Education, Dialogue, Preservation

Educational Use

The Oracle Entity is located at the Showers District site. It was developed to support direct engagement with figures drawn from Indiana’s history. The system is trained on primary materials, including archival documents, interviews, published works, and institutional records. Visitors speak to the Oracle and receive responses that reflect how those individuals spoke and thought, within the limits of available sources.

A person may study Larry Bird’s biography or read Kurt Vonnegut’s collected interviews, but the experience of hearing a voice respond in real time to a specific question is different. The system does not recreate the individual in full, but it presents a recognizable semblance based on documented language and ideas.

This is not a reenactment and not a performance. It is an interaction—open-ended, variable, and grounded in research. A question is asked. A response is generated. The value comes from what the visitor does with that exchange.

In the Classroom

Level	Use	Outcome
Elementary	Storytelling with Indiana figures	Familiarity with regional history
Middle School	Source-based follow-up discussion	Reading comprehension and comparison
High School	Framing and discussion of complex topics	Preparation for analysis and argument
University	Collaborative annotation and critique	Research using generated dialogue

Research and Development (Ongoing and Aspirational)

This section describes possible directions under consideration. All timelines are contingent on available resources, viable hardware, and institutional support.

Year	Focus	Notes
1	Core installation in use	Showers District site
2	Mobile companion application	Designed for smartphone or tablet use
3	Wearable display prototypes	Limited pilot studies only
4	Display system research	Dependent on hardware development
5	Broader access model	Conditional on infrastructure

Public Programs and Workshops

For Educators

Methods for incorporating dialogue models into curriculum
Strategies for building prompts and structuring student use
Evaluation practices for student-generated responses

For Students

Constructing speculative or composite historical figures
Exploring representation, authorship, and historical language
Ethical frameworks for generative interpretation

For Communities

Gathering oral histories from elders and residents
Developing locally relevant figures through archived material
Creating intergenerational programs and school partnerships

Technical Skills and Literacy

Prompt design for research and teaching
Introduction to voice synthesis workflows
Guided construction of visual avatars

Cultural Documentation

Work with tribal representatives to support regional preservation
Development of tools to collect vernacular speech and oral history
Integration of underrepresented community narratives

Evaluation and Metrics

Area	Sample Metrics
Visitor Use	Conversation length, repeat visitors
Educational Value	Work samples, qualitative feedback, curriculum use
Community Reach	School partnerships, attendance at public programs
Technical Use	Platform engagement, app usage patterns
Public Interest	Citations, press coverage, replication inquiries

Maintenance, Governance, and Continuity

System Design

Modular components allow for staged hardware and software updates
System is designed to avoid dependency on any single vendor
Documentation is maintained for continuity and transfer

Content and Update Cycle

Frequency	Task	Responsibility
Quarterly	Historical review and citation check	Historical consultants
Bi-annually	Persona expansion and testing	Studio development team
Annually	Technical audit and review	AV and engineering partners
Ongoing	Review of visitor input and feedback	On-site program staff

Financial Structure

Phase 1: Initial development funded through public and private grants
Phase 2: Ongoing operational support through educational partnerships
Phase 3: Licensing or replication model may be introduced where appropriate
Phase 4: Corporate or philanthropic partnerships considered for future expansion

Stewardship and Ownership

Years 1–2: Project team maintains full operational control
Years 3–5: Gradual transition to local oversight and staffing
Year 6 onward: Fully maintained by regional partners, with advisory support as needed

Longevity and Use Over Time

The Oracle Entity is structured to adapt without replacement. Content updates, hardware revisions, and interface changes can be implemented without dismantling the core system. Educational programs will evolve alongside institutional priorities and public interest.

Historical accuracy is maintained through academic partnerships. Visual and technical systems are documented and updatable. Public engagement is sustained through school integration, ongoing workshops, and collaboration with community groups.

The system is not locked to a moment in time. It is built to change, respond, and remain useful.