CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The development of technology 4.0 cannot be separated from daily life and

learning. In the current era, ICT has been used to conduct online class meetings through

various available applications. ICT can increase learning and teaching experiences by

using technologies capable of making virtual class meetings and solving problems during

the pandemic when teachers and students are forced to conduct online meetings.

The key to success in learning and teaching is to conduct blended learning online

and face-to-face with various applications such as Discord. Furthermore, blended

learning is essential to combine face-to-face and online simultaneously (Efriani et al.,

2020). It should be understood that the obstacles in teaching and learning are due to the

lack of use of English outside the classroom; therefore, students do not have the

opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they gain from lessons. Odinokaya et al.

(2021) stated that we believe that the incorporation of Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) in education presents a prospect for fostering an English language

setting, both within and beyond the confines of the classroom.

The advantages of using ICT in the learning process can be applied to the success

of students' speaking skills. But in the ability to speak English, students still encounter

some challenges. Kashinathan & Aziz (2021) state that communication abilities remain

consistent across different English dialects and, in essence, should be adaptable to other
languages as well. In this case, it may seem English teachers are well aware that ESL

students find it challenging to transfer speaking skills from one language to another.

Learners need more genres of language knowledge and engage in, in particular, class

participation. They should be familiar with lessons for organizing and linking speech and

interactive speech turn frames. Practical understanding, grammar, vocabulary, and

phonological skills are essential for students. Consequently, the demands extend beyond

this, and when confronted with such a comprehensive list, students might easily become

apprehensive. They will be less confident producing L2 utterances, let alone using them

in daily communication.

According to Kashinathan & Aziz (2021), communication is so essential in all

aspects of life. We engage in communication to express messages, share and exchange

information, and depict occurrences in our lives. The skill of speaking serves two primary

purposes: a transactional function, facilitating the exchange of information, and an

interpersonal process, enabling the formation of connections. Human beings possess the

innate capacity for speech even prior to acquiring reading and writing skills. Throughout

various opportunities, individuals devote considerable time to vocal communication in

language rather than relying solely on written means. The act of speaking holds

significance due to its role in sustaining conversations. The challenge in speaking English

arises from the necessity for the speaker to demonstrate proficiency in diverse aspects,

encompassing pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, across

various contexts. If students can master English well, they must be able to communicate

with others effectively and efficiently.

 Many studies have tested the efficacy of ICT in teaching and learning.

Kashinathan & Aziz (2021) qualitatively analyzed data collected from undergraduate

students in the College of Education of the University of Rwanda. To determine whether

to use ICT in learning literature, what are the challenges when using ICT, and how can

these challenges be solved for effective online learning? The result appears to be the

assumption that online teaching is more detrimental than beneficial for learners without

using ICT gadgets.

In line with the efficacy of ICT in teaching and learning. Wulanjani (2018)

mentioned that conducting qualitative research aims to explain the students' behaviour.

The result is that many of the students gave positive opinions and responses to using the

Discord application in learning. And Discord itself, as ICT is new for students in the

classroom. Some students have never used it.

One of the uses of ICT is the Discord Application, as the latest innovation in

helping listening classes, especially in learning in the 4.0 era. Wulanjani (2018) stated

Discord Applications is a popular voice chat application among gamers and streamers

that allows for Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and sending messages to other users.

According to Odinokaya et al. (2021), Discord, a no-cost messaging platform,

offers features like IP telephony and video conferencing, alongside the capability to

establish public and private chat spaces for sharing text and voice communications.

Initially designed for gamers to interact during gameplay, this platform has evolved

beyond its original purpose. It now encompasses additional features, serving as a space

where individuals sharing common interests can engage in discussions across diverse

subjects. By permitting the creation of both voice and text channels within a single
server, Discord facilitates the organized arrangement of essential educational material and

ensures easy access to the needed information. It can send text messages, make video

calls, share screens, etc. For this reason, this application has the potential to enhance

communication skills in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, showcasing their

vocabulary proficiency and comprehension abilities.

Supported in previous studies, Odinokaya et al. (2021) stated that evidence

demonstrates that Discord functions as a potent educational tool, providing users with

diverse connectivity and communication avenues. This platform offers convenience to

both educators and learners, emerging as an alternate avenue to enhance online learning

experiences. The integration of the Discord app with other educational resources

enhances its adaptability and user-friendliness, presenting numerous potential benefits as

a digital tool within educational contexts. Notably, the Discord application has been

noted to shift students' attitudes towards EFL classes, fostering increased engagement,

interactivity, and motivation.

With Discord Application, we can facilitate us to make a learning environment in

online learning. According to Wei-min Shen (1994), learning from the environment is a

complex process involving many activities. The machine learner must explore the

environment to identify the correlations between the learner's percepts and actions. It

must organize its experience in such a way that it can predict the future. It must plan its

activities to drive the environment into states that satisfy its desires. It must improve its

model of the environment when mistakes are identified. Finally, it must coordinate all

these activities coherently so that activities happen at the right time and do not interfere.
 Learner autonomy through a focus on learner reflection and taking responsibility

for one's learning processes has become a central concern in the recent history of

language teaching (Al Asmari, 2013; Balçikanli, 2010; Benson, 2001; Borg et al., 2012;

Chan, 2010; Murphy, 2008; Yan, 2012).

