Christian Ehret

Christian Ehret is an Associate Professor in the UNC School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds dual affiliations in the Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education (CCTE) and Learning Sciences and Psychological Studies (LSPS) departments. His work focuses on the emotional dimensions of literacy, digital media, and learning in marginalized contexts such as children’s hospital schools and urban communities.

Education Background:

• Ph.D. in Learning, Teaching, and Diversity (Vanderbilt University)
• M.A. in English Education (University of Georgia)
• B.A. in English and Comparative Literature (University of Georgia)

Research Interests: Ehret investigates how digital technologies shape youth emotional well-being, community-building, and critical literacy practices. Key themes include:

• Affect theory in literacy education
• Algorithmic cultures and digital equity
• Design-based research for inclusive pedagogies
• Learning in non-traditional spaces like hospitals and youth centers

His current projects examine esports communication, algorithmic literacy on social media, and hospital school educational equity.

Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes postdigital play, affective geographies, and sociomaterial analyses of gaming environments. Over 12023-2024, studies increasingly focus on algorithmic awareness in TikTok (#BookTok) and narrative videogames’ pedagogical potential.

Grants & Collaborations: Supported by the National Council of Teachers of English, Canada’s SSHRC, and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec. Co-editor of Reading Research Quarterly (2023-2026). Active in community partnerships with schools, libraries, and urban youth centers.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across education, psychology, and digital humanities. Leads research initiatives in hospital school education and post-pandemic youth methodologies.