Web based semantic visualization to explore knowledge spaces - an approach for learning by exploring

Searching in web is a topic which gains importance for the daily life of everybody in today's information society. Web users have experienced the hype of Web 2.0, acquired knowledge about new innovative user interfaces like Flicker, Del.ico.us, Google Maps and YouTube and become User 2.0. Now they are ready to move towards new semantic technologies and semantic visualization techniques. This paper introduces the tool "SemaVis", a innovative tool for semantic visualization. SemaVis allows users to navigate through knowledge spaces and to build own mind maps. It can used to support "Learning by Exploring" in different pedagogical approaches. Furthermore, it allows users to configure knowledge spaces and to organize their placement in the same way as they are used to do on their desktop or pin board. As a case study, usage of SemaVis in project UNITE (Unified eLearning environment for the schools), partly funded by EU, is presented.