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  • The potential of QR Codes

    By Eric Stoller November 18, 2010 11:15 pm EST

    When I received a catalog from REI recently (yes, I'm in Oregon and I love REI!), the back cover had a square'ish looking dotted graphic on it with a call to action beneath it: "To find the nearest store near you scan this QR Code with your smartphone." I pulled out my Droid X and quickly scanned the two-dimensional barcode. The content that I was given via the QR Code was a bit of a letdown (sorry REI), but it did make me ponder the use of QR Codes within the context of higher education. As with any technology that is still widely considered to be "high tech/cutting edge," QR Codes remain fairly unknown to most practitioners.

    The nice thing about the REI example is that even if you didn't know about QR Codes, they provide a nice introduction on their mailing for how you could use the code:

    "If you don't already have a QR Code reader on your phone, there are lots of free apps you can download. When you've got your app, point your phone's camera at the QR Code, and watch the magic happen."

    QR stands for "quick response." A QR Code scanning app can quickly interpret data from the code and display it on your phone. Several sites offer QR Code creation tools. Bit.ly, KAYWA, and Google have easy to use QR Code creators. Here's an example of a QR Code from Google's URL Shortener. If you don't have a QR Code reader on your phone, here's a great site for finding an app that will work on your phone.

    QR Codes have a tremendous amount of potential for higher education. Being able to scan a printed code from either a piece of print collateral or a web page creates opportunities for several student affairs functional areas. Here are a couple of ideas that come to mind...

    Admissions offices across the country frequently send out mailings to prospective students. A QR Code in a prominent place on a viewbook can provide links to YouTube videos, information about majors, and a direct link to a campus visitors center.

    Student Activities / Involvement departments can use QR Codes on posters to link students to event information.

    Campus Auxiliary Services units can use QR Codes for promotional purposes. Incentives can be given out to students who scan in the codes and special sales events can be promoted via QR Codes.

    Campus units can use QR Codes to build a fan base on their Facebook page or to increase their Twitter followers. The intersection of traditional marketing with new technologies and the social web allows for enhanced communication channels for student affairs practitioners to connect with students.

    I plan on putting a QR Code on my business cards. Anyone with a smartphone and a code reader can then readily access any URL that I wish them to browse on their mobile phone.

    How are you using QR Codes?

    Do you tweet? Let's connect. Follow me on Twitter.

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Comments on The potential of QR Codes

  • Business Cards?
  • Posted by Liz Van Lysal , Outreach Coordinator / University Housing at UW-Milwaukee on November 19, 2010 at 9:00am EST
  • So now you have business cards? I thought we were just supposed to google you! :)
  • Posted by sibyl on November 19, 2010 at 11:45am EST
  • Our tech expert just posted a QR code on our office door last night. The code leads straight to our department webpage, which has useful information for folks who visit us when our office is closed.

    I do worry about overinvesting in any technology, though. I remember when we switched from paper surveys to online surveys because we always got better responses. Now, online surveys are getting the poor response rates that paper surveys used to get.
  • Business Cards, etc
  • Posted by Rob Mitchell on November 19, 2010 at 1:00pm EST
  • I just had this discussion with a coworker recently about business cards. QR codes are the first real consumer technology that will allow us to truly bridge the gap between the analog and digital worlds.

    These codes are really in only their second generation (Bar Codes > QR Codes). What happens once they reach their 3rd, 4th, and 5th generations? Think LP > Tape > CD > File. This should be a fun ride.
  • QR vs Tag
  • Posted by Jennifer Keegin , Assoc. Dir. Campus Activities at Binghamton University on November 19, 2010 at 1:15pm EST
  • So I have a TagReader app because in activities we are avid Entertainment Weekly readers and they always have Tag spots to scan/read.

    Do you see this one becoming more popular than QR and which do you think students would more likely to use?

    I haven't seen the Tag items anywhere except this magazine.
  • registration/signups
  • Posted by Nancy E. Adams , Associate Director at Penn State Hershey George T. Harrell Health Sciences Library on November 19, 2010 at 2:45pm EST
  • You could embed the QR code in a flyer for an event that connects the user to a signup page. I'm not sure, but perhaps the technology exists that will automate the signup based on information stored in your phone?
  • Bulletin Boards and promotional materials
  • Posted by Niki Rudolph , Asst Director, Academic & Student Affairs at Michigan State University on November 19, 2010 at 3:15pm EST
  • We started using QR codes in our bulletin boards to lead students to more information. Now, we are moving to including it on our handouts to help lead students to appropriate websites.

  • Microsoft Tag
  • Posted by elliott lemenager , Online Community Manager at Microsoft on November 19, 2010 at 3:15pm EST
  • Eric,

    I'm the community manager for Microsoft Tag and 2dbarcode technology can play a really interesting role in education. I'm curious if you've used Microsoft Tag (http://tag.microsoft.com) before I just wrote a blog post on how Tag is being implemented in Universities that you might find interesting http://tag.microsoft.com/community/tag-blog-item/10-11-16/Microsoft_Tag_In_Schools.aspx Shoot me an email if you would like some more information on Tag and how we're willing to help out.

    Thanks!!
  • Experimenting ...
  • Posted by Bill Sutley , Assistant Director, Public Relations at Columbus State University on November 20, 2010 at 8:00am EST
  • We've got our first QR code running in the alumni mag that I edit -- offering multimedia content related to a cover story on music technology.

    We had an external vendor produce an interactive online map, complete with several well-done videos of students offering tours of our more interesting buildings. I'm hoping we can get these videos to do double-duty by using QR codes on campus signage. You go from looking at the exterior of a building to getting a peek inside; perfect for campus tours, or so I hope. -Bill
  • Libraries leading with QR codes
  • Posted by Robin Ashford , Reference & Distance Services Librarian at George Fox University on November 20, 2010 at 11:00pm EST
  • Both public and academic libraries have been implementing QR codes for their mobile users.

    The QR Code page of "Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki" linked below gives examples of ways in which many academic libraries from around the globe are using QR Codes.

    http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=QR_Codes

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