The Urgency of Development Digital Comic Teaching Materials in Strengthening Character Education to Prevent Bullying Behavior for High School Students

The bullying phenomenon that occurs in the school environment shows that educational institutions are unable to provide a conducive and pleasant atmosphere for their students because the school climate seems like a "prison", and even acts of physical and verbal violence in the form of bullying often occur. Prevention of bullying behavior in the school environment can be done through strengthening character education. The lack of bullying educational teaching materials in schools is a serious problem amidst the massive bullying behavior that occurs in the school environment. Based on this phenomenon, the development of digital comic teaching materials to strengthen character education and prevent bullying is very necessary. This research aims to identify the urgency of digital comic teaching materials in strengthening character education to prevent bullying behavior. The method used in this research is quantitative-descriptive, with the research subjects being 259 high school students in Denpasar City. Research results based on student responses show that the character values that need to be instilled to prevent bullying behavior at school are 45% integrity, 23% religious, 20% independence, 10% mutual cooperation, and 2% nationalism. Meanwhile, regarding the condition of teaching materials to strengthen character education and prevent bullying behavior, 90% of students stated that there were no teaching materials. Students' perception of the development of digital comic teaching materials in strengthening character education to prevent bullying is that 84.2% are very interested in the development of digital comic teaching materials. Thus, based on students' perceptions of the development of digital comic teaching materials in strengthening character education to prevent bullying behavior, it is an urgency that must be carried out as a preventive measure in preventing bullying behavior that occurs in the school environment.