Applicability of the Discord platform in the advancement of learning in the Introductory to Engineering Design course

Abstract

The 2020-2021 school year required unprecedented reliance on distance-based learning. With this dramatic change came an imperative to understand how to properly structure and utilize an online platform to foster community, education, and inclusion. In this exploratory paper we review the creation of a Discord server and report student usage data and qualitative testimonies for the Introduction to Engineering Design course at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) during the fall. If successful, Discord usage would increase frequency of communication, an indirect measure of engagement with the course, between students and thus potentially lead to learning enhancement [1]. The paper briefly touches on four topics; a strategy of implementation and structure of a Discord server, results found from a student survey and interviews, faculty impressions of student behavior, and our conclusions, including future work for upcoming semesters.