Bonni Stachowiak [00:00:00]:

Today on episode number 495 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, using QR codes to design engaging learning experiences with Tolulope (Tolu) Noah. Welcome to this episode of Teaching in Higher Ed. I’m Bonni Stachowiak, and this is the space where we explore the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning. We also share ways to improve our productivity approaches so we can have more peace in our lives and be even more present for our students. 

I am thrilled today to be welcoming to the show Tolulope (Tolu) Noah. Tolu is the instructional learning spaces coordinator at California State University Long Beach, where she facilitates faculty development about teaching and technology. Previously, Tolu was a senior professional learning specialist at Apple, helping educators nationwide explore how they could use Ipads and MacBooks to enhance teaching and learning. Tolu has also had 16 years of teaching experience in both higher education and k through 12.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:01:24]:

She was an associate professor in the undergraduate teacher education program at Azusa Pacific University, where she was honored to receive the university wide teaching excellence faculty award in 2019. Prior to being a professor, Tolu was a 5th and 6th grade teacher in Los Angeles. Tolu is incredibly passionate about teaching. She enjoys helping educators explore how they can effectively integrate content, pedagogy, and technology in support of student learning. She frequently presents workshops about a wide range of teaching and technology topics, and she was recently named by EdTech Magazine as one of 30 higher ed IT influencers to follow in twenty 23. Tolulope Noah, welcome to Teaching in Higher Ed.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:02:19]:

Thank you so much for having me, Bonni. I am so excited to be here.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:02:23]:

Let’s begin with a story. I’m gonna ask you to tell a story, but let me start with mine. I do not know how to tell the future. I don’t. So I wanna start with Starbucks. I used to think that Starbucks, like, this is never gonna work. This this company is not going anywhere. How is this gonna last? And obviously, we are all these decades now later that clearly they knew what they were doing.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:02:50]:

I feel the same way about QR codes. When I first saw QR codes, I was like, okay, this is cool, but like these are never never gonna last. And I was also, Quite clearly. Wrong about that too. So I’m now gonna invite you to tell your story of your interest in QR codes, and are you also bad at Telling the Future.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:03:12]:

Well, I actually started I got interested in QR codes over a decade ago when I was a k twelve teacher. And at the time, I was teaching 5th 6th grade language arts and social studies at an elementary school here in Los Angeles. And to be honest, I don’t remember exactly where or how I heard about QR codes, but somehow I came across them. And I actually remember being really excited about the fact that they could Streamline the process of getting students from point a to point b. So, you know, instead of having to take the time to write out a really long URL on the board or having students take the time to write down each character on their device, which we know can be challenging in and of itself because if you don’t get everything correct, you don’t end up in the right spot. I felt like QR codes really solve those issues by providing students with immediate access to whatever websites you are going to be exploring that day. So I heard about QR codes. I got really excited about the efficiency factor, and then I started implementing them into my teaching.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:04:06]:

So in my 6th grade social studies class, which was all about ancient civil civilizations. One of our first units was about the early humans. And then to add a sense of realism to the unit, I ended up transforming the classroom into this cave like setting by Pushing groups of desks together to create these 4 little mock cave stations.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:04:26]:

Oh.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:04:26]:

And I even put, like, butcher paper along the sides of the desk to make them feel a little bit more Cave like. I had a soundtrack playing in the background of cave related sound effects like dripping water and the occasional bat, and I called the activity QR the early hominids. Who are the early hominids? Because I’m a dork.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:04:46]:

Oh, you are. You are. You’re so wonderfully a dork. I this is awesome. Yeah.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:04:52]:

