WHAT IS A QR CODE?
QR codes are everywhere you look these days. So what is a QR code? QR stands for quick response. That little square box holds a lot of information. The QR code is like a bar code that we have seen for years on packaging and everyday items, but a bar code can only read information from left to right. A QR code can read information from left to right and up and down. QR codes can hold a lot more information than a bar code. Once you have downloaded a QR reader to your smartphone or other device, you can scan the code and it will be read, and you will be taken to whatever destination that is stored in the code.
QR codes are very easy to create and there are tons of free QR code generators on the internet where you can create your own QR codes for your own use. There are also paid ones that have premium features, but the free ones will work for our purposes. You can find a list of free generators here.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
There are things to consider when you are deciding which QR code generator to use. Listed below are a few things you may want to consider:
QR codes are everywhere you look these days. So what is a QR code? QR stands for quick response. That little square box holds a lot of information. The QR code is like a bar code that we have seen for years on packaging and everyday items, but a bar code can only read information from left to right. A QR code can read information from left to right and up and down. QR codes can hold a lot more information than a bar code. Once you have downloaded a QR reader to your smartphone or other device, you can scan the code and it will be read, and you will be taken to whatever destination that is stored in the code.
QR codes are very easy to create and there are tons of free QR code generators on the internet where you can create your own QR codes for your own use. There are also paid ones that have premium features, but the free ones will work for our purposes. You can find a list of free generators here.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
There are things to consider when you are deciding which QR code generator to use. Listed below are a few things you may want to consider:
- First, is it free or do I have to pay for it? There are so many good free generators out there, it's hard to pass them up.
- Second, does the generator create static or dynamic codes? When you create a static code, the URL destination cannot be changed once the code has been generated. Dynamic codes allow you to edit the URL anytime without having to reprint the code. So you may have a code you created and put up in your classroom that goes to a certain website. If you created a dynamic code, you can change that URL and the same code can then take you to another website.
- Third, does the generator provide you with analytics, like how many people scanned the code, where they scanned it from, or what kind of device they used to scan the code, etc.
- Lastly, does the site provide advanced design capabilities, such as using color for your code or adding a logo to your code? These things can make your code stand out.