[R U X] Corner
................................................................................ We are graduate and undergraduate students in the Research in User eXperience (RUX) Lab in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. RUX investigates the usability and user experience of technology in our everyday world. This is a regular column that explores different technologies typically used by Embry-Riddle students. ................................................................................
A Game Changer or a Game Breaker? Ana Gonzalez-Hoy, Ameer Hosein, Carmen Van Omen | Graduate Researchers Jose Mathew, Weerachet Sinlapanuntakul | Undergraduate Researchers Discord is an online communication platform that organization. However, the other two students preferred allows users to send direct messages and chat in a group GroupMe and text messaging. using voice, text, or video. Users can organize their group chats into different channels for specific subjects. Class Communication Generally used for gaming, it has recently started to be Students loved Discord because it created a small used in professional communities and schools. community that enhanced participation and made the professor more approachable for class-related Experiences with Discord in Class questions. Students rated Discord as their favorite platform for class communication. While it may break In some classes at Embry-Riddle, Discord is used as the traditional professional communication between a class communication platform, in addition to the students and professors, it is still a preferred, appropriate traditional tools. While Canvas and emails are still used platform as long as ground rules are established on the to communicate and check grades, most class discussions first day of class. take place on Discord where channels are created for students to work together in groups. We interviewed three Professionalism students about their experience using Discord in a faceStudents did not find a problem separating personal to-face class as the main class communication platform. and professional life when using Discord. They believed professor involvement is an essential part of running Video Chat the Discord channel; without it, there would be less Although Discord’s screen sharing can take longer to professionalism, and the channel would be disorganized. display than other software, joining a video chat is still convenient when students cannot make it to class, as Discord in General the professor checks it at the start of every class. Though Students described Discord as a way to connect with Discord was an available option, students still preferred their classmates and the professor, making everyone feel Zoom for video communication. included even without participating in Discord-based conversation. With its diverse features, Discord is an ideal Team Communication platform for large group communication. Nevertheless, Discord allowed them to keep track of all the files, links, the learning curve seems to hold some students back, and deadlines, integrate different bots, create different especially novices. Moreover, using it during class can be channels, and quickly hop on a call without creating a link a double-edged sword as sending texts back and forth to to send out. One student rated Discord as their favorite the whole class can distract others. Setting up the channel team communication platform because of its features and is also extra work for the professor. Page 14