So I told my 6th graders, okay, you’re gonna be taking on the role of archaeologists who are, you know, exploring different cave art and artifacts To gather clues about how these early human groups may have lived. And I ended up dividing my students into 4 groups. I handed each group an iPad, And then I sent them to a specific station to begin their exploration. So when students were at their stations, they first of all used the iPad to scan a QR code that linked to an illustration of 1 of the early human groups. And then they worked with their groups to examine the illustration and talk about the clues that provided about how that group may have lived, and then they read an information card that gave them a little bit more context about the early human group, and they jotted down their notes and the graphic organizer. And then there was a 2nd QR code that they scanned to check their answers. And what I found was that using QR codes for this activity Not only, you know, solve that efficiency factor of getting students to the online resource really quickly, but it also helped in a couple of other ways. So first of all, because they were scanning the QR codes on the iPad, they could actually pinch in and out on the screen.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:05:53]:

So, like, zoom in and out and see all the details in the image close-up. And and then the 2nd QR code that they scan to check their answers actually allowed them to be much more independent. So they didn’t have to come up to me each time to see if their work was on the right track. They could just scan the QR code to do that on their own, which meant that I could really devote my time as a teacher to checking in with each group and engaging them in further conversations about what they were thinking and learning. So I I found QR codes to be a perfect fit for that, you know, QR the early humans activity. And then from there, I started finding other ways to incorporate them into my teaching and other professional practices. So for events like Open House, I would create QR codes that link to each student’s digital work, Whether that was an essay they wrote or a video they recorded, and I put them up on my bulletin board so that families could just scan them to be able to hear student voices or watch their videos. And this allowed for the design of more interactive and engaging bulletin boards for open house activities because, once again, student voice was so obvious.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:06:50]:

And then after using QR codes for those purposes, I definitely became hooked. I feel like and we’ll talk about this a little bit later, but so many different ways that you can use them, and I just kept finding more ways to integrate them into my teaching. And then when I later transitioned from k twelve to higher education, QR codes came right along with me. So I was a teacher education professor, and it was really important to me to model active learning techniques and effective uses of technology so that I can help pre service teachers learn how to do that well, and that included using QR codes with them. So, yeah, that’s how my early interest in QR codes began, and I still use them to this very day in my current Faculty development work. And I don’t think they’ll be going away anytime soon. That’s that’s my prediction anyways.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:07:32]:

This is such a wonderful set of examples, and thank you for sharing that story, those set of whole series of stories with us. And because one thing that you brought out In this illustration is the blend between the digital and the analog, which I just find fascinating. So thinking through And I I suspect this is what we’re setting up for your future advice to us too is not it’s not just the digital. It’s also thinking about those analog tunities. And then also it just sounds like not only were you expanding your imagination, but also those of your learners. And I often think we tend to limit ourselves sometimes with our beliefs about our own technological abilities through more of a fixed mindset. And when we realized I mean, QR codes, we’re not talking about anything here that is rocket science. I mean, any of us can do this.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:08:27]:

The limit is really our imagination. The limit is not in in this being at all difficult to do. So it’s so so very fun. Well, there might be One person listening to this podcast, maybe 2, who are not familiar with with QR codes. So would you briefly just tell us what they are, but then more importantly, talk A little bit about why they’re valuable for teaching and learning.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:08:49]:

Yeah. So the QR in the name stands for quick response, and a QR code is basically a code that you scan with a mobile device In order to get to the website or other content that the code is linked to. So EDUCAUSE refers to them as, like, two dimensional barcodes, but Unlike traditional barcodes that typically look like a series of lines, QR codes typically look like a square that contains a bunch of black and white squares within it, And you can use a camera on any mobile device like a phone or tablet to scan it. And nowadays, you can find them pretty much everywhere. They’re in restaurants, museums, magazines, business cards. I’ve even seen them on people’s cars and attire as a way of, like, advertising for business. So, yeah, they’re they’re definitely everywhere right now. And specifically in terms of teaching and learning, I personally see a lot of really great benefits using QR codes.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:09:37]:

First of all, they save time and energy. Right? So as mentioned earlier, they eliminate that need to write out a really long URL or to, you know, painstakingly type it in on your device by giving students immediate access to websites and other content, so everyone really saves time and frustration in the end. And then another benefit of QR codes is that they’re really easy to use. Just like you mentioned, there’s no really huge learning curve when it comes to QR codes. They’re easy to create. They’re easy to navigate. So you can use them pretty quickly for a variety of instructional purposes. QR codes also allow for the design of more interactive learning experiences.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:10:13]:

So when you add them to a handout or a slide or any other type of display, they can actually transport students beyond the confines of the paper slider display way to engaging online content that they can directly interact with. And along with that, I think QR codes can be used to support UDL or universal design for learning principles, Specifically in regards to providing multiple means of engagement and providing multiple means of representation. So you can use QR codes to give students choice in what they learn or the activities they do. You can use QR codes to present information in different ways. So a reading could have a QR code that links to a related video or audio clip so that students have options for how they can learn about the topic. I also think that QR codes align with what Christina Moore calls a mobile mindful teaching approach. So I read her book, Mobile Mindful Teaching and Learning. Highly recommend it.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:11:00]:

And in her book, she talks about faculty really leveraging the mobile devices that students have with them on a daily basis, and QR codes Definitely fit right along with that. And most importantly, I think QR codes are incredibly versatile. So regardless of what you’re teaching, There are ways that you can incorporate them into your instruction and that’s why I became a a huge fan of them over a decade ago. There’s just endless possibilities to how they can be used.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:11:25]:

Next, we’re gonna talk about how we create them. Before you answer that question, I just wanna say there are Gazillions of ways to create them, so it’s kind of like, I I guess pre precursor to to the answer, there’s There’s so many that I everyday it feels like there’s a new way of I I just, bought our our division bought a new printer. It’s a It’s one of those really portable small ones. It’s so it’s adorable. I wish I could show a picture to you and also to everybody listening. But but, by the way, spoiler alert, probably a future recommendation, but we just got it yesterday. And I printed my 1st picture yesterday, so I wanna try it a little bit longer. But anyway, even it has the ability to print a QR code on it, and and make this printed Polaroid looking Image come to life in some way through audio, through video, which I haven’t experimented with yet, but how do you create them? I guess, any way you can, but would you wanna share with us, Talu, any of the examples of ways that you like to create them or a simple way to get started? How do you approach answering this question?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:12:27]:

Yeah. So just as you said, there are numerous ways to create QR codes, and I think it’s because they’ve they’ve definitely become much more prevalent nowadays. And the basic way these tools work is that you would first access the website that you wanna link the QR code to and then copy the the URL, paste it into the QR code generator, and then it will automatically create a QR code that you can save to your device. So it’s a very straightforward process. But one important caveat that I do wanna share is that It is important to try to use reputable tools for creating QR codes, and I’ll give an example of what not to do that I used to do back in the day. So before I knew any better, I would just Google QR code generator and use whatever random website came up in the Google search results to create my QR codes. But with a lot of those, like, random websites, you don’t know how that information is being used or it’s if it’s being tracked or anything like that. And the same thing goes for apps for Scanning QR code.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:13:19]:

So back in the day, you would need to download a third party QR code reader app in order to scan QR codes. And typically, they’re full of ads. And once Again, you had no idea how that data was being used. But thankfully, nowadays, most mobile devices already have QR code reader functionality built into the camera by default. So with that caveat out of the way, once again, trying to stick with reputable tools. A few tools that I’ve personally found helpful for creating QR codes are, first of all, Google Chrome, because because it has a built in QR code generator, so you can just open up the Google Chrome browser, go to any website of your choice, and then when you Click on the share icon near the top right corner of the address bar. You’ll see the option for create QR code. And when you click on that, it will automatically make a QR code that you can either Copy or download to your device.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:14:07]:

