QR Codes: DIY

This is part three of a four part series by Greg Shine introducing QR Codes as digital media tools for helping visitors better connect to and understand the significance of historic sites like Fort Vancouver. Greg prepared this series as part of the curriculum for the annual NPS-PSU Public History Field School.

 

How do QR codes work? How can I make one?

Here’s how they work. First of all, it is staggeringly simple to make a QR Code. Although I’d love to say that it takes hours of coding and work on “the interwebs” to make a QR code, I’m hereby pulling back the curtain on the wizard. It ain’t rocket science. All you have to do is this:

1. Identify your data (i.e., the URL or other source for the content you want to folks to access).
2. Open your web browser and select one of the many QR Code generators. Here’s one I selected randomly: http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
3. Enter the URL or other source.
4. Click enter or generate or whatever action button you use.
5. Download the resulting image using whatever process you prefer (I like the right click save option when it is available).
6. Print it out, put it up! Tweet your tweeple! Amaze your friends! Show it off to your boss!

As an educator, I still think the most important step is #1…but I’ll get to that in the next post.

 

To access Part 4, please click here.