Dr. Tyler Hollett

I am an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems at The Pennsylvania State University. I work in the Learning, Design and Technology program.

My previous research has focused on learning and literacies with mobile devices, in video games, and in action sports, like skateboarding and BMX riding.

I have two primary areas of interest right now and I encourage potential students to contact me and describe how they and their interests might overlap with my own. Please reference at least one of my publications that influences your application.

The first revolves around the intersection of masculinity, digital media, sports and sports media. I’m really interested in how sports and sports media reinforce or offer alternatives to hegemonic masculinity.

The second has some overlaps with the first. I’m in the early stages of building out the FIGMENT Lab: Families and InterGenerational Meaningful ENgagement Together. Focal areas for the FIGMENT Lab might include:

• Intergenerational and family (game)play
• Nature, climate change, and hobbies (i.e. fishing, birding)
• Outdoor, independent, free play
• The changing nature of children’s play across settings

Overall, I’m most curious about learning that exists on the margins, the kind of learning that doesn’t seem to have “value”—whatever that is—and that may not even look like learning. This kind of learning comes in various guises, from skateboarding, to video games, to fishing. Usually, this kind of learning happens when learners are deeply interested in something, so my research overlaps with those studying interest and hobbies. I am less interested in learning that serves some kind of goal-oriented purpose, like getting into college or getting a job in a specific field, or that is tied to a specific discipline, like math or science; I care more about the kinds of learning that emerge when people are really excited about something, and when they want to share and feel that excitement with others.

I value, celebrate, and amplify the kind of learning that is often devalued and marginalized, particularly by formal learning settings and the contemporary neoliberal marketplace. In doing so, my research imagines future learning environments that are more equitable, inclusive, and consequential, with my more recent work seeking alternatives to the learning trajectories determined by neoliberal capitalism.