Another option for creating QR codes is the Shortcuts app, and Shortcuts is a built in app on all Apple devices. So if you have an iPad or an iPhone or a MacBook, the shortcuts app is there. And it has tons of really helpful automations, one of which is an automation for creating QR codes. So you you would just add the QR code automation to your shortcuts gallery. And then anytime you wanna make a QR code, you tap on that tile and then you follow the prompts to make a code. And this is actually my preferred method for creating QR codes because they don’t have any sort of branding on them, like the little dinosaur icon that you’ll have for the Google Chrome codes. And there are no limits on how many QR codes you can make because once again, it’s a built in feature of your Apple device. And then another benefit of Shortcuts is that it allows you to make QR codes that link to different types of content besides just websites.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:14:55]:

So you can make QR codes that Send an email that’s prepopulated with your email address or QR codes that add events to people’s calendars or QR codes that make it easier for people to join your wireless network. So there are a lot of really great bonus options and shortcuts. And once again, that’s one of my preferred tools for making QR codes. And then some other options out there. Adobe Express has a free QR code generator, and theirs is unique because you can customize the look of the QR code further. So you can decide whether you wanna use the standard square pattern or a dotted pattern. It also allows you to change the color of the QR code. Bitly, which is a common link shortening website, also has a QR code generator within it.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:15:33]:

But with that, you would have to be mindful of Limitations due to the level of your plan. I think the free plan right now, you can do 10 QR codes per month, and it will have the branding if it’s a free plan. And then just as you mentioned previously, a lot of EdTech tools nowadays have QR codes built in as a sharing option. So if you create a poll in Mentimeter or record a video and flip or make a board and Padlet. When you go to the share menu, you’ll see the option for getting a QR code that you can use to share that resource with others. So Those are a few tools, like we both said, both lots of options out there, and it’s really down to the listener to figure out what’s gonna work best for them.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:16:10]:

My mind right now we could just be done, which we’re not done, but we could just be done because my mind gets to go it gets it’s so Exciting just to think about all the possibilities. I did not realize slash know that Adobe Express has that in there. I do enjoy Customizing the look and the colors, but some of the downsides that you talked about, you know, that I I think you’re really right to to help us stay safe in all of this. Oh, you mentioned about the concerns around we used to need a QR code app on our devices in order to access them, And now we’re freed up to just use our camera. One thing just to be mindful of is that means we need to know where that QR code came from. So you don’t wanna just see a random QR Oh, didn’t start scanning it on your phone or you might just be scanning your way into some some, viruses or other types of, digital hackery that are not gonna be welcome in your lives, so we gotta be cautious about that too. So one other thing I wanted to say, you you talked about The ways in which QR codes can just bring, try to get you I’m going back through my notes to remember your exact wording. Bring the printed item to life.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:17:20]:

You know, bring bring what was printed out to life. Something I’m seeing people do a lot right now is send an email with a QR code on it and there’s no link in that email to the QR code. Surely, that can’t just be where I work or the place I drive by on my way to work. I don’t wanna throw them under the bus. They’re not here to defend themselves. That can’t just be a technological challenge with us. Would you warn us against why you wouldn’t wanna send an email that had a QR code in it and no link to get to where that QR code links to?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:17:54]:

Yeah. So first of all, it’s an accessibility issue of people knowing where the link is going to take them and having an alternative method. So that’s 1 piece of it. And then the other piece is that it can be a little bit more challenging to access that code. And and I’m gonna share this in my recommendation, so I don’t wanna give it away quite yet.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:18:12]:

Okay. Spoiler.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:18:14]:

If you’re viewing a QR code on your phone, it can make it difficult to access The content, but there is a a workaround. So I’m gonna

Bonni Stachowiak [00:18:20]:

Oh.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:18:21]:

Yeah. For now.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:18:21]:

Yes. My gosh. You have never you’re making me wanna skip to recommendations worse than I ever have, And I know I still have some good questions to keep asking you. Oh, exciting. Exciting. Exciting. I love it. Alright.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:18:32]:

So people are hopefully gonna hang on to all the way through to that recommendations this time if they never did before. Alright. So there are so many ideas. It’s just limited by our imagination. Would you share some of your favorites for how we can incorporate QR codes into our teaching?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:18:51]:

Yeah. So as I mentioned, that versatility piece is really exciting when it comes to QR codes. And you can make QR codes that link to so many different types of instructional content. Things like course related photos or maps or infographics, Audio clips, videos, readings, the list goes on and on. And you can also use QR codes in many different spaces. So you can put them on your handouts, flyers, and other documents. You can include them on your slides, print them out, and tape them to objects or the walls, and you can even use them outdoors as a way to take learning beyond the 4 walls of the classroom. So I’ll share a a few specific ways that I use them when I was a professor, and then I’ll also share a resource that people can check out if they would like to learn additional ideas.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:19:34]:

So one way that I use QR codes was for gallery walk activities. So when I taught diversity in the classroom, we did a gallery walk about microaggressions and I taped up Seven folders around the room, each of which contained a QR code that linked to a video about a specific microaggression, like, your English is so good or how’d you get into that school? And students walked around the room scanning the QR codes, watching the videos, and recording their thoughts, feelings, and reactions on the graphic organizer. And then we were able to use that gallery walk activity as a catalyst for small group and whole whole class discussions about microaggressions and their impact. Another way that I use QR codes was for a Tic Tac Toe activities that incorporated student choice. So during a lecture about multilingual Learners, I provided my students with a handout of 9 QR codes that link to videos of k twelve teachers using different strategies to teach their multilingual students. And I told my students they could pick 3 QR codes on the TikTok TOO board to scan and watch. And then afterwards, they once again engage in small group discussions about what they observed And shared, yeah, shared their takeaways with their peers. I’ve also used QR codes for exit tickets at the end of class so that I could check students’ understanding and See what their major takeaways and remaining questions were.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:20:44]:

So they would scan a QR code on the slide that took them to a Google form, and then they just responded to a series of questions based on the content that day. So those are just a couple of examples. But as I mentioned earlier, the possibilities are endless. You could also use QR codes for activities like scavenger hunts, peer reviews, classroom exhibits. I’ve seen them popping up more on research and poster presentations, and they’re also great for just sharing learning around campus. So if your students created a video, why not create QR codes to share that video with other students so that they can learn from the content too? And if listeners are interested in learning more about practical ways that they can leverage QR codes for teaching and learning, I had the opportunity to write an article for EDUCAUSE Review about just that. It’s called 8 ways to use QR codes in higher education classrooms, and I can share the link to that via the show notes.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:21:32]:

Oh, fabulous. Alright. So what are some of the important factors that we ought to be considering when we utilize these QR codes for our teaching?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:21:41]:

Yeah. So I’ll start with sharing a few accessibility considerations, and I’ll share some other kind of general practical tips. And the accessibility Considerations come from 2 really great articles by Benjamin Rousey and Joe Lamyman where they talk about just things to be mindful of when you’re using QR codes with students, and I can share the links to those articles as well. So first of all, you wanna make sure that your QR codes are an appropriate size. So they shouldn’t be any smaller than 1 inch by 1 inch, and ideally, larger is better so that people with low vision can better perceive them. You also wanna ensure that your QR codes have appropriate color contrast, and this just helps with perceivability. So, ideally, those black and white QR codes that have a really great contrast are great versus, like, a bright yellow QR code. And then when using QR codes at a physical location, like, if you’re putting them on a wall or a door or a display, You wanna be sure to place it where it will be accessible to people of various heights, including those who are using wheelchairs.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:22:36]:

And then as we talked about earlier, it’s Really important to include the source of the QR code plus an alternative way to get there, like a link. So this way people know exactly where the QR code will take them, And they have multiple options for how they can get there. So those are some helpful accessibility principles from Roussy and Lami Minh. But in terms of Other tips for success that I typically recommend to faculty, I would add that it’s important to inform students ahead of time whenever you plan to use QR codes. So I actually used to put notes in my syllabus, letting them know that they needed to bring their phones or tablets to class on a particular date along with their head, headphones or earbuds, Especially if we were gonna be doing a QR code activity that involved any sort of audio or video content. Along with that, we wanna be mindful of students’ Access to devices and have a backup plan in case not everyone has a smartphone or tablet that they can use. So one of the things that I used to do was I would bring an extra device to class like an iPad so those available for anyone who needed it. But you could also just have students complete QR code activities in pairs or small groups so that everyone doesn’t need to have their own device order to participate.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:23:43]:

And you might even wanna reach out to the tech department at your university to see if they have devices that you can check out for short term class use. And then we wanna think about Wi Fi access and cellular data too. So ideally, doing QR code activities in places where students have access to free Wi Fi So they’re not having to rely on or use their cellular data. And there’s another really great article by, It’s Chapel, Wire, and St. Martin where they talk about the importance of ensuring students are comfortable with the process. Because sometimes we assume that Students know how to do tech based things simply because the technology is so prevalent, and that may not necessarily be the case. So just taking a couple of minutes to explain or model the process for Scanning QR codes and giving students a chance to practice can be really helpful. And then one last tip I’ll share is Teaching students about QR code safety.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:24:33]:

And Bonni, you talked about this a little bit earlier, but we need to let students know that they shouldn’t just scan any old QR code that they see out in public. There are lots of articles out there that talk about how QR codes can be used for malicious purposes like directing people to fake or inappropriate websites or downloading disruptive software or Obtaining data that compose any sort of privacy or security risk. So I think that as part of digital literacy, it’s important to teach our students to be careful about what they scan. Yeah. Those would be some key factors I would say are important to be mindful of.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:25:04]:

Before we get to the recommendation segment, do you have any ideas for us on How we can continue to expand our imagination. I mean, you’ve given us first of all, listen to this episode, which you already are, or you’re not hearing my words. But are there Are there other ways that you just think in general that have helped you just be able to continue to think creatively and go, You know, how how do we really, like, extend what’s possible with this technology?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:25:29]:

Great question. So I would say start just by using it, Because that for me was what got me thinking about additional possibilities. So I tried it for one thing, and then I was like, oh, I could also use it for this other thing, and then I it just kinda continued to snowball from there. So I think using it will give you a better sense of what’s possible. And then along with that, I’m a a big believer in leveraging the creative expertise of your professional learning network. So, you know, if you’re connected to others on Twitter or Blue Sky or Mastodon or LinkedIn and you’re seeing other people use QR codes in creative ways or you yourself have used QR codes in creative ways, Share those because seeing ideas that other people have posted can always spark new ideas for what’s possible too.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:26:12]:

Boy, so much of it does come back to that. You were Sharing that example and it was reminding me a little bit of the transformative nature of artificial intelligence these past few years, and My my friend, Maha Bali, is saying, wait a minute. You haven’t used chat g b t yet? I need you to get in there and set up an account and start experimenting. Yes. And you and I are talking in early November, but we’re getting ready to hold a holiday open house in our division. And We had chat GPT write the 1st version of a version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, but it was ‘Twas the Night Before Finals and all through the campus.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:26:52]:

Okay. I wanna see that.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:26:54]:

Well, it just I mean, I know that this is such a basic example, but what you just told us is you start just start. Okay. Yeah. That’s super basic, and it it isn’t very good at doing that, by the way, I might add. But to send it out then to all the people that are in our division, then it really got They’re creative creativity going, and and just instead of starting with a blank slate, what do we wanna do is just okay. Well, here, Here’s something for us to to toy with, and it’s just been really fun. But yeah. And and I am taking so many notes on what you’ve shared too, and you you already mentioned this 8 ways to use QR codes, I mean, there’s so many sources, but, yeah, just start using it.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:27:31]:

