If you are looking for an opportunity for “experiential” learning, may I boldly suggest you participate in a Twitter chat. 

Last week, I participated in the monthly ADRHub.com Twitter chat, along with a dozen other mediators and professionals (plus a few lurkers?) who practice non-adversarial approaches to conflict resolution. 

Here’s what I got out of it:

1. had fun
2. felt welcomed, part of a community
3. gave answers to others questions
4. got answers to my questions
5. learned some things I didn’t know about my peers 
6. benefited from serendipity; “I didn’t know that…”
7. enjoyed others’ wit, humour, brevity!
8. enjoyed the spirit of generosity – paying it forward
9. made new connections AND felt part of a conversation
10. practiced real-time cyber communication skills; no pain, no gain!
11. further appreciated the work of a great organization, Mediators Beyond Borders (courtesy of the chat’s special guest, Prabha Sankaranarayan @prabha_sankar )
12. got stumped – why was I not a Mediators Beyond Borders member?
13. observed two practitioners skilled at online hosting, Jason Dykstra and Jeff Thompson (@jasondyk , @mediatorjeff )
14. nourished our ADR community-of-practice
15. saw how structure and chaos can work hand-in-hand, and what could be more important than that! 

In the chat I routinely join in on, we use the #adrhubchat hashtag, on Twitter.  The chat happens the last Wednesday of the month, from 8-9 pm EDT.  The next one is April 25. 

Twitter chats happen all the time.  Find one that fits with your community interests.  Take a chance.  Join in.   You’ll have a blast, and so will your community!

And, if you’re a Twitter chat veteran, what would you add to the above list?

[photo credit: mikebaird on Flickr]