Disney curriculum: How pre-service social studies teacher candidates believe disney films socialize children

The purpose of this research is to investigate how pre-service elementary teacher candidates believe Disney films socialize children and what systems of values and ideas have been created by these cartoons. The conceptual framework for this study draws from the cultural systems paradigm (CSP) as a holistic study of cultural systems. A theme analysis was performed on a census of twenty animated films identified as the most watched in the Disney collection. The study examines images and actions through five sub-questions addressing issues such as: diversity in the society, characteristics of the protagonists, values, gender roles, and citizenship traits. The 116 students taking courses in social studies education methods at a midwestern university in the US served as respondents. Suggestions concerning how teachers can use Disney films to critically discuss symbolically embedded messages are also presented.