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Hello everyone and welcome to August's Activate My Learning newsletter!


This month it's all about Quick Response (QR) readers. These took my fancy recently as you may have seen on Twitter that I'm in the process of knitting one. (Yes, you read right - let me tell you, if you think all those black and white squares are a hassle, try knitting them!).  Well anyway, I wanted to create a talking point for an upcoming conference I'll be presenting at later this year and what better way to link a technology tool with my passion, knitting?  Let's hope it scans to my website otherwise all those wasted hours knitting...but I'm not here to talk about knitting, let's talk QR Codes!

Quick response codes are versatile when it comes to learning believe it or not.  It is a mobile phone readable barcode that can store all sorts of information such as websites, emails and so much more. They store up to 4000 characters and uses are limitless. Using a QR code reader, you scan the pattern and it takes you to the relevant information.  You can read more about QR codes in What is a QR Code?

Here's 4 to get you started this month:
  1. QRStuff - this is my 'go to' QR code generator. I like this site because it has many different options such as making online digital business cards and visual QR codes for something a bit more creative.
  2. QR Code Generator  - this is a quick and simple QR code generator 
  3. The QR Code Generator - this is a Google Chrome app that you can access via your desktop. You grant access for your webcam to scan and read the code and it saves to your desktop.
  4. QR Code Monkey if you're interested in making coloured QR codes or that have logos inserted into them then check out QR Code Monkey.
Now in order to read QR codes through your phone, you'll need a reader.  Here's some you can download onto your smart device: Think about how you can use QR codes in your learning or your work.  Here are some ways I have used them in the past for work and learning (except for the knitting of course):
  • Create a reading or reference list where the QR code takes the reader directly to Amazon to purchase the books outlined
  • Post a QR code on the meeting or workshop room door so that people can scan for more information as to what's happening inside the room (it can take them to your project; your blog; your company Yammer or SharePoint group or community...)
  • Create a QR code that takes readers to a FAQ site for a particular project you're working on
  • At the end of a presentation or workshop, enable your participants to scan to a website and leave a review or to link directly with your LinkedIn account to request an invitation to connect  (this is something I like to do rather than having a really long URL to remember).
Have you got any other uses for QR codes? Why not share how you have used them in your work and learning through social media and make sure you include the following hashtag #activatemylearning 

Happy experimenting!

Please note that I don't have any affiliation with the developers of these apps nor am I endorsing one app over another.  This is purely for your own information to assist in your own research and learning for your own purposes.

What? More? You Want More?

You can always subscribe to my blog posts so that you don't miss them. Subscribe here.

Or, if you're so inclined and you want to see a bit more of my knitted QR code (which then was unravelled) in this short video I created called
Sometimes You Can't Knit (or Learn) Alone. 


 
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