We need to be more precise about what autonomous learning is. Wei-min Shen

(1994) stated that autonomous learning does not imply learning. In saying "Autonomous

learning," has a special kind of learning. Such learning is active. It is learning by doing,

interacting with the environment, and having a purpose. By definition, autonomous

systems that learn from their environments must be able to predict the consequences of

their actions to direct their efforts to achieve their goals purposefully.

Another statement about autonomy comes from Benson (2001). Autonomy is

about people taking more control over their lives - individually and collectively.

Autonomy in learning is about people taking more control over their learning in

classrooms and outside them. Autonomy in language learning is about people taking

more control over the purposes for which they learn languages and how they learn them.

Likewise, the development of ICT makes the need for ICT align with the requirements of

learning in teaching and speaking. Make students accustomed to using ICT in the

learning and teaching process in the classroom and outside the classroom and effectively

improve the ability of students to produce language outcomes for students.

This study tries to implement the utilization of the Discord Application as the

latest innovation to change conventional speaking classes to virtual speaking classes.

Which Discord Application allows users to post on various media.

 This study suggests an in-depth analysis of the use of the Discord Application in

speaking. This study focuses on students' perception of Discord applications to improve

their speaking. The difference between this study and the previous research is that it tries

to reveal students' perceptions when using Discord Application in speaking mastery

through autonomous learning, which is still rarely found. So, it will analyze the students'

perception of the Discord Application to improve their speaking.

The study will conduct to know students' perception towards Discord Application

with learners' autonomy support on the 1st semester EFL students to improve their

speaking. Hopefully, it can help students use this application in their speaking mastery.

1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic

From experience teaching PPL during a pandemic, held online using various ICT

media to communicate between teachers and students. Face-to-face meetings were fit

using the Zoom Application to teach English class 8th grade junior high school as

assignments and quizzes in the form of Google Forms.

ICT in learning is still familiar to students and was only applied in the pandemic

era when schools implemented online classes. In contrast to traditional face-to-face

learning in general, the teacher forces students to break the silence before they are ready.

They must use some components of language that students do not understand and learn

instinctively. As a result of their lack of proficiency in mastering English, students show

poor speaking performance.

Therefore, the author was inspired to use one of the ICT gadgets, Discord

Application, in the Speaking class learning as the chosen topic. Moreover, when ICT
apply in virtual speaking classes, it is hoped that students will be more confident and

accustomed to expressing their opinions to others and can participate more in style with

the assistance of the Discord Application.

1.3 Research Questions

The research question included the following:

1. How does students' perception towards Discord to improve their speaking?

2. How does Discord Application help students' in mastering speaking?

1.4 Research Objective

The research objectives included the following:

1. To explain students' perception towards Discord Application to improve their

speaking.

2. To describe that Discord Application helps students' in mastering speaking.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The result of this research is to be helpful and meaningful to:

1.5.1. The Students

This study expected to make EFL students able to improve speaking skill

mastery through the Discord application. Students can likely access an English-

Speaking class anywhere. But also can make students more enthusiastic and

enjoyable during learning.

 1.5.2. The Researcher

Many studies have proven that the application of ICT can develop the

ability of skilled students because ICT can create a learning environment where

students can practice their speaking skills.

1.6 Definition of Key Terms

Definition
Odinokaya et al., Discord is defined as “a free messenger with support for IP
(2021)
telephony and video conferencing and the possibility to create

public and private chats for exchanging text and voice

messages”.

Kashinathan & Aziz Speaking is defined as “a fundamental ability that all language
(2021)
learners should master besides their other skills”.

1.7 Scope of the Limitation of the Study

1.7.1. Scope

This research delves into the potential of the Discord application to support the

teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speaking skills,

particularly in the context of mitigating the educational challenges posed by the Covid-19
pandemic. Discord chose because many students, being game enthusiasts, already use this

application for daily communication.

1.7.2. Limitation

The research investigates the use of the Discord application that allows us to

create an environment outside the classroom that provides various opportunities to

acquire EFL speaking ability.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Review of the Previous Studies

Many studies have shown students' experience in utilizing Discord applications. In

previous studies related to students' experience with Discord Application in learning.

Rakhmawan et al. (2020), Dixon (2022), Sartika et al. (2022), Vladoiu & Constantinescu

(2020), Patel (2019), Di Marco (2021), Mashud et al. (2021), Priambodo & Kadarina (2021),

Moreira (2021), Bakhov et al. (2021), Hieu et al. (2022), Tardelli (2021), Pardosi & Ming

(2021), and Wiles & Simmons (2022), mentioned that empirically proved with these

examples, it is easy to see that the utilization of Discord has helped students through the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Wulanjani (2018) stated utilizing Discord has the potential to enhance students'

listening skills by potentially influencing their attitudes, leading to increased activity, social

engagement, motivation, and creativity. Additionally, this study specifically narrowed its

research sample to university students.

In linguistics-related subjects, Ramadhan & Albaekani (2021) stated due to its

efficiency, usability, app size, and voice conversation function, Discord can be used to

improve students' communication skills. In addition, the research focused only on students'

perspectives in a senior high school. Assisted by Wahyuningsih & Baidi (2021) stated during

the Covid-19 pandemic, Discord proved effective as a virtual learning medium in an

elementary school by facilitating emergency remote learning. However, the research focused

on the attitudes of elementary school pupils toward Discord.

