CouchSurfing University

The CouchSurfing University is simply an exchange of knowledge and skills between CouchSurfers in accordance with the CouchSurfing mission. Naturally, CouchSurfers are already exchanging information in an exciting and dynamic way as they travel and meet others. Some, however, have expressed the potential to expand this part of the mission for more focused and guided learning possibly similar to a university course.

CSC Austria proposal

CS University (CSU) first saw the light of dawn at the CouchSurfing Collective in Austria July 2006. A group of participants and one cameraman came up with a written proposal posted on the CS Phoenix Wiki.

In summary their proposal includes the development of a tree-like structure for course categorization, teaching documents and supplements available on Wikiversity, the selection of a dean and a distinct sub-website uni.couchsurfing.com to host the program.

Alternative or provisional methods

• CouchSurfing profiles already include a reference to CSU. At present this is merely a text box but it could be made into a coded area where users can post courses they wish to teach. They would be able to add as many courses they like by category, title and description. The CouchSearch system would then be able to interact with this data in a search by course feature, only showing users offering courses.

• The Couchsurfing Collective in Nelson New Zealand has started a trial campus for CSU. They have listed courses they are willing to teach, things they want to learn, and shared learning experiences that are available. You can check it out!

• add your ideas here

What to Do?

• If there's a subject that you would like to see on CSU or if you think that you would participate in CSU please add it to our potential course list to give us a better understanding of what CouchSurfing University would look like.

• Discuss different possible forms for CSU
  • separate website closely associated with CouchSurfing.com
  • system integrated into existing user profile and CouchSurfing functions
  • using CS Group

• Feature Implementation

• Contact people interested in working on this.

Related Projects

• CSU Nelson NZ

• Traveling School Of Life

• School of Everything

• Open-University-Net, The page is momentarily not online, contact for informations and networking: jrw at o-u-n dot org

• Wikiversity has many useful resources and discussions on collective learning and self-teaching.

csgroup:2224

Subjects

• Creativity
• Food
• Computer Programming
• Music
• Happiness
• Recommended Reading
• CSU Nelson NZ