Write or Remain Silent: How to Start a Cascade (or at Least Some Ripples and Waves)

After reading everyone's final essays and visiting all of the blogs and Facebook groups, I have to say, you have started some amazing projects. I know some of you may not have grand ambitions for your new blogs and Facebook groups, yet it's easy to see that quite a few of you not only have an important vision, but a plan and a desire to keep working to make a change in the world.

Even if you do not see yourself being an avid blogger now that the semester is over, I am asking all of you -- as in everybody -- for a favor. A number of you mentioned feeling disappointed that more people hadn't joined your Facebook groups. Since your group is one of the best ways to publicize your blog, the more people you can attract to the group the higher your blog's profile is likely to be.

So here's the favor: Teaching the two sections of this course this semester was very rewarding for me, and among the many things I valued about the experience is the sense of camaraderie and community that was developed in both the classroom and on the blog. As a way to continue in that spirit, I would like to encourage you all to visit your classmates' blogs and to join their Facebook groups.

This second step is really important. As you all know by now, when you join a group, this will appear to anyone who can view your feed, which in turn will allow people in your networks to learn about their existence. Simply by joining the groups, which takes no time at all, you will surely help grow the groups and increase the visibility of your classmates' blogs. Combined, you can reach thousands of others (the 11 public profiles I could view boast a combined 4,719 friends)!

Below you find links to everyone's blogs and Facebook groups. Please visit the blogs and join the groups, and make any contributions to others' efforts that you can.

Thank you!

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