QR Fresher Hunt Around Campus
It is Fresher's Week, or Welcome Week, at University of Dundee, and students are starting a new journey in their lives. Like all new journeys there are hurdles to overcome to get to the final destination. During Welcome Week, my role is to provide students with their induction to the the IT systems that they will use at University to communicate, access materials and in some cases collaborate with others. Over the past two years I have evaluated this system, observed students in their first few days at University and discussed some of the difficulties. The main aspect that arises is finding their way about Campus and Dundee.
University is like a small town with lots of buildings, rooms, people and procedures and it is difficult to assimilate all this knowledge and locate various buildings in this maze-like community. Likewise, Dundee is a large town with lots of places of interest that are sometimes never found. The traditional method of finding places are organised guided tours of the University or local area or follow the crowd and all get lost together. Today I decided to change from the traditional to the present and organised a QR Fresher Hunt for my First Year Primary Student Teachers and for new students across University in collaboration with Karen from Dundee University Students Association (DUSA).
The QR Fresher Hunt used i-nigma software to create QR Codes with hidden messages that were revealed when students scanned the codes with i-nigma App on iPhones that were provided by myself for each group or using the students' own mobile devices that are compatible with i-nigma software. The messages within the QR codes asked students to locate a key area in the University (Teaching Rooms, Reception Area, Assignment Location, Student Services, Bank Machines, Gym, Book Shop, businesses in dundee and local areas of interest, etc) with a specific task to do when they arrived there.
The activity started with a shy, quiet class who were still getting to know their peers and their lecturer. When students returned from the QR Fresher Hunt the atmosphere had transformed into a lively class who undertook all activities and were eager to share the information, leaflets and knowledge about areas of University, with their peers. More importantly, new friendships were made through this collaborative activity where everyone was involved in each task.
QR codes have a huge potential to be part of Education, whether it be to support or extend learning or to make learners engage with their learning environment rather than dismiss it. Maybe the seeds I have sown today will scatter to a wider community where others will adopt this active approach to Fresher's Week but more importantly that our future teachers may use this method to engage, support, personalise and motivate the children of today's generation.
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17 comments:
I found using the I-nigma ap a very effective way to access information to your mobile. It enabled our group to find our way around campus quickly. This could be used in class to prompt pupils to access further learning at their own pace. sck
I couldn't believe how smart these i-nigma barcodes were, running around campus looking for them and them directing us to our next destination was extremely fun but also showed us that there is more to learning than just sitting in a classroom. It also broadened our ideas about what we could use as teachers when the time comes! great task. CS
I really enjoyed doing this activity. It was a great ice breaker and got everyone to really get to know each other and just have a bit of fun. It was really clever how it worked and you could go round and just scan things. It was a really active activity which got us all really involved and was an effective way to learn your way around important places. It was so much fun! Thank you! NH
I found it a very worthwhile and fun thing to do. It was a good ice breaker to get to know some of the others on the course and also to find out where things are around campus. I thought the i-nigma was brilliant and can see how effective it can be in a classroom. RT
Personally, i really enjoyed this activity. The group whom i was with, certainly became actively involved in this hunt around the campus. It was great fun, and a good opportunity to meet others within the BEd course. I felt this activity was very effective, as each member of our group was able to learn where different buildings were within in the Uni itself by working together as a team. Also, it enhanced our knowledge about this particular piece of modern technology.
I thought this activity was brilliant and ment that. I can now find my way round campus a bit better to. Thanks.
Not only did this activity engage and interest us but it also allowed us to become more comfortable with or new and unfamiliar surroundings. It helped us to get to know others on our course, as well as allowing us to discover a great way of using technology to stimulate learning. I really enjoyed this activity and was amazed by the technology and how easy it was to use.
I found this activity enjoyable and worthwhile. It was a good interactive way of learning our way around the campus.
This was a fantastic activity which allowed us to actively engage with other students and the university.
I enjoyed doing this activity because it allowed me to try and find my way around campus quickly. I was also very impressed by how effiecent the technology we used was. It was a very clever activity and I'd recommend it was used again in the future.
I found this to be a very interesting exercise. It was something quite different and managed to attract my attention intentively for the entire hour and a half. It introduced a new way to use technology, and showed that anyone can use technology and there is no need to be afraid of it. Technology can be used to enhance learning and let pupils digest information in a completely different way.
Hello, Sharon!
You are no blogging about things I'm very interested in!
At the time I've signed up for a Master in School Management (NTNU - University of Trondheim). And now we're studying a lot about digital natives versus digital immigrants. I loved your question which pointed at Digital natives or Digitals naive;-)
Is that your expression, or have you borrowed it from someone?
Anyway, I am going to advice the students in my class (a lot of headmasters/prinicipals) to have a look into your blog! And of course, our teacher at the moment; Kjell Atle Halvorsen (NTNU) will get a comment like this:
"Take a look into a university's lecturer who acts like a digital native!" - love you, Sharon!
Hoping to meet you again!
Best regards, your friend and VOTW-fan, EvaR - Norway
I enjoyed this activity much more than the guided tour that I took part in the other day. The guided tour was useful but I can't remember many of the places I was taken too. Also, there were too many people and could not hear what was being said that it became information overload. This activity was different. It immediately engaged me as it was the mystery behind the QR code that intrigued me. Where would I be told to go? What would I be told to do? Each place we went to was carefully selected as areas that were important to our course and University life. We had to find things and ask people questions. I think the active part of this activity made it more engaging and much more memorable. I certainly will not have a problem finding ISTE, Chaplaincy, Assessment Box, OTI Reception due to the activities we had to do. More importantly I know why these places are there and who to ask for. Fantastic activity and great start to University.
I really enjoyed this activity because it was active rather than listening to someone talk. We are just out of school and I know we need to get used to lectures but this was a great way to make us learn by doing. I was so pleased it worked on my mobile device that I am now making my own codes and showing my friends what I can do - amazing.
My phone worked - it was amazing. I now can remember where to go - why is this? I am normally terrible at finding places but ask me one of the places in the activity and I can take you there. Amazing.
I thought I knew how to find places at University as I have taken another course before this one. How wrong I was. I never knew there was a cafe at the top of the Tower!!! This was not about places on the map this was about places for our course - very clever.
This is why I want to be a primary teacher as it makes learning engaging, fun and motivating. I would never have been allowed to use my mobile phone at school but I can now see how it can be used educationally. Really enjoyed this activity and making new relationships with my new year group.
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