Virtual Learning Center on Discord
The Virtual Learning Center is a place on Discord to study and connect informally with other LBCC students. We're waiting to meet you there.
To get started:
Click on the invitation to LBCC's Virtual Learning Center Discord server: https://discord.gg/geMqSqV
- You have the option of either using the web client or downloading the Discord app. For more information about either option, go to Getting Started with Discord.
- You'll be asked to create an account with your email, a username, and password.
- Discord will send you a confirmation email to your email address. Once verified, you are automatically joined to the VLC Discord.
What is Discord?
“A new way to chat with your communities and friends.”
Discord is an app that you can download on your computer, phone, or other internet-accessing
device that you can use to connect with people via text, voice, and video. If you
do not have a device that can download the app, you can also use Discord in your web
browser!
The Server List
Found on the farthest left-hand side of the app/webpage
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If you are starting with a brand-new Discord account, this will likely be empty until you have joined the LBCC Virtual Learning Center server.
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Our server icon is the LBCC Roadrunner. Left-clicking on this will take you to the Virtual Learning Center, where you will be able to see all of the pieces described in this document.
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If you want to add or create a new server (for example, you want to make a private server for your study group), left-click on the circle with the + sign.
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The circle at the top of the Server List is your Home page. This is where your (private) Direct Messages are. This is also where you can find your friends list.
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In your Direct Messages, you can have individual or group chats. You can send text, documents, and media through chat. You can also start voice or video calls with the individual or group chats.
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More info on how chat works can be found in the “Chat” section of this outline.
The Channel List
Found just to the right of the Server List.
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There are many channels in the LBCC Virtual Learning Center server! The most important and frequently used categories are kept at the top of the list for ease of access.
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Channels with the hashtag/pound (#) symbol are for text and media chat. When you select a # channel, the chat history will appear in the middle of your screen.
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Channels with the audio(🔊) symbol are voice channels. You can talk to other members of the server here.
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If you need help with any Discord-related questions or concerns that aren’t addressed in this document, you can post your questions to the #❓-help channel in the Information category.
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Our channels are organized by Categories. You can collapse (minimize) categories you don’t want to see by left-clicking on the name of the category; left-clicking again will expand it.
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You can also see more channels in your list by left-clicking the “x” on the information above your channels list. This will make more room for the channel list.
Text Chat
Found in the center of the Discord window, this is what occupies most of the screen.
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You can contribute to a text channel by typing into the bar directly below the chat. To submit your text, hit the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
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You can add attachments like images, PDFs, etc. from your computer or device using the + symbol to the left of the text bar.
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If you make a mistake or change your mind about something you posted, you have the ability to Edit or Delete your messages. Do this by moving your mouse over the message, and left-clicking the “...” icon that appears.
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You will notice that you cannot add posts to some channels (mainly the informational channels). This is indicated by a message in the text bar stating, “You do not have permission to send messages in this channel,” along with a 🚫 symbol in place of your cursor.
Channels you cannot post in: -
#🐣-welcome
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#📃-rules
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#💻-help-desks
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#📋-resources
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#📢-announcements
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Please note: when asking questions in the #❓-help channel, you can only send one message every 2 minutes. This is to help reduce the volume of questions, concerns, and requests at a given time so that our moderators have time to respond. You still have the ability to Edit your question if you make a mistake, as described above.
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If you want to grab the attention of a particular member in one of your posts, you can type the “@” symbol. This will pop up a list of all members and roles available to mention. You can continue to type (without spaces) the name of the person you want to mention until their name shows up on the list. Once you find the name you’re looking for, either left-click the name or hit “tab” to select it.
Voice & Video Chat
Found in the channel list in the “Student Study Rooms” category.
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While you are in a voice channel, you can still access the various chat channels.
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There are three indicators that you are connected to a voice/video channel:
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Your name is listed under the channel name (all members connected to a voice channel will appear listed under that channel).
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An audio (🔊) icon appears in the corner of the server icon.
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A “Voice Connected” message appears at the bottom left of your browser/app.
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You can mute/unmute and deafen/undeafen yourself while in a voice channel by either left-clicking the microphone and headset icons at the bottom of the window next to your profile name, or by right-clicking your name in the voice channel and checking the mute/deafen boxes.
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When the microphone and/or headset icons have a red slash through them, that indicates you are muted and/or deafened. (These icons appear next to your name in the voice channels as well).
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Above the mute/deafen options at the bottom of your window, there is also a “Go Live” icon indicated by a computer monitor with an arrow on it. You can use this to share your screen with other members in your voice channel by left-clicking that icon. To end your screen-share, simply left-click the icon again.
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To join another member’s screen-share, hover your mouse over the member’s name with the red LIVE indicator. A window will pop up with a Join Stream option to left-click.