Previous studies on students' acceptance of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived

ease of use (PEOU) have been conducted in recent years. Arifianto & Izzudin (2021), Wijaya

(2022), Jannah & Hentasmaka (2021), and Ayob et al. (2022) demonstrated that students

readily embraced the perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) of Discord

as an effective educational platform. The results indicate that Discord is an appealing,

straightforward, and simple-to-use medium that does not require extensive mobile data.

In addition, Kruglyk et al. (2020) Additionally, they provided a comprehensive

comparison between Discord and comparable media. In comparison to the other media

mentioned, Discord has the fewest system requirements. It indicates that Discord has been

validated as the most efficient channel for facilitating teaching and learning. Moreover, the

system offered by Discord enables seamless connectivity across various devices, enabling

teachers to engage through laptops and students through smartphones, promoting effective

interaction.

In a similar direction, Dayana et al. (2021) and Ardiyansah et al. (2021) stated identical

satisfaction research studies on an alternative tool that fulfills the requirements of a virtual

classroom have demonstrated that students expressed contentment with the utilization of

Discord as an educational platform. Discord offers beneficial functionalities and a user-

friendly interface (UI) that resonates well with students, and the opportunity to engage in

interactive teaching and learning processes.

There is a study about autonomous learning. Wei-min Shen (1994) stated that it has

some significant issues to address if they support 'autonomous fully.' Hard choices regarding
 activities enabling students to experience and gain confidence in reflection are necessary. They

were exploring ways to encourage more active participation in online course conferences

through interactive tasks, which will feed into the assessment process, perhaps via an e-

portfolio. Autonomous learning works through a program of study based on their learning

needs rather than the time available. The implications of giving real control to the learner

within a course/unit framework need to be worked through carefully.

Based on the studies above, this research found a gap between those recent studies.

There is research about students' perception towards Discord Application with learners'

autonomy support to improve their speaking ability. As a result, the researcher will reveal

students' perception towards Discord Application with learners' autonomy support to improve

their speaking mastering, focusing on 1st semester EFL students to capture students' perception

towards Discord Application in speaking mastering.

2.2 Reviews of Theoretical Studies

2.2.1. Speaking

Harmer (2007) and Muhajir & Sri Redjeki (2018) have a similar statement that

speaking constitutes the foremost pivotal language skill, serving as a mechanism for

communication. By means of speech, individuals can effectively convey their notions,

viewpoints, and contemplations pertaining to the world. Proficiency in speaking

empowers individuals to effectively share their concepts and messages with others.

2.2.2. Speaking Activities

According to Harmer (2007), speaking activities can be divided into several

activities:
1. Acting from a script

Encourage the students to enact scenes from plays or their course materials,

and consider recording these performances. It's common for students to also perform

dialogues they have personally crafted.

2. Communication games

The objective of this activity is to prompt students to engage in rapid and fluent

conversation. Employ information-gap games where one student collaborates with a

partner to unravel a puzzle, depict and sketch, arrange items sequentially, or identify

similarities and disparities.

3. Discussion

In the discussion activity, students will engage in conversations on various

topics. The discussions can take on different formats, such as buzz groups, instant

comments, formal debates, or even impromptu discussions.

4. Prepared talks

A commonly favored activity involves prepared talks, where a student or a

group presents a topic they've chosen. These talks are distinct from casual, on-the-spot

conversations; since they are prearranged, they tend to resemble written presentations.

Nonetheless, it's advisable for students to speak from notes rather than following a

strict script whenever feasible.

5. Questionnaires

Questionnaires serve a valuable purpose as they are pre-arranged, ensuring that

both the questioner and respondent have topics to engage in conversation about.
 Depending on their level of structure, they might effectively promote the natural

utilization of specific recurring language patterns. This positioning places them in the

center of our communication spectrum.

6. Simulation and role-play

Simulation and role-play are effective techniques for fostering overall oral

fluency and preparing students for particular scenarios. During these exercises,

students should be acquainted with the context and supplied with adequate background

information to participate effectively. While encouraging creativity, it's important to

strike a balance – providing too little information could make the task challenging for

them.

2.2.3. Discord

Discord is a favored social media platform among worldwide enthusiasts for

enhancing communication during online gaming. Upon setting up a Discord account,

users gain the ability to form or join distinct servers or "groups," which cater to their

particular interests, as depicted in Figure 1.

 Figure 1. User Desktop Interface

Figure 1 shows a server list displaying users' created or joined servers on the left,

along with a text and audio channel list on the right. A communications feature in the

text channel allows users to communicate with others regardless of the text channel that

is currently in focus. The right portion of the page contains a list of users who have

joined the server.

The desktop version of Discord's user interface and features are quite similar to

the mobile version. The user must swipe left, however, to access the server and text and

voice channel lists. By scrolling right once, users can access the main interface

displaying the messaging function. From the primary interface, the user must swipe

right to access the member list, as shown in Figure 2.

 Figure 2. User Smartphone Interface

The user interface allows for the creation of text and voice channels to facilitate

server discussion. Text channels allow users to construct channels tailored to their

needs. For instance, users can establish a text channel for round-the-clock chat,

announcements, and the uploading of audio, video, and document files.

Within voice channels, users can craft personalized channels for discussions or

meetings, reminiscent of functionalities found in teleconferencing tools. Additionally,

users possess the ability to toggle their camera and microphone on and off according to

their preferences.

