pkrp-about
This activity and guidance is designed to build awareness of the ethical, social, and safety considerations associated with QR codes. Learners will discuss positive actionable habits around interacting with QR codes and reflect on potential risks and benefits of using QR codes in different contexts.
Guide learners to develop safe and responsible practices around QR codes, apply critical thinking when interacting with digital systems like QR codes in the real world, and make informed decisions with digital technologies that safeguard trust, privacy, wellbeing.
QR codes make getting to digital content fast — but speed and safety don't always go hand in hand. This activity gives learners the tools to pause and think critically before they scan, without turning the topic into a list of scary warnings. Building on what learners already know from Parts 1 and 2, they'll explore four practical habits — knowing the source, knowing the destination, protecting private information, and trusting their gut when something feels off — each grounded in real, relatable scenarios rather than abstract rules. The goal isn't to make learners wary of QR codes; it's to help them scan smart, with confidence, wherever they run into one. It's a genuinely useful life skill dressed up as a QR code lesson — and a natural lead-in to Part 4, where learners get to put safe practice into action by making their own. Tirohia, whakaarohia, kātahi ka matawai — look, think, then scan!
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[Video] | Video Essay (Recommended for Y7+)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ebcowAJD8
YouTube link for video “I built a QR code with my bare hands to see how it works” by Veritasium.
{Description}
Consider using this video to help explain and demonstrate aspects of a QR code in more detail. These sections are most relevant to this activity:
31:16-32:23 QR Code Safety [01:07]
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The "are QR codes safe?" framing — that a QR code itself is neutral and it's how it's used that matters — is a direct, age-appropriate way into this PO's core idea that digital devices impact people and society, and that impact isn't fixed
Discussing real risky scenarios (a sticker in a public place, an unlabelled code) builds the ethical-considerations side of this PO through concrete cases rather than abstract rules
dddo-po3
The "protect private information" habit — knowing when a page is asking for personal details and whether that's appropriate — maps directly onto this PO's explicit point that "with storing data comes the responsibility for ensuring security and privacy"
Building a personal checklist of safe-scanning questions (the guide's four habits, each with its own reflection questions) is a genuine practice of the "safe and responsible use" this PO describes, not just a discussion of it
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social-sciences
Discussing why some QR codes might be placed to mislead people, and who benefits from that, touches on how technology can be used to influence or take advantage of others — a genuine (if introductory) look at power and impact in digital spaces.
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Learners are asked to reason through scenarios and justify a decision ("would I feel comfortable explaining this to a teacher or parent?") — solid ground for developing a reasoned opinion, particularly useful preparation if extending into the safety-campaign Extension idea.
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The whole "think before you scan" framing — pausing, checking in with yourself, deciding whether something feels right — is personal-safety and decision-making territory, which sits squarely within Health and PE's focus on managing risk and making informed choices.
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Work through one habit at a time for younger or less confident learners — the guide's four safe-scanning habits (know the source, know the destination, protect private information, dodgy?-don't scan) can each be its own mini-discussion rather than covered in one pass
Use real, low-stakes scenarios rather than hypothetical worst-case ones for learners who may find the safety framing worrying — "a QR code on a sticker with no label" is concrete and manageable; "a QR code that steals your identity" is not
Stretch confident learners into building their own safe-scanning checklist (per the Extension) and testing it against real examples they bring in
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Build a safe-scanning checklist — learners synthesise the four habits from the guide into their own short, practical checklist they could actually use day-to-day
Design a safety campaign — in groups, create a poster, short video, or set of tips teaching others (younger learners, whānau) how to scan smart, drawing directly on the guide's four habits
Y9+ video-essay extension — the linked video's short QR Code Safety section adds an external voice to reinforce the same ideas for older learners
Prompt learners to analyse scenarios to consider how to tell if a QR code is safe before scanning it. Challenge them to develop a checklist for safe scanning that supports practical, positive digital citizenship habits.
In groups or on their own, prompt learners to create their own safety campaign designed to teach others about using QR codes safely. Consider media like posters, videos, links to approved advice online, and more.
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Teachers should consider:
Device Preparation as a pre-lesson task, including charging batteries, loading applications, and connecting to the internet.
Group Assignments and logistics, including supporting student collaboration and content focus.
This activity can surface real prior experiences — some learners may have already scanned something dodgy, or heard about someone who has. Be ready for that to come up, and treat it matter-of-factly rather than as a big reveal
The four habits work well as station-based small-group discussions rather than one long whole-class talk, especially for younger learners
Keep scenarios realistic and age-appropriate rather than reaching for extreme or frightening examples — the guide's own examples (an unlabelled sticker, a suspicious link) are exactly the right pitch
If running the safety-campaign Extension, build in time to actually test learners' checklists against a few real (safe) QR codes, so the exercise isn't purely theoretical
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This activity is the digital safety and wellbeing content for the series — so the notes here are about how to run the discussion well, not an add-on to it.
Focus the discussion on empowerment and practical habits, not fear — "here's what you can check" lands better than "here's what could go wrong"
Keep any example scenarios hypothetical and controlled; don't scan or demonstrate genuinely unverified codes live in class
Be mindful that discussions about risk and misuse can occasionally prompt a learner to disclose a real prior experience — have a plan for handling that calmly and in line with your school's usual safeguarding process
Reinforce that these same four habits apply well beyond QR codes — to links in messages, pop-ups, and anything else that asks for a fast decision
Discussions about digital risk and misuse can surface sensitive or complex issues, including scams, privacy breaches, or harmful online experiences. These need to be handled with care and maturity.
