Tech Task #8 - QR Codes

I like QR Codes because they are a quick and easy way to access any kind of data. I see QR codes almost everywhere I go and I like scanning them to see where they will take me. They are on the Tim Horton's tills when you order a coffee, I've seen them in restaurants where you scan the code to get the cocktail or wine menu, and I've seen them recently on the Co-op Fuel Up to Win game board! They are seemingly all around, but I hardly ever seen anyone (other than myself) scanning them. 

The QR Code I produced takes scanner directly to my baking blog. I put the code on the back of my business cards so that people can immediately be directed to my blog. The people I gave them to turned the card around and asked, "What's this for?" and so I explained.

I think the problem with QR codes is that you need to download a QR Code Reader. I think Smart phones should come already equipped with a QR reader since there are so many QR codes out there waiting to be scanned. Downloading a QR reader takes the ease and quickness out of scanning a QR code (if you don't already have a reader). The people I gave my cards to were kind of thinking "why would I go to the hassle of downloading and scanning this QR code rather than googling it" -at least thats the impression I got from them. 

Never the less, I think they are useful and I was brainstorming about somethings I could do with QR Codes in the classroom. I got really excited! How AWESOME would it be to make up a little scavenger hunt and they had to use an iPad (or iPod, providing there are some to use) and they have to find the QR codes and scan them and it would either come up with an education video, facts, whatever you what!! I think it would be SO FUN! 

Here's my code if you wanted to give it a scanny scan.