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First published in Polish by Lidia Mirowska

Did you know that using the equivalents of zeroes and ones, you can encode any character? Did you know that the small squares around us, read by special scanners, represent the content encoded in this way?

The square dark and light modules in QR codes encode binary content. They can store both numerical and alphanumeric characters from the Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, and Cyrillic alphabets. In other words, a QR code can store numbers, letters, and symbols. QR code stands for Quick Response Code. Initially used in logistics and transportation, special scanners read QR codes, but now they can be decoded by almost any smartphone, with a built-in app that reads the maze of black-and-white elements. Just a few years ago, QR codes were not as widely used. Now, we see them on receipts, in restaurants, and on public transport.

QR codes can be used in many ways; they can lead to:

• a website,
• a video,
• an audio recording,
• an image gallery,
• a PDF file,
• WiFi,
• a voucher,
• an application,
• a social media profile,

and much more.

Their inception dates back to 1994, when the Denso Wave company was looking for a better solution than the standard barcode for its internal use. This solution was not patented, and the QR code became open-source technology. 

In principle, anyone can now create a QR code using free generators available online. How can they be used in a training room, a public speech, or during an online meeting? First of all, let me assure you that it is very simple. As I mentioned earlier, you just need to use a QR code generator available on a website or an app, prepare the content to be encoded, generate and download the code. You can then incorporate the file with the code into your presentation, display it on a screen, or add it to training materials. More and more applications now have a built-in code generation option. We do not have to look for an external generator when running a quiz in Kahoot, working in Canva, or Padlet.

I present below practical examples of how to use QR codes in education:

At a conference, they can be used for:

• Easy access to the conference programme, which we provide to participants in the form of a QR code. As organisers, we can make changes to the programme in real-time, not limited by a final printed version, and we all know that programme changes do happen. Participants thus have real-time access to the current schedule of presentations, workshops, and accompanying events.
• Direct linking to presentations and materials, where each presentation session can be linked to a unique QR code leading to materials related to the session, additional sources of information, or self-study resources.
• Collecting opinions and feedback, after a session or conference, organisers can place QR codes on the display or distribute them electronically, encouraging participants to complete a short feedback survey. A quick scan of the QR code allows participants to provide immediate feedback.
• Connecting participants online and offline, QR codes can be used to integrate conference participants by linking them to social media, conference apps, or online platforms, enabling further interaction beyond the event.

During the training, educators can use them for:

• Access to training materials, placing QR codes on materials (such as posters, brochures, or presentations) or the training website. Participants can easily scan these codes to access additional training resources, such as presentations, documents, multimedia, or instructions. QR codes can lead to external online resources like instructional videos, articles, or websites related to the training topic.
• Interactive tests and quizzes can be linked to QR codes during the training. Participants can scan the codes to take a short online test or quiz to assess their knowledge and understanding quickly. Many apps for creating interactive quizzes, such as Kahoot or Mentimeter, automatically provide such access, so the educator does not need to worry about generating an access code.
• Facilitating interaction between participants, QR codes can contain participants' contact information or links to their social media profiles, making it easier to establish relationships and exchange information between participants. They can lead to designed collaboration boards or shared spaces – read here about how to design such a space in the Padlet app.
• Surveys and opinions, after the training, QR codes can be used to collect opinions and feedback from participants. By scanning the code, participants can quickly fill out a short online survey about the quality of the training. Training evaluation has never been easier.

The use of QR codes during both in-person and online training can increase interactivity, engage participants, and facilitate access to additional resources and information. It is also an effective tool for monitoring the progress of the training and collecting feedback from participants quickly and conveniently. Of course, this requires proper preparation from the educator, but in practice, I know that it becomes a habit. When I prepare a presentation for a training meeting, I immediately generate QR codes for source content from the internet, applications I use, or even for sharing the presentation itself at the end through a code. QR codes are a game changer for the long links, attachments, and interactions we can plan for training sessions. Below is a QR code to the EPALE Polska profile on LinkedIn.

Lidia Mirowska - Trainer, academic lecturer, teacher, e-learning expert. Certified by the Academic E-learning Association as an e-teacher and e-methodologist. Teaches digital skills, tests AI. Methodologist of remote teaching at the Polish Virtual University. She uses technology in education, works on international projects, implements teaching innovations, and works on a project basis. EPALE ambassador.

This work "QR kod do EPALE LINKEDin" by Lidia Mirowska is licensed under All rights reserved

Scan it. You are welcome.