Presenter: Olivia Kelly

Discover how Discord—commonly used for gaming—was transformed into a powerful space for learning, community, and collaboration. This 30-minute session blended presentation and roundtable discussion to showcase findings from a project investigating Discord as an academic communication platform. The research highlighted how it fostered peer support, increased engagement, and enabled informal learning interactions that enhanced the distance education experience. We heard how these findings can reshape how we think about digital learning environments and explore the potential of alternative platforms to build stronger student connections.