This article contains a little background on skillshares:
"Got a skill? Share it." Boston Globe (4/3/08)
http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2008/04/03/got_a_skill_share_it/

Skillshares at Simmons College Graduate School of Library & Information Science
http://gslis.simmons.edu/wikis/plg/2007_Skill_Share