Resource Name: SideVibe

URL: http://www.sidevibe.com

Uses: Archive Content, Quiz and Assess, Respond and Reflect

Description: Sidevibe is a floating toolbar which can provide students with a list of tasks and links, allowing them to visit and interact with multiple web sites, while not losing the flow of the assignment.

From the site: "SideVibe is a breakthrough Web solution for teachers that lifts the traditional paper handout to a online interactive guide taking students through explorations of learning with Web content."

Here's the first tutorial (there are a few more on YouTube) that shows you how the site actually walks you through the creation process. They did a nice job simplifying what could other wise be a complicated process.

How SideVibe plays nicely with other web tools:

Sample Applications for the Reading/Language Arts Classroom:

• Challenge students to gather background information needed for better understanding of a classroom novel.
  
• Assign students one side or another of an argument, providing them with related articles and site to seek out supporting evidence for their point of view.
• Provide students a self-guided tour through a number of "tool" sites, and then allow them to choose the tool (such as an image editor) which they'll sue for an upcoming assignment.
  
• Allow students to read the four sources for the same news item, and discuss differences in the reporting styles.
  

Notes and Caveats:

• Learning the ins and outs of how to use this tool (as a teacher) is an investment in time. Don't try to figure it out ten minutes before students arrive to class.

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