Pixar in Classrooms

Abstract

Does animation simplify classroom narratives for young viewers? Examining possible effects of exposure to Pixar Animations in a classroom at an English Medium school in Dhaka, Bangladesh, this study explores how exposure to such films serves and enhances education ‘locally’, that is, among 5th–8th Grade students. Evaluating three consecutive academic years (2015–18) shows increased cognitive and creative skills, while also identifying reclusiveness or excessive dependency due to prolonged or excessive exposure to classroom film/media content. Enhancing such cognitive learning skills ‘locally’ has enormous ripple effects: further nurturing new knowledge can be nurtured, whether in one or more classes, in one educational institution or more, or from one language to another in all such cases. Yet, excessive visual (media) dependency challenges text-based education, even though classroom application/utilization raises comprehension and knowledge.