Start using it. Oh, how fun. Well, this is the time in the show where we each Get to share our recommendations, and my 1st recommendation is another article that you have written, designing virtual ed tech faculty development workshops that stick. I loved this piece by you, and it’s a broader look than just QR codes, but the same imagination that you’ve shown us and your Creativity and and passion for these things, and I would even say playfulness with these things, which is so tied to creativity. Another really great article that I hope people will go and check out. And then also, I don’t remember which whether it was your 8 ways to use QR codes or designing virtual ed tech faculty development workshops or something else I came across. You recommended A project 0’s thinking routines toolbox. And yeah.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:28:25]:

We talked about it before on the show, but it’s been a lot it’s been years, And so you helped me resurface that. Would you talk a little bit about what what people might like, maybe how you’ve used it or maybe how people might think about using project 0’s thinking routines toolbox.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:28:40]:

Oh my my goodness. I could talk about this all day. Okay. So I’ll just give, like, a brief overview of what it is. So Project 0 was created by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and and it’s it’s an initiative focused on making thinking visible. So making it visible to students, but also making it visible to you as a teacher. Because when we know what students are thinking, then we can actually help them build their understanding. And the Project 0 toolbox is a collection of different thinking routines that you can incorporate into your teaching.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:29:12]:

So there are thinking routines like I used to think, now I think that you could use at the end of a lecture to help students reflect on their initial understanding of a concept and how that shifted over time. There’s also routines like headlines, which can help students kind of synthesize what they’ve learned about the content down to 5 to 7 words. So I highly recommend checking out that website. I use thinking routines on a regular basis. Well, I use it at on a regular basis when I was a professor and still use it in my faculty development work As a way of structuring thinking exercises and active learning strategies. And what’s great is, once again, the website has all the details, And they can be applied to pretty much any context. So, oh, yeah. I could talk about that forever.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:29:53]:

Oh, I’m so glad that I thought to pull it back up and and remind people of it. And I do wanna say that I recommended first the designing virtual ed tech faculty development workshops that stick. But why I liked that article so much is people listening, for the most part, aren’t in the profession of faculty development. You just write it so much that you could use it in any teaching or learning context. That’s what I really love about your work. You you help us. You give us really specific examples, but you also keep it broad enough that we can make it fit for our context. So I love that about you and about what you do, and I can’t wait to hear.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:30:24]:

What do you wanna recommend for us today?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:30:27]:

Well, thank you so much, Bonni, for those recommendations that I’m I’m so honored. Just sitting here like, what? So I have 2 recommendations, and they’re both QR code related. So my first recommendation is to check out an app Called NaviLens. So NaviLens is a company that has created unique QR codes that are accessible to blind and low vision users. And the NaviLens codes, can basically be scanned from a much further distance than a typical QR code. And they also don’t require users to Point their mobile device directly at it in order to detect it. So basically, a user can open up the NaviLens app, move their device around the area, and the app will automatically detect where the NaviLens code is. And not only that, it reads aloud the distance of the of the NaviLens code, and it also reads aloud Any information that’s linked to the code.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:31:16]:

And what I’ve been hearing about with with with this app is that it’s really being used to make different areas of life much more accessible to and low vision users. So they’ve been used in the field of, like, transportation so that blind and low vision users can easily find things like bus stops and train stations because literally, you’d Pull out your phone, and we’ll tell you. This bus stop is x feet or meters, depending on where you are in the world, away, which is really, really great. And some companies are also starting to use NaviLens codes on their product package packaging so that when people who are blind or low vision are shopping, They actually know exactly what’s on the shelf and how far away it is. And Navulence has free codes that you can download from their website. So they have a school specific set, And this set has preset descriptions for common campus locations like bathroom, library, computer lab. So that all you have to do is literally print out These codes, put them on their respective places around campus, and then any students who are using the NaviLens app will know exactly where those buildings and other locations are located. And then they have they have some personal codes that you can also download.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:32:19]:

I think you can get about 500 blank QR codes that you can customize with your own information, whether that’s text or hyperlinks. So once again, just create a more accessible experience, and I’ve been really excited to hear about all the ways that NaviLens is spreading around the world. Just this morning, I heard that there’s a university in Illinois that started using NaviLens codes on their campus to make things more accessible for their students. So that’s my first recommendation.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:32:43]:

I’ve got a quick question for you. I I are these they can work as normal QR codes and they have this additional benefit for someone using the app, or is this instead of a QR code? If I opened up my camera app, for example, would I be able to access a NaviLens QR code?

