QR codes are a fairly established technology that have a number of benefits if you want to augment real world activities with digital content: Recognisable – QR codes are increasingly becoming a mainstream technology that you’ll find in magazines, on billboards, at public venues etc. A significant section of the public is likely to know what they are or know what they are likely to do in relation to traditional barcodes. Accessible – many smart mobile devices that include a camera and have a scanning app installed will be able to interpret QR codes – there may however be issues with accessing online content for some devices or in some locations. Easy to use – passing the devices camera over the code automatically links to the content, much simpler than other AR approaches. It can be a lot simpler and more accurate than entering a URL into a browser. Online and offline content – a QR can link to web-based content but also to simple text message or access to the phone’s function that doesn’t need access to the web. Useful for remoter locations. Easy to publish – there are many free sites for creating QR codes that require no specialist training or publishing costs like some AR applications like Layar. Still fairly novel – There are some shortcomings. Some see it as a transition technology, holding the door open before proper and visual search arrives at the party and there are some practicalities and restriction on how they can be used.
QR codes were originally designed as a way of labelling vehicle components for assembly lines. They can contain more information than standard barcodes. That allied with the ubiquity of web-enabled devices with cameras meant that it eventually became adopted by other areas including marketing and education. There are different formats of QR codes depending on how much alpha-numeric information you want to include. These next 2 slides show how QR codes become more complex the more info they contain…
The last QR code here (1852-4296 chars) is not very effective as many cameras are unable to read it properly. Given that QRs can easily link to larger amounts of online content, this can be a bit of a no-brainer.
• Display simple text• Web links• Google Maps link• Youtube link• Various social networking functions• Send an automatic email or SMS• Contact details (VCARD)• Calendar entry (VCALENDAR)
Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are some of the functions a QR can perform when scanned. Not all need web access. The website QR Stuff (http://www.qrstuff.com) will create these automatically in a number of clicks.
There are a number of things to consider when using QR codes. The first is to think what value the QR code actually adds to the activity. Is it just as effective to provide the information as text or using a simple URL to be typed in… …or are you using the capabilities of the QR to create something new, or just improving the experience to make it more streamlined. Also, sometimes the fun element of uncovering hidden information can be enough for some (but not all).
You’ll need to think about the devices the students will be using. Will sufficient numbers of them have access to a smartphone? What platform will they run? Android and iOS will handle most functions well. RIM (Blackberry) and Symbian (Nokia) won’t be as feature rich. Older phones will struggle with more advanced options like linking to Google Maps and some other websites Think about battery longevity – Is it likely your students will have enough life in their phones for the activity until they can get to the next recharge.
Network Issues If you are just using QR codes for simple text messages then network coverage is not a issue. It may be if you want to link to web content. If you intend to link to streamed content like Youtube then a reliable 3g connection is required. This may not be available in more remote areas. What’s your backup if essential info is inaccessible on the day?
Cheating It’s possible to take a picture of a QR code, email it and then someone else can scan it from the image without ever having been near the code!
QR codes in the field are vulnerable to muggle/civilian interference! If the codes are placed in public space then they are vulnerable. They can be removed or damaged. Also the information they link to can be accessed easily by anyone with a device so they are not private, unless you put the info they link to behind a password. What’s your backup plan? If the information needed to successfully complete the activity is on the codes, then what should students do in the event one has gone missing? Do they have a number to ring back at base where they can get the info they require? Securing the codes is important. You need to decide whether it will be better the badge up the codes so that it’s clear to people not involved who has put them up and what they are for. …and keep Britain tidy! Remember to get them all back in at the end of the activity.
