Educational Storybook Development to Cultivate Gotong Royong

This study aims to understand the need to develop storybooks as a medium to strengthen the gotong royong (cooperation) dimension within the Pancasila Student Profile framework. A qualitative approach was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. The study was conducted in three public elementary schools in Sukadana District, Ciamis Regency, involving three purposively selected fourth-grade teachers based on their experience in teaching gotong royong values. Data collection techniques included classroom observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis, which were used triangulatively to enhance data credibility. Data were analyzed using the interactive model by Miles and Huberman (1994), involving data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings reveal that storybooks play a crucial role as effective media in character education, particularly for internalizing the value of gotong royong, which is a core dimension of the Pancasila Student Profile. The literature review uncovered a scarcity of storybooks explicitly promoting gotong royong, while field data confirmed the limited integration of this value in formal instructional materials. Furthermore, teachers emphasized the importance of developing storybooks that are contextual and rooted in local wisdom, enabling students to understand better and internalize these values. This study identifies a significant opportunity for educational innovation through the development of culturally and socially relevant narrative-based learning media as a means to strengthen student character.