Its features are comparable to those of other social media platforms. Discord

encompasses a comprehensive array of features found in various other social media

platforms. These include instant messaging akin to WhatsApp and Telegram,

teleconferencing capabilities comparable to Google Meet and Zoom, and the option to

create custom servers, akin to platforms like Google Classroom and Edmodo.
 Furthermore, all these features come at no cost, and the consumption of cellular

data is reasonable, especially considering the voice channel function, which often poses

challenges for users on other social media platforms. Notably, Discord's utility extends

beyond gaming and finds relevance in educational contexts. Jannah & Hentasmaka

(2021) outlined several merits inherent to Discord's design attributes, such as its user-

friendly app interface, seamless class participation, unlimited usage, comprehensive

app functionalities, effective preservation of classroom history, the capability to revisit

stored materials and past conversations, effortless file-sharing, the option to

redownload previous files, and cost-effective data usage.

 2.3 Theoretical Framework

Students experience Discord

Application in Virtual Classroom

Questionnaire Interview

Analysis

Students’ perception towards Discord Discord Application helps students in

Applicarion to Improve speaking speaking mastering.
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

This study is qualitative research. Patton (1990) mentioned that Qualitative

research is an effort to understand situations in their uniqueness as a part of a particular

context and the interactions there. This understanding is an end itself, so it is not

attempting to predict what may happen in the future necessarily but to understand the

nature of that setting, what it means for participants to be in that setting, what their lives

are like, what's going on for them, what their meanings are, what the worlds look like in

that particular setting. The analysis strives for depth of understanding. Merriam (2002)

stated that qualitative research attempts to understand and make sense of phenomena

from the participant's perspective. The researcher can approach the phenomenon from an

interpretive, critical, or postmodern stance. The search for meaning and understanding

characterizes all qualitative research, the researcher as the primary data collection and

analysis instrument, an inductive investigative strategy, and a richly descriptive end

product.

The method used in this research is descriptive research with a qualitative

approach. Merriam (2002) stated that a basic descriptive qualitative study exemplifies all

the characteristics of qualitative research. That the researcher is interested in

understanding how participants make meaning of a situation or phenomenon, this

meaning is mediated through the researcher as an instrument, the strategy is inductive,

 and the outcome is descriptive. Mirhosseini (2020) Stated observation and interviewing

are the most widely used qualitative data collection procedures in almost all fields of

inquiry. Participation in the actual physical setting and the interpersonal atmosphere of a

context like a foreign language classroom can probably give you the richest type of

contextual data. Interviews can provide participants with rich accounts of their thoughts

and feelings.

In qualitative research, there are many ways to obtain the data. According to

Merriam (2002), Denzin (2009), Marecek & Magnusson (2020), DiCicco-Bloom &

Crabtree (2006), Whittemore et al. (2001), Heigham & Croker (1999), Sandelowski

(2004), Tsang et al., (2019), Becker et al., (2015), Russell & Gregory (2003), Wohlrapp

(2014), Fischer & Guzel (2022), and Denzin (2000) has a similar statement in conducting

a qualitative study; researcher seeks to discover and understand a phenomenon, a process,

the perspective and worldviews of the people involved, or a combination of these. The

data are obtained through observation, interview, or document analysis.

The researcher obtained the data sources for this qualitative research study

through questionnaires and interviews. This study aims to know students' perception

towards Discord Application with learners' autonomy support in their mastering speaking

for 1st semester of EFL students in Universitas Negeri Semarang.

3.2 Research Setting

The researcher conducts the research in English Education Program at Universitas

Negeri Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. English Education Program at Universitas

Negeri Semarang is selected because it has excellent accreditation (accredited A).

3.3 The Subject of the Study

The subject of the study was the 1 st semester of EFL students at English

Department in Universitas Negeri Semarang in the academic year of 2022/2023,

consisting of 37 (thirty-seven) students.

3.4 The object of the study

This research aims to explain students' perception towards Discord Application to

improve their speaking and whether Discord Application helps students in mastering

speaking.

3.5 Research Instrument

3.5.1 Interview Guideline

In addition, to collect deeper information from the participants. A semi-structured

interview was used in this study because this study was descriptive qualitative research,

and major data sources come from semi-structured interviews. Bilingual interview

instructions were provided so that participants could comprehend the topics to be

measured. All session was recorded using a tape or screen recorder, processed, and

transcribed into written form. Several interviews consisting of 6 (six) questions or more

samples were conducted to demonstrate their viewpoint concerning Discord Application

in mastering their speaking. The researcher interviewed the students with several

questions:

Questions

Aspect Dimension Question

1. The 1. Challenges in 1. How do you feel when using Discord

 subject speaking Application during online learning?

matter (Kashinathan Please explain!

knowledge & Aziz 2021) 2. Do you find any difficulties using

Discord Application in speaking

during online learning? Please mention

the difficulties and explain!

2. Speaking 3. How does Discord App help you learn

ability to speak? Please explain!

(Harmer 4. What is your opinion towards Discord

2007) App in helping you learn to speak?

Please explain!

3. Learning 5. Why would you prefer using Discord

media App for learning English to other

(Kruglyk et media, e.g., Google Meet and Zoom?

al., 2020) Please explain why!

6. Why did you look for an app such as

Discord Application for learning to

speak?

