QR Code Orienteering

Posted on March 5, 2009 by mrrobbo

compass

 

Today during lunch time I helped my students setup QR code readers on their mobile phones in preparation for an activity they will be completing in the coming weeks within my Outdoor Education class. In order to study the safety aspects and risk taking factors that need to be considered before completing outdoor activities, the students will be completing an orienteering course using their bikes as a form of transportation. However this is no ordinary course, here’s why…

  1. The students will be working in pairs using their mobile phones and their QR code reading software.
  2. The course will start with a single QR code, each pair will receive a different code so that they start at a different part of the course.
  3. Students will scan their codes which will then reveal the directions they need to dial into their compasses and a riddle that gives clues as to the location of the first marker and the next QR code.
  4. Half way throughout the course is a QR code with a difference, it contains a template for an SMS message that links directly to my mobile phone. Once scanned the students will send a text message that basically asks for the next clue, which will then be sent to them so they can complete the course.
  5. The final QR code links to a downloadable Microsoft word document that details the questions they need to complete around the practical experience as related to the course.

The kids are already super excited about this activity and are looking forward to the challenge of not only deciphering the QR codes but the riddles contained within them. To generate the QR codes I used the google generator then copied them into a word document that you can download here.

If you have any questions about QR codes or any great ideas you would like to share let me know. Id love to hear how you plan to use them in your classes.

Filed under: mlearning, qrcode

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6 Responses

  1. pekina, on March 8th, 2009 at 3:29 am Said:

    Just listened to your podcast. ICT and PE. I am a primary PE teacher at the International School Manila Philippines, originally grew up in Tatura and went to Mooroopna Secondary College!! I have been teaching PE on and off for over 20 years. It is inspiring to read your blog and listen to your podcast. A friend who teaches ICT in London and used to work here in Manila (Darren Murphy) passed me your link. I am doing a Masters course and currently completing a technology course (definitely not as a digital native). After reading your blog I can see how it is important to bring the technology into all subject areas to engage children – including PE – you have showed me that they need not be mutually exclusive. I have entered a steep learning curve, have finally started a blog, made my first podcast, but was still not sure how to bring ICT into primary PE and actually not sure it was the right path to be going down – however I can see from reading your blog how this is so relevant to kids digital lives and no doubt much more engaging for them and it is possible to have a balance between physical activity and ‘on screen’ activity. Thanks for helping me bring my head out of the sand. Keep up the fantastic work!
    Amanda Pekin

    Reply
  2. wayne eglinton, on March 10th, 2009 at 1:32 am Said:

    bluetooth polling survey software

    http://www.freetrialsoft.com/Bluvoting-download-49403.html

    thought you might be interested

    Reply
  3. Anne Mirtschin, on March 11th, 2009 at 4:29 am Said:

    Hi I am Anne Mirtschin and teach at Hawkesdale P23 College and met you first on classroom2.0 My email is mirtschin@gmail.com Are you able to contact me back with your details as Counrty Education Project would like to make contact with you and also I would like to ask you about the Innovations Showcase for DEECD I really like the work that you are doing.

    Reply
  4. Lauren Rosen, on March 12th, 2009 at 1:53 pm Said:

    I love this activity and can think of many uses. I hope you will post again when your project is done and let us know what worked and what didn’t. What you would change if anything.

    Question though is did you run into trouble with students not having phones that can handle QR codes or that didn’t have web access? Many of the students I work with have unlimited texting but no web access (to keep them from building huge mobile charges). Out of curiosity I just checked and my phone (2 years old) can’t support this. Were there issues with students having phones that don’t support the software at this point? (I know I need a new phone…)

    Reply
  5. John Sutton, on March 12th, 2009 at 10:48 pm Said:

    Just “came up” with the idea of QR code orienteering – and someone gently pointed me in the direction of your post :-)

    Reply
  6. Roger, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:41 am Said:

    Hi,

    Great. Love it.
    A teacher in Switzerland did something similar some time ago. Here is my blog post:
    http://roger.kaywa.ch/kaywa/qr-codes-spielend-erlernen.html

    ***

    In this respect our new project DokoDare could also be very interesting => http://dokodare.kaywa.com

    With your class you could create new places. Every place has two communication channels : news, which is place related, and a people channel for everybody.
    So once you set up the places, we add the localization info and then the place is available on your mobile (with a map and all places nearby).

    See two related posts here:
    http://roger.kaywa.ch/p2272.html (an example of a restaurant with the dokodare sticker after the pic)
    http://mobile.kaywa.com/p995.html

    Reply

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