The Doings Hinsdale

Oak School project promotes lifelong reading

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Oak School student Riley Ford views an author’s website after scanning the QR Code on the book cover.

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Updated: February 18, 2013 6:02AM

HINSDALE — Oak School Media Resource Center Director Mary Morgan Ryan recently earned a grant from the District 181 Foundation enabling her to make an exciting addition to the school’s library.

Morgan Ryan’s proposal “QR Codes That Grow Independent Readers” called for the addition of quick response codes to the school’s library books. As Morgan Ryan explained to students in a training she recently provided, a QR Code is a type of matrix barcode which operates as a hyperlink that, when scanned, takes the user to specific Internet-based information.

Using iPads, Oak School students can now access a variety of information about many books as they make reading decisions, on the spot. After using the QR Code to see a video book trailer, an author’s website, and other relevant content, Morgan Ryan believes students will more successfully be linked with books that interest them and in turn, develop a lifelong love of reading. Morgan Ryan is next focusing on the creation of book trailers by the Oak School students.

“We are all grateful to the District 181 Foundation and the Oak School community for providing the technology to make this project a success. The children now have a new tool they will use to learn about books and authors. I am really looking forward to working with students using their reading, writing, technology skills, and creativity on student-authored book trailers.”





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