Sharlok: bridging learners through active knowledge awareness

This paper describes active knowledge awareness for creating collaboration in a open ended group learning system, Sharlok (Sharing, linking and looking-up knowledge). Sharlok has knowledge building and collaborative learning environment connected via Internet. To enhance collaboration opportunities in this situation, active knowledge awareness automatically informs the learner if someone is interested in the same knowledge and if someone has the same problem. The messages are, for instance, "someone is looking at the same knowledge that you are looking at", and "someone discussed the knowledge which you have inputted". The spontaneous collaboration which is created by this awareness, facilitates to refine and evolve both learners' knowledge and shared knowledge.