Hall passes entering new age

Remember the classroom days of using a hall pass to go to the restroom, the office, or the nurse? Teachers have become quite creative with selecting objects serving as hall passes, from luggage tags, to oversized objects of all kinds, to funny signs.

A particularly noteworthy example was seen in a third-grade classroom at Parkview Elementary the other day. Dropping by to talk with teacher Vicki Guiffre about technology, she invited me to ask any of her students to explain how they were using technology. All eagerly raised their hands.

Logan Fanning began: “We use QR codes to tell our teacher where we are going,” Logan explained, “like to the restroom or the office.” Several other students proceeded to demonstrate the process, using cards with printed QR codes and old cellphones, stored in a plastic bin.

What in the world is a QR code? QR stands for “Quick Response” and, similar to barcodes, are often found printed on products or other locations. Free websites let you generate your own QR code that can be attached to any sort of link. The free downloadable QR code reader or scanner apps work on all mobile devices.

Guiffre generated her own QR codes and printed them on cards, which she then laminated. Students scan the QR codes using a QR code reader app on a cell phone (Guiffre re-purposed a couple of her old cell phones, minus phone service, but with wifi still available). The QR code is linked to an online, teacher-created Google document. When students scan the QR code, the digital document opens, students fill in the appropriate info, data is recorded, including a date/time stamp, and info pops up on a pie chart.

Guiffre shared: “Students love to see the results on the pie chart and are picking up percentages quickly.” She's also using other QR-coded cards that pull up a wide range of digital books at her listening center.

Several other students were eager to demonstrate all this technology for me, explaining how it worked. Araya Chairez showed me how to use the QR code reader app, and David Dickenson and Gabriella Dominguez both explained how it was so much easier than having to fill out the checkout paper they used to use. Analy Echeverria came over and enthusiastically demonstrated how to access the digital books and how to read them.

Overall, quite a thorough technology lesson that day.

Cindy Kleyn-Kennedy is the instructional technology coordinator for the Clovis Municipal Schools and can be reached at: [email protected]