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To the left of the “Go Live” icon, you can also start Video with your study group while connected to a voice channel. For more information on the different view options for Discord’s Video feature, visit the following link: Server Video
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To disconnect from a voice channel, left-click the disconnect icon at the bottom of the window (a phone with an x next to it--to the right of the “Voice Connected” message).
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Note: If you forget to disconnect from a voice channel and your account goes idle (this does not apply if you are using the browser version of Discord), you will be automatically muted and moved to an “AFK” voice channel in the Student Study Rooms category.
The Members List
Found on the far right of the Discord window.
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Most members of our server will be found listed under the ONLINE or OFFLINE categories. Some members have roles that are listed like AREA LEADS, WRITING ASSISTANTS, etc. These are the roles of our Learning Center and other LBCC staff.
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You can left-click on any member to view more information like their username, role, and status. From here, you can also add a note to yourself about that member as well as send that member a direct message.
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You can right-click on any member to see their profile, mention in your current channel, direct message, call (starts a private voice call), add friend (if their privacy settings allow), block, etc.
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The more members that join the server, the harder it will be to find members without a role in the list. Remember that you can also access the above options when you see a member’s name in the chat or voice rooms.
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You can change your nickname to display different than your username in the server by right-clicking your name in the Members List, then left-clicking “Change Nickname.”
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We recommend you use your preferred name as your server nickname.
User & App Settings
Found in the bottom-left corner of the Discord window, near your name, left-click
on the gear (⚙) icon. Note: to exit any Settings page, press ESC
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There are many ways you can personalize your account. Here, we will only highlight a few key details. For more info on Account Settings, please visit Account Settings on Discord’s support page.
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We highly recommend that new users start by changing their User Settings under Privacy & Safety to the following settings:
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Under SAFE DIRECT MESSAGING, select the “Keep me safe” option for Discord to scan and delete direct messages that contain explicit media content. Choose these options at your discretion.
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Under WHO CAN ADD YOU AS A FRIEND, switch off all three options (Everyone, Friends of Friends, and Server Members).
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You may change the above settings at any time once you have become more comfortable and familiar with Discord.
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Discord also has some accessibility options in the App Settings under Appearance.
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Some of these options include Chat Font Size, Space Between Message Groups, and Zoom Level.
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For mouse-free useage, you can add Keybinds for shortcuts not already set (please visit [Windows] Discord Hotkeys on Discord’s support page for more info).
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Under Notifications, you can turn on Text-To-Speech notifications as well as turn off sound indicators for specific Discord actions.
Notification Settings
There are tons of channels on our server! To keep you from being overwhelmed with
notifications, we recommend “muting” the server by following these steps:
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Right-click the Server Icon (the circle with the yellow and white roadrunner--see The Server List information category below if you can’t find it).
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Select “Notification Settings.” A new window should appear.
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Turn on “Mute LBCC Virtual Learning Center,” and select under Mute duration, “Until I turn it back on.”
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Left-click “Done” to save this setting.
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If you would like to receive notifications for any particular channel (for example, #math-111), right-click the channel, and select Notifications and check the “All Messages” box. Note: Server Default is “Only @mentions.”
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You can also “Mute” a category or specific channel following the above steps for muting the server. In addition to not receiving notifications of unread messages from these channels, this will darken the name of the category or channel, and muted categories will remain minimized until they are unmuted.
Other Safety Tools
You have control over what you hear and who can message you!
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If you are in a voice chat with a group, and an unwanted/rude member refuses to leave, you can right-click on that member’s name in the channel and check the “Mute” box. (You can also increase or decrease that member’s volume this way).
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If a member or other user is sending you unwanted messages, you can block them by right-clicking the member’s name anywhere you see it (Member List, Voice Channel, Chat Channel, Direct Messages) and left-clicking “Block.”
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Please report any harassment that you witness or experience from/on our server or through direct messages from LBCC members!
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Save screenshots of any incident if you can.
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You can report any witnessed or experienced incidents at this link: http://linnbenton-advocate.symplicity.com/public_report
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We do accept anonymous reports, but we can better investigate if we have a named source. We do our best to protect identities of those who report.
Direct Messaging
Found on your “Home” screen.
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Like channels, your private conversations, or Direct Messages (DMs), can be found on the left-hand side of your Home screen.
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Your conversations are labelled with the name(s) of the person or people you are chatting with. (See The Members List section for how to start DMs from the server).
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You can start a group conversation with Friends on Discord…
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“New Group DM” at the top-right corner of your home screen (while in the “Friends” tab), or...
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“Create DM” (+) icon next to DIRECT MESSAGES on the left-hand side of the home screen or...
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selecting the “Add Friends to DM” icon at the top of an open conversation.
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You can start voice or video calls with your DMs by selecting the phone or camera icons at the top of the chat (to the left of the “Add Friends to DM” icon).