The Dynamics of Children's Defender of the Fatherland Image Formation in the Digital Age: the Impact of Social Networks and Virtual Reality

Abstract

Introduction. In the context of the digital transformation of society, a fundamental restructuring of key social archetypes is taking place. Social networks have become a new public sphere, and immersive technologies are a tool for learning about history. This makes it relevant to study the dynamics of this archetype, and understanding this process is necessary to study modern mechanisms for the formation of national identity and collective memory, which is relevant in the context of solving the pedagogical tasks of the modern educational process. The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze the specifics of the transformation of the defender of the Fatherland image in the modern digital environment, identifying the key mechanisms and directions of the influence of social networks and virtual reality technologies on its structural and substantive characteristics, which should be taken into account in the implementation of educational work with children. Methods and materials. The theoretical basis of the research is based on the theory of social constructivism by P. Berger and T. Lukman, the concept of mediatization by S. Hjarward and the theory of a network society by M. Castells. The empirical base includes a discursive analysis of visual and textual content on social networks (Telegram, TikTok) and comparative historical analysis to identify the dynamics and differences between traditional (media, literature, painting, cinema) and digital representations of images. The research materials include publications by military bloggers, user-generated content (memes, video clips), and existing virtual reality technologies that reconstruct historical and modern events. KEYWORDS Results. The study showed that dynamic changes in the Defender of the Fatherland concept and its image occur under the influence of digital and virtual reality, and the network environment. Thus, the visual interpretation of the defender of the Fatherland image has increased to 74%; the formed narrative of the hybrid defender image, combining physical fitness and digital qualities, is relevant; the number of military-themed channels has increased by 280%; the share of VR technologies in the field of patriotic topics has increased by 17%; These technologies using social media resources are integrated into patriotic training programs for children, which is characterized by an increased rate of 84%; the activity of participants and veterans of military operations, military personnel in online publications and discussions increased by 42%. Conclusion. In the modern digital environment, the image of the defender of the Fatherland has undergone a fundamental transformation: from a single, canonical and detached image to a multiple, personalized and interactive one. The digital environment not only translates, but actively reconstructs the image of the defender of the Fatherland, using complementary, albeit different mechanisms: social networks provide its breadth and relevance, and virtual reality provides depth and emotional stability.