I have just set my students an assignment in which I sent them a QR code of the website of our university's M.Ed in TESOL website. I have not told them it's called a QR code.
The quest is to find out what the picture/code is and how they can use it in their class. The objective is for them to use the internet in their search to unravel the code of the picture, download the apps onto their cellphone and view the website. This will not only improve my students' level of computer literacy and knowledge about online applications that can be used in class, but also show them the concept of 'hard fun' rather than just fun. (The concept and rationale of hard fun is explained in an article by Chris Johnson of NIDA called "Games, really?"
In addition I hope this will encourage them to think about ways in which they can get their English language learners to use their cell phones in class effectively within an educational framework with for instance QR codes in a PowerPoint Presentation.
I believe that using simple apps like this in class as part of an assignment, for instance a web-based information gap activity in which the assignment is posted online, will increase students' social and cognitive engagement in class in a pedagogically responsible way.
I hope that my students will find this website by using google with the right search terms in the labels that I have used for this post.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
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