Do you ever need to link to websites or web video? Then QR Codes act usefully as a URL shortner. QR Codes are certainly easier to "enter" into a phone then a short URL. I would put both of them on.
I personally wouldn't use them in a lecture situation either, but where I have seen them work well was in workshop situations where they provide short videos. They also work well on handouts with a link to a site or video.
Another useful aspect is sending the resulting URLs and/or text as an e-mail.
For me it's about pushing content from a printed output into a digital output easily and quickly.
Most people still don't have equipment that can read QR codes (have to think outside the tech bubble). Even if they do, it's not clear they would trust them enough to click on them. And even with my iPhone, I find typing a short URL less faff than reading a QR code.
We are going to use them in the University of Leicester library Special Collections cabinets when we do displays of materials which have been recently digitised and made available in an online collection. So on each glass case will be a card with the QR code so folks can quickly go to the online collection.
I take your point that it might be just the same as a shortened URL. I have the idea that it's faster to use the QR code? But I don't really know, because being the owner of an iPad One (no camera) plus a dumbphone, I can't use a QR code myself:-) Terese
Do you ever need to link to websites or web video? Then QR Codes act usefully as a URL shortner. QR Codes are certainly easier to "enter" into a phone then a short URL. I would put both of them on.
ReplyDeleteI personally wouldn't use them in a lecture situation either, but where I have seen them work well was in workshop situations where they provide short videos. They also work well on handouts with a link to a site or video.
Another useful aspect is sending the resulting URLs and/or text as an e-mail.
For me it's about pushing content from a printed output into a digital output easily and quickly.
James
Most people still don't have equipment that can read QR codes (have to think outside the tech bubble). Even if they do, it's not clear they would trust them enough to click on them. And even with my iPhone, I find typing a short URL less faff than reading a QR code.
DeleteWe are going to use them in the University of Leicester library Special Collections cabinets when we do displays of materials which have been recently digitised and made available in an online collection. So on each glass case will be a card with the QR code so folks can quickly go to the online collection.
ReplyDeleteI take your point that it might be just the same as a shortened URL. I have the idea that it's faster to use the QR code? But I don't really know, because being the owner of an iPad One (no camera) plus a dumbphone, I can't use a QR code myself:-)
Terese