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:33:02]:

Yeah. Great question. So it would be a separate thing. So the Navulance codes, they actually look a little They look similar to QR codes, but a little bit different. It’s it’s a set of black. I think it’s black, pink, yellow, and blue squares instead of just the typical two tone Black and white squares, and they are specifically read with this app. So you wouldn’t be able to use the built in camera app on your device to scan these counts.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:33:26]:

Interesting. Oh, I can’t wait to explore this a little bit more. Alright. And I know you have something else to recommend too. Thank you.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:33:32]:

Yeah. And my my other recommendation has to do with What you mentioned earlier about someone, like, sending you a code, and you’re like, how do I open this? Mhmm. So I’m sure many listeners can relate to the situation I’m about to Right. So let’s say you’re scrolling through social media on your phone or tablet and you come across a post that contains a QR code. So maybe it’s a digital flyer for an upcoming event that has a QR code on it. And I don’t know about you, but you might feel a little bit bummed or annoyed in the moment because you’re like, I can’t scan this QR code while I’m looking at it on my phone. Right? Because typically, you would need to grab another device like your computer, find that post again, and then use the camera app on your mobile device to scan it. Well, the good news is that it is possible to scan QR codes from an image on your phone or tablet.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:34:15]:

And I’ll just Briefly share the process for the iPhone and iPad because that’s what I have access to, but I I believe it’s also a feature available on Android devices. So, basically, what you what you would do is you would save the image that contains the QR code to the photos app on your device, or you can simply screenshot it, which will automatically save it the photos app, and then you would open up the image and photos. And if you just tap and hold or long press on the QR code in the image with your finger, You’ll see a pop up that says open in Safari, and tapping on that will automatically take you to the website that the QR code is linked to. So if you have an iPhone or iPad and you come across a QR code while you’re scrolling through social media, I definitely encourage you to give that a try.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:34:57]:

You are blowing my mind. Not just with the, First of all, didn’t know that was possible. You’ve you’ve really. Because the number of times that that has happened, let’s just say many. And I wanna go check out the NaviLens, sounds amazing. And I wanna keep go back and reread all the articles of yours that I’ve already read because you have so many great practical Took cool ideas, but that are also unexpected. I mean, you’re really igniting our creativity here and I so appreciate it. And and I’m so glad that you Bonded to my invitation to come on the show, and we actually work and live somewhat close to each other.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:35:30]:

How fun that we’re geographically similar and know some of the same People and institutions and all that. So what a pleasure to be connected with you, Tolu. I’m so glad for today’s conversation, and hope it’s just the first of many.

Tolulope (Tolu) Noah [00:35:42]:

Thank you so much for having me, Bonni. It’s been a blast.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:35:47]:

What a joy it was to speak with Tolu Noah for today’s episode. Today’s episode was produced by me, Bonni Stachowiak. It was edited by the ever talented Andrew Kroeger. Podcast production support was provided by the amazing Sierra Priest. If you’ve been listening for a while and you’ve yet to subscribe To the Teaching in Higher Ed weekly update, it is time. Head over to teachinginhighered.com/Subscribe. You’ll receive the most recent episodes show notes. And I gotta tell you, this week’s with Tolu, she She brought it for us with lots of resources.

Bonni Stachowiak [00:36:27]:

So head on over there and get those most recent show notes in your inbox along with other resources that don’t show up in the regular show notes. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you next time on Teaching in Higher Ed.

Teaching in Higher Ed transcripts are created using a combination of an automated transcription service and human beings. This text likely will not represent the precise, word-for-word conversation that was had. The accuracy of the transcripts will vary. The authoritative record of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcasts is contained in the audio file.