Conversations with colleagues in Albuquerque at the Theory to Practice II Conference: How Can We Teach so it Takes gave rise to the idea of gathering together educators for the purpose of sharing or "swapping" pedagogical practices/ideas for teaching conflict management. Since that conference, the Consortium on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (CNCR) developed and convened a series of the CNCR Swap Meets. Meeting with other educators to discuss, share, and demonstrate methods for teaching conflict management to adults has generated much interest.
The CNCR Swap Meet Sourcebook is available online in .pdf format.
In March 2003, the CNCR hosted the first meeting at Timber Ridge Conference Center in Atlanta. Invited participants included Ansley Barton, Kennesaw State University; Michael Elliott, Georgia Institute of Technology; Tom Fiutak, University of Minnesota; Ken Frank, Brenau University; Carol Orme-Johnson, MIT; Jennifer Lynch, consultant, Ottawa; Jennifer L. Schulz, Osgoode Hall Law School, Ontario; Peter Shedd, University of Georgia; Robert Stains, Public Conversations Project; Beverly Schaffer, Emory University; Susan Trageser, North Carolina State University; Bill Warters, Wayne State University; and Ellen Zweibel, University of Ottawa. The outcome and feedback from this first meeting was overwhelmingly positive with comments such as "riveted by all presentations", "terrific idea, well-organized; most relevant and useful", "exceptional", "could open up controversial issues", "absolutely fabulous" and "let's do it again." Spurred by these remarks, the CNCR conducted two more Swap Meets.
The second CNCR Swap Meet was hosted by the Spark Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaii in March, 2005. Invited guests were John Barkai, University of Hawaii; Bruce Barnes, University of Hawaii; Ben Carroll, University of Hawaii; David Chandler, University of Hawaii; Betty A. Ching, consultant; Donna R. Ching, consultant; Linda Colburn, consultant; Karen Cross, University of Hawaii; Kaleo Patterson and Ha'aheo Guanson, Native Hawaiian Coalition; Brain Jarrett, University of Hawaii; and Kem Lowry, University of Hawaii.
The CNCR Swap Meet in April, 2005 was offered as a pre-conference workshop for the University and College Ombuds' Association’s Twentieth Annual Conference held in Atlanta. Jean DeCosta of California State Polytechnic Institute, Sandy McDermott of Portland State University, Carmen McKines of University of California Berkeley, Mary Chavez Rudolph of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, and Tom Sebok of the University of Colorado were the ombuds who shared their favorite teaching/training exercises.
