Discord

Discord is a voice, video and text communication platform, designed for creating communities. It allows users to communicate with voice calls, video calls, text messaging as well as distribute media and files in private chats or as part of communities called “servers”. Discord servers are organized into topic-based channels where you can collaborate, share, and just talk about your day without clogging up a group chat. Discord runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, and in web browsers.

Discord in Higher Ed

Discord is a message board platform that college students have increasingly adopted as a way to communicate with one another outside class and in the absence of real-life opportunities for connection during remote learning. It was originally developed for gamers as a platform for voice and text chat while gaming, but it is now used by a variety of nongaming online communities as well. In higher ed, Discord use first emerged in STEM courses but has since migrated to other disciplines.

Macnamara & Zachmeier (2021): My Students Started a Discord Server. Now What?

Types of uses

• informal communities
• classroom discussions
• document collaboration
• low-latency audio/videoconferencing
• screen share and streaming

What it looks like

Supported alternatives

• MS Teams

Useful information and tips

• How to use Discord for your classroom
• Channeling Learning: Using Discord for Education
• Inside Higher Ed: My Students Started a Discord Server. Now What?
• Discord servers: Teaching

About this tool

Name: Discord
Vendor: Discord, Inc.
Website: discord.com
Cost: Free (ad-supported)
Status: third-party platform

Approved for:

Support available: From the vendor’s support website