on driving trips.
28. I rarely read in bed unless I cannot sleep. But, I like to read in bed.
29. I don't feel comfortable reading in Panera, a coffee shop, or similar. I feel like I'm taking someone's seat, although I continually purchase food and drink to 'pay' for my time.
30. I don't get Tom Clancy novels until I'm half-way through the book. Wow, does he take time to set up the characters and story!
31. I have not seen a movie rendition of a book that can punch me like the book did. I love movies, too!
32. I do read manuals, and I do ask for directions!
33. Yes, I do cry if moved to when reading.
34. Get Sting's book, Lyrics by Sting. Read, learn, and live.
35. Speaking of living, my collection of books on Zen and related topics continues to grow.
36. My mom set the example for reading as I was growing up.
37. Reading the labels on shampoo and conditioner bottles is entertaining while in the shower.
38. I never used to read while in the bathroom. Now, yeah, I do.
39. I love reading a well-written recipe. You know, the type where there is a little paragraph describing why you are doing what the recipe calls for. Learn, learn, learn.
40. Books that weave authentic history into a fictional story, rock!
41. I've read all of the Rama series novels by Arthur C. Clarke.
42. Giving a book store gift card is usually the first gift idea to pop into my head for birthdays, holiday gift giving or for that any occasion time.

The Plan - At Long Last, Data Gathering and More

Our school district is moving in a positive direction with a long range plan that has all the pieces coming to make data gathering and analysis extremely easy. The next three years will be an exciting time for everyone in our school district.

The Sharepoint system will be used as the data warehouse vehicle that will allow teachers and administrators to use 'dashboards' to access data easily. This is an extremely important, yet, missing piece of our current system. For example, Professional Learning Teams in our school find themselves unable to make curricular and teaching decisions because the ability to analyze data is cannot happen until all the data is gathered in one place. There is a group of teachers who are already beginning to work with the administration to identify specific types of data that needs to be collected.

A new student information system will also be in place by 2012. A significant feature of most student information systems is that there is an electronic grade book and attendance component. Another important feature is that it will most likely be web-based. The process of selecting a student information system (SIS) is underway.

We have already moved to an Active Directory environment which allows for so many processes to be automated. For example, a new teacher will automatically have a network and email account created when they are hired. Classes will be assigned automatically along with connections to other systems that are used in the school district.

The use of the Outlook email system for students and District staff is paving the way for easier and increased communication between faculty and students. Our students also now have a Windows Live account tied to their district email account. This includes 25 GB on cloud storage and the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote online.

The Missing Piece

I think it is great that our school district is using technology to move us forward in the data gathering, communication, and productivity areas. The ability to analyze data will undoubtedly help teachers with instructional decisions. I also feel that moving to a cloud-based environment is fine as long as ALL students AND Staff have access to the cloud from their homes or via some type of personal computing device. Yet, another important component, in my opinion, is still missing. The instructional technology piece. There is no mention of this any where in the Plan.

I am very hopeful that SharePoint use will be expanded to become the one environment where teachers will have the ability to host their wiki, blog, web site, or any type of social networking site. I know teachers in our district would welcome the opportunity to use an 'in-house' system. Some school districts are using Google Apps for Education as their one stop shop. Zoho also has a wonderful suite of tools teacher could use. SharePoint is already in our district house, however, so it makes sense to explore this possibility further.

What remains to be seen is whether or not this last piece falls into place and makes us complete.

This image by lumaxart and has a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 License

The image used at the beginning of this post is by Andy.Brandon and is has a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 License.

Dexpot

Multi-taskers rejoice!

Dexpot may be just the tool you have been looking for in a virtual desktop product. It is free for private use. I like the fact that I can have separate desktop screens available depending upon what has my focus at the moment. For example, I can have a screen of to-do lists and OneNote sticky notes, another screen dedicated to my delicious bookmarks and related tasks, and still another screen for just email.

Dexpot has cool 3D effects as you move between virtual desktops.



A PDF of tips is available and I recommend you read it for good information about use. Dexpot was developed in Germany but the company has made their site very user friendly and in english. For example, be sure to visit the english language FAQ page for useful tips.

Please let me know if you install this application and how you use it!

K-12 Online Conference

The K12 Online Conference began on November 30 and will continue through December 17. Please visit the site for more details. This conference provides a great opportunity for you to attend sessions live, or at a later time, to learn about innovative ways to include Web 2.0 tools into your teaching.

I certainly do not expect you to attend this conference. I know how busy you are! The nice thing about this conference is that links to the presentations will be made available so you can look at them at a later date. I will be attending as many of the sessions as I can and will summarize them in this blog.

Here is a flyer that provides an overview of the conference speakers.

The complete schedule, unfortunately, lists times in GMT, so you will have to subtract 5 hours in order to figure out the times in CDT. (Please correct me if I'm wrong on this!)

Other Resources
K12 Conference Wiki
K12 Conference Ning
K12 Conference Blog
Follow on Twitter at K12Online
Follow on Facebook at K12 Online Conference