3.5.2 Questionnaire List

The questionnaire had 15 (fifteenth) questions related to students' perception

towards Discord Application with learners' autonomy support in speaking general and

will be distributed to the students using online forms. The questionnaire was a closed
 question. The questionnaires were then analyzed to identify questionable results, which

will be revealed further through interviews:

Scale
No Statement Item

Neutral Agree Fully Disagree Fully

Agre Disagree

1. Discord account registration is easy

(Kruglyk et al., 2020).

2. Discord enables me to meet face-to-face

and online with many students (Dayana

et al., 2021).

3. Discord lets me chat with my classmates

in real-time (Odinokaya et al., 2021).

4. I find Discord's user interface

interesting, e.g., the layout and the

interface colour (Abhinand &

Balasubramanian 2022).

5. Discord enables me to learn English;

speaking mastery is important (Harmer

 2007).

6. I will improve my speaking mastery

when I can't speak English using

Discord (Iwashita et al., 2008).

7. The speaking ability in using Discord is

important in communicating (Denzin

2000).

8. Discord enables me to speak English; it

is necessary to have the speaking ability

(Denzin 2000).

9. The function of having the speaking

ability in using Discord is for

communication (Harmer 2007).

10. The speaking ability in using Discord is

one of the elements in English (Denzin

2000).

11. Using the Discord Application can

facilitate speaking mastery (Harmer

2007).
12. In using Discord, there is a close

relationship between speaking ability

and speaking mastery (Harmer 2007).

13. Discord enables me to master the

Discord app can help make

communication easier (Vladoiu &

Constantinescu 2020).

14. Discord enables me to master my

speaking ability and can help make

speaking mastery easier (Harmer 2007).

15. Speaking ability influences speaking

mastery in using Discord (Denzin 2009).

3.6 Data Collection

3.6.1 Interview

The interview was used to collect deeper information from the participants. Using

interviews could collect deeper information from the interviewees. All session was

recorded using a tape or screen recorder, processed, and transcribed into written form.

Several interviews consisting of 6 (six) questions or more surveys were conducted to

determine their opinion of Discord Application. in mastering their speaking.

Merriam (2002) Defines three types of interviews:

A. Highly Structured

Where specific questions and the order in which they are asked are determined

ahead of time.

B. Unstructured

One topic has areas to explore, but neither the questions nor the order is

predetermined.

C. Semi-structured

Contains a mix of more and less structured questions. Usually, specific

information is desired from all the participants, forming the interview's highly structured

section.

According to Stanley (2015), in descriptive qualitative research, the major data

sources are likely to be semi-structured in-depth interviews; however, observation and

document analysis can also be used.

Semi-structured were used in this study because this study was a descriptive

qualitative research with major data sources from semi-structured interviews.

3.6.2 Questionnaire

The questionnaire had 15 (fifteenth) questions related to students' perception

towards Discord Application with learners' autonomy support in speaking general and

will be distributed to the students using online forms. The questionnaire was a closed

question. The questionnaires were then analyzed to identify dubious results, which will

be revealed further through interviews.

3.7 Data Analysis

Descriptive data analysis was done in this research. Once grouped, the responds

according to the student's perspective gathered. After the total responses were obtained,

the interview results were described and interpreted descriptively. As for semi-structured

interviews, analysis and data conclusions are conducted descriptively.

3.7.1 Interview Data

These procedures were utilized to analyze the data. Creswell, (2014) delineates

six distinct stages for qualitatively analyzing interview outcomes: preparing the amassed

data for analysis, initiating coding procedures on data records, using the coding outcomes

to construct a more generalized data depiction (such as descriptions), elaborating on

findings through narratives and visual aids, formulating an interpretation of the

significance of the results, and employing techniques to verify result accuracy.

3.7.2 Questionnaire Data

These procedures were utilized to analyze the data: The outcomes of the

questionnaire are examined through the three phases expounded by (Creswell, 2014):

first, recognizing the response rate and any potential biases; second, conducting a

descriptive analysis of the data to extract the principal discoveries; and finally,

composing the report by incorporating the descriptive results.

 CHAPTER IV

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Findings

Following the data collection procedure, the classification was done for the

students and grouped to get the data; for both questionnaires and interviews, this section

combines and presents the results. The questionnaire contained 15 (fifteenth) questions

and was distributed to 37 (thirty-seven) individuals who had previously used Discord as

their learning medium during online learning.

After fulfilling the questionnaire, the interview was conducted to collect deeper

information about their perspective toward Discord Application in mastering their

speaking using a model for semi-structured interviews; each participant was interviewed

individually and assisted with interviewing six (six) questions. The questionnaire result

was illustrated in charts by presenting the percentage of numbers and implying the

students' perception of the Discord application.

4.1.1 Students' Perception towards Discord Application

After fulfilling the 15 (fifteenth) questions, the questionnaire was a closed

questionnaire related to students' perception towards Discord Application with learners'

autonomy support in speaking generally. The result of the questionnaire as shown in

Table 1.

Table 1.
 Students' Perception towards Discord Application

Scale
Statement Item

N A FA D FD

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

1. Discord account registration is easy 21.6 54.1 24.3 0 0

(Kruglyk et al., 2020).

2. Discord enables me to meet face-to-face 13.5 45.9 37.8 2.7 0

and online with many students (Dayana et

al., 2021).

3. Discord lets me chat with my classmates in 5.4 45.9 45.9 0 2.7

real-time (Odinokaya et al., 2021).

4. I find Discord's user interface interesting, 24.3 40.5 29.7 5.4 0

e.g., the layout and the interface colour

(Abhinand & Balasubramanian 2022).

5. Discord enables me to learn English. 10.8 24.3 64.9 0 0

Speaking mastery is important (Harmer

2007).

6. I will improve my speaking mastery when 2.7 45.9 51.4 0 0

I can't speak English using Discord

 (Iwashita et al., 2008).

7. The speaking ability in using Discord is 5.4 13.5 81.1 0 0

important in communicating (Denzin

2000).

8. Discord enables me to speak English; it is 2.7 32.4 62.2 0 2.7

necessary to have the speaking ability

(Denzin, 2000).

9. The function of having the speaking ability 2.7 29.7 64.9 0 2.7

in using Discord is for communication

(Harmer 2007).

10. The speaking ability in using Discord is 5.4 24.3 67.6 2.7 0

one of the elements in English (Denzin

2000).

11. Using the Discord Application can 29.7 43.2 27 0 0

facilitate speaking mastery (Harmer 2007).

12. In using Discord, there is a close 10.8 43.2 45.9 0 0

relationship between speaking ability and

speaking mastery (Harmer 2007).

13. Discord enables me to master the Discord 27 51.4 21.6 0 0

 app can help make communication easier

(Vladoiu & Constantinescu 2020).

14. Discord enables me to master my speaking 8.1 45.9 43.2 2.7 0

ability and can help make speaking

mastery easier (Harmer 2007).

15. Speaking ability influences speaking 10.8 51.4 37.8 0 0

mastery in using Discord (Denzin 2009).

Average 12,06 39.44% 47,02 0,9% 0,54%

% %

The average result of students' perception of the discord application indicates that 47,02%

of the participants (17 students) fully agree, followed by 39,44% (14 students) who choose to

agree, 12,06% (4 students) who choose to be neutral, 0.9% (1 students) who disagree, and 0.54%

(1 students) who fully disagree.

The result indicates that fifty percent of participants concur that Discord is simple to use

and communicate with. Evidently, the majority of them utilized Discord while learning to speak.

Several interviews support it has been conducted. The interview result shows that their

perception of Discord is easy to use. It is stated by Interviewee 1, shown below.

"I like to use Discord because its easy to use and easy to communicate with many people

with similar interest. In addition, Discord provides a much faster and easier way to

quickly communicate with lectures or friends without email." (Interviewee 1)

 From the statement above can be seen that Interviewee 1 found that Discord is easy to use

and easy to communicate. Also, they find that Discord provides them a much faster and easier

way to communicate with friends. In addition, this is supported by Interviewee 2 below.

"I like Discord because it is easy to use, has simple features. And in this online learning

era, it helps me to communicate and understand the material easily." (Interviewee 2)

From the statement above, Interviewee 2 found that Discord has simple features and

helps them understand the learning material easily. Some statements stated that they prefer

Discord to other media when learning English. Represented by Interviewee 4.

"This, and announcements, become easier too. You can ping a group or entire class

(using roles) and message them all at once and have it out in the open and highlighted in

a specific place so it's easy to go back to as well." (Interviewee 4)

From the statement above, Interviewee 4 found that Discord features are easier to

navigate than other media. It can provide students with easier features that students can easily

navigate. In another case, Interviewee 3 faced some conditions with a bad internet connection

during learning.

"I agree if that difficulty is having a bad internet connection impact the quality of

Discord performance. When we have a poor internet connection,the connection to

Discord may disappear in the middle of the class. We also had a voice quality problem if

we didn't get a strong internet connection." (Interviewee 3)

From the statement above, Interviewee 3 stated that having a bad internet connection

could impact the quality of Discord performance.

 As a result, the questionnaire and interview it has been demonstrated that Discord is

simple to use and communicate with students' speaking proficiency. There is evidence that

students gain new experiences by utilizing Discord, a feature of online meetings that functions

smoothly and is not laggy. Discord has more communicating mastery features than other media..

4.1.2 Discord Helps Students in Speaking Mastery

After fulfilling the questionnaire that consists of 15 (fifteenth) questions. The

closed questionnaire related to students' perception towards Discord Application with

learners' autonomy support in speaking generally. The result of the questionnaire is

shown in Table 1.

Table 2.

Discord Helps Students in Speaking Mastery

Scale
Statement Item

N A FA D FD

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

1. Discord account registration is easy 21.6 54.1 24.3 0 0

(Kruglyk et al., 2020).

2. Discord enables me to meet face-to-face 13.5 45.9 37.8 2.7 0

 and online with many students (Dayana et

al., 2021).

3. Discord lets me chat with my classmates in 5.4 45.9 45.9 0 2.7

real-time (Odinokaya et al., 2021).

4. I find Discord's user interface interesting, 24.3 40.5 29.7 5.4 0

e.g., the layout and the interface colour

(Abhinand G & Roshni Balasubramanian,

2022).

5. Discord enables me to learn English; 10.8 24.3 64.9 0 0

speaking mastery is important (Harmer,

2007).

6. I will improve my speaking mastery when 2.7 45.9 51.4 0 0

I can't speak English using Discord

(Iwashita et al., 2008).

7. The speaking ability in using Discord is 5.4 13.5 81.1 0 0

important in communicating (Denzin,

2000).

8. Discord enables me to speak English. It is 2.7 32.4 62.2 0 2.7

necessary to have the speaking ability

(Denzin, 2000).
9. The function of having the speaking ability 2.7 29.7 64.9 0 2.7

in using Discord is for communication

(Harmer, 2007).

10. The speaking ability in using Discord is 5.4 24.3 67.6 2.7 0

one of the elements in English (Denzin,

2000).

11. Using the Discord Application can 29.7 43.2 27 0 0

facilitate speaking mastery (Harmer, 2007).

12. In using Discord, there is a close 10.8 43.2 45.9 0 0

relationship between speaking ability and

speaking mastery (Harmer, 2007).

13. Discord enables me to master the Discord 27 51.4 21.6 0 0

app can help make communication easier

(Vladoiu & Constantinescu, 2020).

14. Discord enables me to master my speaking 8.1 45.9 43.2 2.7 0

ability and can help make speaking

mastery easier (Harmer, 2007).

15. Speaking ability influences speaking 10.8 51.4 37.8 0 0

mastery in using Discord (Denzin, 2009).

 Average 12,06 39.44% 47,02 0,9% 0,54%

% %

The average result indicates that 47,02% of the participants (17 students) fully agree,

followed by 39,44% (14 students) who choose to agree, 12,06% (4 students) who choose to be

neutral, 0.9% (1 students) who disagree, and 0.54% (1 students) who fully disagree.

The result indicates that fifty percent of respondents concur that Discord aids students in

developing their speaking skills. Most were proven to be assisted in speaking skills using

Discord as a media.

This occurred despite the fact that the majority of students chose to be neutral, as Discord

was new to them. Students need to get used to it before further learning speaking mastery.

Interview results will strengthen this.

Several interviews support it has been conducted. The result from discussions finds

Discord helps students in learning English speaking mastery. It is stated by Interviewee 1, shown

below.

"I think it is suitable exploring and discuss many topics through Discord while we can

improve our speaking skills. We could be reached out to others for help with topics such

as group discussion." (Interviewee 1)

From the statement above, Interviewee 1 found that Discord is suitable for exploring and

discussing many topics to improve their speaking mastery. It is supported by Interviewee 4.

 "I found it very helpful in learning English speaking mastery as discussion engaged many

topics in my community. The community focused on about how to improve my speaking

skills in speaking mastery." (Interviewee 4)

From the statement above, Interviewee 4 found that Discord helps learn English speaking

mastery. Through a community that focused on discuss in speaking mastery. It is supported by

Interviewee 2 statement shown below.

"yes, because I was able to gain knowledge clearly from the voice-chat channel using the

face-to-face online meeting feature" (Interviewee 2)

From the statement above, Interviewee 2 found that Discord's online meeting features

help students learn English speaking mastery. They gained knowledge from the voice-chat

channel using Discord's face-to-face online meeting feature.

In the previous questionnaire, most students chose to be neutral. As Discord was new to

them, they needed to adapt to the new environment before further learning English speaking

mastery. It is supported in Interviewee 4 below.

"I don't think I found any difficulties during the online learning session, except the only

problem was a poor connection. And, of course, we have to get used to it at first since

this app was completely new to me." (Interviewee 4)

From the statement above, Interviewee 4 stated that for problems except for poor

connection, they had to get used to it for the first time since it was new to them.

As a result, the questionnaire and interview showed that Discord helps students with

English speaking mastery. It is proven that most of them were assisted in speaking mastery from
the voice-chat channel using the face-to-face feature to assist them in learning English speaking

mastery. However, most of the students chose to be neutral. Discord causes this to be new to

them, and they need to adapt to the new environment before further learning English speaking

mastery.

4.2 Discussion

This section will describe the discussion based on the finding from previous. The
discussion is focused on students' perception towards Discord in English speaking mastery faced
by EFL students of the English department Universitas Negeri Semarang and how Discord
Application helps students in English speaking mastery.

4.2.1 Students' Perception Towards Discord Application

The student's perception of the Discord Application revealed that it is simple for EFL
students to use and communicate while acquiring English language proficiency. In accordance
with the questionnaire and interview results, Discord has many features, including instant
messaging, online face-to-face meetings, file sharing, simple account registration, an appealing
user interface, and inexpensive Internet quota usage.

Similar statement about students' perception of Discord. Kruglyk et al. (2020) stated
Discord has the lowest system requirements compared to the other media mentioned. It has been
demonstrated to be the most effective medium for instructing and learning. Additionally,
Discord's system supports cross-device connection, allowing the teacher and students to interact
from laptops and smartphones respectively. Supported by Dayana et al. (2021), The Discord
platform provides sufficient services for online instruction. Aside from the virtual social space
that it generates, where all participants can interact at any time of day, it also generates a virtual
social space where all participants can interact at any time of day. The user-friendly interface of
the platform enhances comfort and relaxation during class.
 Regarding language-related matters, Ramadhan & Albaekani (2021) stated Discord's
utility for enhancing students' speaking abilities on the basis of its efficacy, usability, app size,
and voice chat function. Supported by Wahyuningsih & Baidi (2021), it was affirmed that
Discord has proven to be efficacious as a virtual learning platform within an elementary school
setting. This effectiveness was particularly evident in enabling remote emergency learning
amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the research primarily centered on investigating the
attitudes of elementary school students toward the utilization of Discord.

The result of students' satisfaction in using Discord conducted by Ardiyansah et al.

(2021) demonstrates that students were pleased with Discord as a learning medium. Students
were provided with helpful features, a simple user interface (UI), and interactions, in addition to
engaging in interactive teaching and learning processes.

As a result, it is supported by some evidence that students obtain new experiences by

utilizing Discord, a lag-free and efficient online meeting tool. Discord has more communicating
mastery features than other media.

4.2.2 Discord Helps Students in Speaking Mastery

The result from the Dicord helps students in speaking mastery showed that Discord helps
EFL students learn English speaking skills. In line with the result of the questionnaire and
interview, Discord proved helps them that most of them were assisted in speaking mastery using
Discord as a media to communicate and understand the material quickly in learning English
speaking skills.

A similar statement to the student's perception of the Discord Application. The result
conducted by Wulanjani (2018) mentioned Discord's potential to alter students' attitudes, such as
making them more active, interactive, motivated, and creative, was cited as a benefit to the
listening skills of college students.. Furthermore, Wijaya (2022) Results indicated that Discord
aids Islamic senior high school students in enhancing their English macro and micro skills
(speaking, listening, reading, and writing).

Previous studies on students' acceptance of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease
of use (PEOU) have been conducted in recent years. Arifianto & Izzudin (2021), Jannah &
Hentasmaka (2021), and Ayob et al. (2022) The perceived usefulness and perceived simplicity of
use of Discord as a learning medium have been accepted by students. It was determined that
Discord is an attractive, accessible, and easy-to-use medium that does not require a substantial
amount of mobile data.

As a result, it is supported by some evidence that Discord helps students with English
speaking mastery. It is proven that most of them were assisted in autonomous learning speaking
skills from the voice-chat channel using the face-to-face feature to assist them in autonomous
learning English speaking mastery. However, a significant portion of the students opted to
remain neutral in their stance. This neutrality can be attributed to the novelty of Discord as a
platform for them, and the fact that they require some time to acclimate to this new learning
environment before delving deeper into autonomous English-speaking proficiency.

4.2.3 Discord App to Support Learner Autonomy

Learner autonomy is based on the idea that if students are involved in decision-making
processes regarding their language competence, "they are likely to be more enthusiastic about
learning", and learning can be more focused and purposeful for them (Balçikanli 2010). The
result conducted by Balçikanli (2010), student teachers had a clear view of learner autonomy and
the involvement of students in the learning process. Overall, they agreed that students should be
involved in the decision-making process concerning the course's objectives, classroom
management, homework tasks, and the selection of materials. It is supported by Borg et al.
(2012), who agreed that learner autonomy allows language learners to learn more effectively
than they otherwise would. They elaborate on these positive views and suggest several
relationships between learner autonomy and successful language learning. These are listed as
autonomous learners are more motivated, autonomous learners are more committed, autonomous
learners are happier, autonomous learners are more focused, autonomous learners benefit from
learning opportunities, and autonomous learners take more risks.
In this regard, a study about flipped learning assists learners with self-guidelines that they
are responsible for their learning path and become autonomous learners. Pardosi & Ming (2021)
stated that this study provides empirical results that flipped learning instruction successfully
enhances undergraduate students' higher-order thinking skills. It was statistically proven using
paired sample t-test analysis. It resulted in a significant value (p-value) of 0.000 (< 0.05),
meaning that compared to the pre-test score, students taught in flipped learning environment
performed considerable improvement in the post-test score and outperformed the non-flipped
students. Thus, it is concluded that flipped learning instruction significantly affects the
development of students' higher-order thinking skills.
The most common condition that students face during autonomous learning. It happened
caused they were using Discord for the first time. They had to adapt to Discord since this was
new to them before going further in learning English speaking mastery. Poor signal conditions
might cause other conditions, but students can fix them.
 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusion

EFL students in the English department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, have proven
Discord with learners' autonomy support helps them improve their English-speaking mastery.
Based on analyzing the result of questionnaires and interviews.

The student's perception of the Discord Application revealed that it is simple for EFL
students to use and communicate while acquiring English language proficiency. In accordance
with the survey and interview results, Discord has many features, including instant messaging,
online face-to-face meetings, file sharing, simple account registration, an engaging user
interface, and inexpensive Internet quota usage.

Discord facilitates EFL students' acquisition of English-speaking abilities, as

demonstrated by the results of a study on the topic. In accordance with the results of the
questionnaire and interview, Discord has demonstrated that the majority of respondents were
assisted in speaking mastery by using it as a medium to communicate and rapidly comprehend
the material when learning English speaking skills.

The most prevalent learning obstacle encountered by students. Because they were using
Discord for the first time, this occurred. They had to adapt to Discord, which was novel to them,
prior to advancing in their mastery of the English language. Poor signal conditions may cause
additional issues, but students can resolve them.
 5.2 Suggestion

Discord proven as new learning media that was fun and interesting to explore. Students
may find several conditions faced during learning. Such as if they were new to Discord or
another state that might happen caused by poor signal conditions.

Discord is an excellent learning resource for practical users because it is modern,

entertaining, and engaging. Consequently, they may begin investigating all Discord features to
familiarize themselves with the media. Discord assisted with multiple features, including the
voice-chat channel's use of the face-to-face feature to facilitate learning.

For further research this research suggests using statistical data showing improved
English mastery and students' perspectives toward Discord as a learning media.