What are QR codes?

Quick Response (QR) codes connect print and digital media like never before.

With a downloadable application, users scan the two-dimensional barcodes through a smartphone camera and are instantly linked to a webpage with relevant pictures, text or videos.

At Coker, business cards for both faculty and staff contain QR codes. Instead of remembering a phone number or a lengthy URL, contacts simply scan the QR code, which connects to the individual’s directory page. Coker also features QR codes in most major publications.

The codes are quickly becoming a powerful tool in higher education. Many people find QR codes intriguing because of the sense of mystery associated with them. Users never know where the QR code will link them.

QR codes are not only crucial to spreading the word about Coker, they are also helpful to students and professors. Professors can use them to link the supplemental materials in their syllabi, making QR codes a popular form of green technology.

Colleges can also use QR codes to create self-guided tours for future students. QR codes displayed on signs throughout the campus enable prospective students and parents to explore the college at their own pace. Embedding video clips that further explain the venue or feature upcoming events generates interest in an innovative way.

QR codes were created in 1994 by Denso Wave, a Japanese corporation. Standard barcodes only have information embedded horizontally. However, QR codes contain readable information both horizontally and vertically, making them more efficient. In Japan, companies embed QR codes on almost every product. From bags of potato chips and fast food wrappers to stoplights, QR codes are a part of everyday life.

As more people become familiar with QR codes in the US, Coker will continue to utilize them in exciting and efficient ways.

-Patrick Flynn, Writing Intern

For more information, contact Ashley Simatic - 843.383.8018