The reason why, and how.
Since the pandemic began, learning and education still exists no matter what happens. Online classes are always making trouble about communication as majority problem. Like, it’s really didn’t effective when learning being applied using video call platforms such as Zoom, Meet, and etc. (Tbh, I didn’t know that ‘Zoom’ exists early as a video call conference rather than Google meet).
That’s why this is the main conflict how I can get to know & close with Discord then using as the main platform to me for a solution about beating online class since 2nd Semester.
How do I get to know Discord?
I was looking for a platform to keep communicate by voice when I playing online games. Then I’m with my friend’s college found & suggest Discord as a communication platform which is mostly used by the gamers community.
Shortly, I’m making a Discord server for gaming purposes — before pandemic appears in my country and start the first lockdown.
Like using in-game voice, and listening to the music by using bots, and much more. There are no educational purposes, purely for gaming and entertainment. — Because lockdown hasn’t applied tho, so we can go to campus as usual and working assignment easier (because resource is available and easy to use).
Since 2th semester, I mean the middle of the 2nd semester. We heard the news about Covid-19 eventually reach into our country. Over time, the cases rise up and the government giving a lockdown statement, I can say that is the first time statement which was forced to continue class by online no matter what.
Our study program apparently combined practice and theory. Normally we learn by lecturer explanation and live-practice, but in this situation.. almost impossible.
In this case, I start to develop my Discord server as a discussion, even though I have only one member who was always playing online-game together.
I start to learn how to channel mechanisms in Discord. Like how voice-channel works like certain virtual rooms, role-play, and much more. I realize Discord has such rich features, especially when you specialize in coding/programming which you can interact with Discord API using ‘Discord JS’ featured by powerful Node.js. .. and much more.
But keep in mind that I haven’t reached those skills.. so I’m trying to use my own server as media for discussion. At that time, I still have 2–3 members which are (2 friends from college, 1 close friend but not the same university), thanks to the role-playing mechanism. So I can apart them and manage our conversation to private each other.
I make roles that can separate. Who college friends, who foreigners. This means when we share about college stuff, foreigners won’t notice or read about it. I mean it is about our privacy, even it is just college stuff.
As I thought, the online class won’t be effective if we didn’t keep discussing or do brainstorming with each other. The discussion will make strengthen understanding. However, we didn’t really understand instead from the lecturer explaining but from brainstorming, we can share thoughts and comprehension will rise together eventually.
The first experience that I still remember is when the 2nd semester that has a ‘Cataloging’ course. The main objective is understanding how the mechanism of cataloging, which this course should be held as live practice with real or physical books. You know, when you wanna sort a book. You should know how the book is, not based on recap book is it.. but from the physical book, so you/I can sort (cataloging) properly.
But in this condition, it is impossible to trough using live practice in the faculty library. Fortunately, the lecturer giving us a chance to using our private books and try to catalog itself.
So the next problem is, “How the Cataloging mechanism works??”
Lecturer giving us explanation properly, I think I am is one of minority whom didn’t get it properly. So I need to conclude it by myself.
To strengthen the comprehension, I’m tryna find who also didn’t understand properly so we can discuss it together by brainstorming each other and drawing conclusions.
What kind of platform which can support properly to discuss this? The answer is Discord.
I have a reason why I decided to use Discord as discussion media, although Discord commonly using as gaming or entertainment:
- Discord has a channel mechanism, which this such a room that can separate topics from each other
- Discord has a role-play mechanism, this makes members/users join the server can briefly explain their existence here (as Admin? Member? Owner? or etc)
- Discord has a unique voice call mechanism, I would say like a room (which room do you want to enter?)
- Discord well organized even for complexity organization
- and much more that I haven’t explore
Apparently, Discord is using for gaming or entertainment. Like sharing memes, or much more (before pandemics begin). But now Discord is quite decent for learning or educational stuff, compared to Telegram or WhatsApp.. or another ones. I guess Discord is quiet decent and can be considered as a media/platform to face up online-class.
But, Discord also have negative issues that can not be avoided. Mostly.. or usually Discord have deep feature about conversation stuff, even tough it just chatting & chilling. But it would trigger a serious problem such as:
- Discord can be an access to pornography and exploitation
- Discord is difficult to moderate
- Discord makes it easy for predators to contact children
- Discord makes cyberbullying even easier
- Kids can also use Discord for bullying
From those negative issues, it can be avoided if the users/members did not join or sink too deep in the world of Discord servers. I have a member that she’s didn’t join any server except my own server because she needs another way to discuss that can strengthen her understanding of the courses. And a result, she didn’t know about negative issues in Discord, even furthermore she recommends her friends to use Discord as the main platform for discussion and exist understanding by brainstorming discussion.
Depends on users. Because Discord only provides access and features for communication. Another feature like bots & servers is just developed by talented users. So we as users can separate and understand, which community do you want to join.
Furthermore, Discord has a unique user ID which can minimalize and prevent suspicious users that finding random victims to your ID.
For example: YourName#9999
So who wants to add a friend or send a message, they should know your name and your number hashtag id. With this system, the random users won’t through messages into your account otherwise if you’ve joined random servers. The issues can be minimized if you don’t join in random server. Even though, official server may still trigger those negative issues (I’ll explain later).
Back to the core, Discord can be considerable for educational purposes. Especially for discussion, and resources. But there’s also lots cons about it, but compared with other platform like WhatsApp or Telegram. Discord has more rich feature that 2 apps which major used by peoples.
Considering those negative issues, Discord may can be considerable for college students which has decent logic and proper ethic about how to do in the internet. Which they should have proper experience about surfing trough the internet, and quiet know about how far/deep internet is.
Those negative issues are trigger because the users. Not from Discord itself, because based on Discord Terms of Services.. Discord strict against those negative issues, but still lots of users may didn’t notice or just slip away about it.
So the conclude is Discord are considerable for educational purposes stuff or just focus on discussion & material Edu for preparing online-class to the future.
Resource:
https://discord.com/
https://discord.js.org/#/
https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/210298617-Markdown-Text-101-Chat-Formatting-Bold-Italic-Underline-
https://www.defendyoungminds.com/post/dangers-of-discord-6-steps-safeguarding-teens-on-popular-chat-app
https://discord.com/terms