Teachers should:
Present scenarios in a controlled and age-appropriate way
Avoid exposing students to real harmful content or live examples of malicious QR codes
Be mindful that students may disclose prior unsafe experiences
It’s best practice to:
Focus on empowerment and what students can do to stay safe, rather than fear
Reinforce clear, actionable habits like checking and evaluating context before interacting
Align discussions with school policies and other guidance around digital safety and wellbeing
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>>> y4-6 | Y4-6 | 1 Lesson (Guided, Scaffolded Discussion)
Are QR codes safe?(10 min) — Class discussion: is a QR code itself good or bad? Land on the idea that it's a tool, and it's how it's used that matters
Know the source, know the destination(15 min) — Work through these two habits together as a class, using the guide's own guiding questions, with real (safe) example codes to check as a group
Protect private information & dodgy-don't scan(15 min) — In pairs, work through the remaining two habits using the guide's scenario questions
Wrap-up(5 min) — Each learner names one habit they'll remember next time they see a QR code
>>> y7-8 | Y7-8 | 1 Lesson (Independent, Scenario-Based)
Are QR codes safe?(5 min) — Quick framing discussion, moving fast into real examples
Four habits, four scenarios(20 min) — In small groups, each group is given one of the four habits and a realistic scenario to work through using the guide's questions, then reports back
Cross-group discussion(10 min) — As a class, discuss which habit felt hardest to apply in practice, and why
Extension option(10–15 min) — Fast finishers begin drafting their own safe-scanning checklist or safety-campaign concept
>>> y9+ | Y9+ | 1 Lesson (Independent, Current-Events Led)
Provocation(5 min) — Ask learners to recall the last QR code they scanned without a second thought — what made it feel safe enough not to check?
Introducing quishing(10 min) — Name and explain "quishing" (QR code phishing) as a real and currently growing scam category — a scammer hides a malicious link inside a QR code image rather than a visible link, which lets it slip past filters and warning signs that would normally catch a suspicious link in an email or text. This is a genuinely current, well-documented trend worth naming directly at this level, rather than only the general "dodgy? don't scan" framing used with younger learners
Apply the four habits to real scenarios(15 min) — Work through realistic current-style examples (a sticker placed over a legitimate parking or menu code; a QR code embedded in an unexpected email) using the base guide's four habits — the same framework, applied to sharper, more adult-world stakes
Why does hiding the destination matter?(10 min) — Connect back to Part 2: because the destination is encoded inside the pattern rather than shown as readable text, a person (or a spam filter) can't preview it the way they could a normal link — this is exactly what makes quishing harder to catch than ordinary phishing
Extension: pay it forward(10 min) — Learners design a short "spot the scam" resource aimed at a real audience — younger learners or their own whānau — applying what they now understand at a level those audiences don't yet have
Scan Smart!
Understanding QR Codes
Digital Technologies Progress Outcomes
[CTDT] = Supporting
Understanding unintended outcomes of digital processes
Awareness that systems can be misused
Understanding impacts of DT on people and society
Recognising ethical considerations
Practising safe and responsible use
Cross-Curricular Links
Personal safety,
decision-making, managing risk
Ethical issues, impact of tech on society, power & influence
Reasoned opinion & debate
Year Levels
Y4-6 (Guided, scaffolded discussion)
Y7-8+
Duration
1 lesson
Resources
Extension
Prompt learners to analyse scenarios to consider how to tell if a QR code is safe before scanning it. Challenge them to develop a checklist for safe scanning that supports practical, positive digital citizenship habits.
In groups or on their own, prompt learners to create their own safety campaign designed to teach others about using QR codes safely. Consider media like posters, videos, links to approved advice online, and more.
Guide learners to try another activity in the Understanding QR Codes series:
About Activity
This activity and guidance is designed to build awareness of the ethical, social, and safety considerations associated with QR codes. Learners will discuss positive actionable habits around interacting with QR codes and reflect on potential risks and benefits of using QR codes in different contexts.
Guide learners to develop safe and responsible practices around QR codes, apply critical thinking when interacting with digital systems like QR codes in the real world, and make informed decisions with digital technologies that safeguard trust, privacy, wellbeing.
Activity Guide
Essential Guidance for Digital Safety & Wellbeing
Discussions about digital risk and misuse can surface sensitive or complex issues, including scams, privacy breaches, or harmful online experiences. These need to be handled with care and maturity.
Teachers should:
Present scenarios in a controlled and age-appropriate way
Avoid exposing students to real harmful content or live examples of malicious QR codes
Be mindful that students may disclose prior unsafe experiences
It’s best practice to:
Focus on empowerment and what students can do to stay safe, rather than fear
Reinforce clear, actionable habits like checking and evaluating context before interacting
Align discussions with school policies and other guidance around digital safety and wellbeing
Extension: Video Essay (Recommended for Y9+)
For older learners (rec. Y9+), consider using this video to help explain and demonstrate aspects of a QR code in more detail. These sections are most relevant to this activity:
31:16-32:23 QR Code Safety [01:07]
‘Understanding QR Codes’ Series
This activity is one of a series of resources related to QR codes, designed to guide learners to understand and gain skills related to this digital tool. Check out these other activities in the collection: