Discourse Community
Sonya Love
ENG 2322
7/27/2020
A community is a group of people who have a common bond and support and care for one another. A community can be defined in many ways. It can be a group with common interests, values, and needs. It can also be a group held together by a common goal or purpose. Many college students struggle in the courses they are required to take because they lack the necessary study skills and knowledge that come with time. They often find that their teachers will dismiss them as “not trying” or criticize them for not hitting milestones that are hard to achieve when juggling a part-time job, family, friends, social life, and studying all at once. One solution is to sign up for online courses like Coursera or edX. More importantly, however, is being part of a discourse community of college students who don’t just read lectures and watch videos. These groups of friends study together on an actual project to succeed in class.
The community that I am a part of is the discourse community of college students. College students share a common goal of obtaining a degree. We also share common interests, such as our love of learning, our desire to make new friends, and our need for support as we navigate college (Bakken & Andersson-Bakken, 2021). Some tensions and differences can work against the cohesion of the college student community. For example, some students focus more on their studies than on socializing, while others are the opposite. Students can also compete for grades, internships, and jobs.
I fit in with this group because I am a college student myself. I understand the challenges and stresses of being a college student. I also know that college students need support and care from each other. What makes this community one that I want to be a part of is the sense of support and care that exists among its members. College students are there for each other when we need someone to talk to, when we need help with our studies, and when we need a shoulder to cry on.
The group has impacted my life in some positive ways. It has helped me to grow and learn as a person. It has also contributed to my life in several ways, including providing me with a support system, allowing me to make new friends, and giving me a sense of belonging.
First, the benefits of having a discourse community:
Learning from others: As I mentioned, you can learn a lot from other people’s opinions. You may think being in a discussion group will help you share your ideas. However, it is not only about sharing your views but also learning from others’ opinions. You may change your mind after discussing with other people in the community and then going on with your life journey before fighting again.
No need to change opinion: The world’s main problem is that people cannot see things from different points of view except when they are forced to do so. If you stay in a community of college students who share your opinion, then there is no need to change your opinion. You can just let everyone know it! However, the world cannot be better without people’s acceptance that they are wrong.
It is fun: One thing that should be mentioned is that you get to know people who share the same attitude as yours and enjoy their company. If you spend time talking with people who think differently from you, there is a chance that you will find them annoying. But if you meet other people with similar ideas, both parties can learn from each other and have some fun simultaneously.
As you see, there are a ton of benefits that you can get from joining a discourse community. If you want to develop as a person, then it would be wise to join one. As there is no restriction as long as it is legal, you can go hang out with people who share the same views as yours and discuss anything you want. I think the group will be helpful to me in the future as I continue to navigate my way through college and beyond.
References
Bakken, J., & Andersson-Bakken, E. (2021). The textbook task as a genre. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(6), 729-748. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220272.2021.1929499
