The increasing use of Holocaust survivor testimony mediated by artificial intelligence (AI) reflects a fundamental shift in how audiences engage with testimony. Dimensions in Testimony (DiT) was pioneered by the USC Shoah Foundation in 2014, where survivors are filmed as they respond to approximately 1000 questions. Natural Language Processing AI supports semantic matching so that—ideally— a user can pose any question to a represented survivor (either on a life-sized screen or on a personal computer) and receive an accurate response, as the interviewed survivor intended their narrative to be received by audience members. This innovation led to the question: can engagement with AI-mediated testimony experiences support the development of historical consciousness? Our article contextualises this for Australia, drawing on a research project Elsie designed and conducted at the Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM), where DiT representations of local survivors are available. In the article, an overview is provided of how historical consciousness is relevant for the practice of museum educators in line with the Australian curriculum and the SJM as they both relate to Holocaust education. Interviews held with eight staff members of the SJM were analysed, finding that a triarchic approach is adopted in their facilitation of AI-mediated testimony where they: outline the ethical design and use of DiT; provide a brief biography of the represented survivor; and support the generation of questions to drive the testimony.

This type of pedagogically structured engagement with AI-mediated Holocaust survivor testimony has the potential to facilitate the development of historical consciousness. Educators can support the development of genetic and critical forms of historical consciousness, where learners appreciate the nuances of testimony as a dynamic and individualised source, particularly in the context of AI-mediation, where user input directly shapes the experience. This is by no means an automatic process, however, and a lack of intervention can lead to surface-level or inappropriate engagement. The role of educators in supporting accurate and meaningful encounters with testimony is, therefore, paramount. Their presence supports continued engagement with exemplary forms of historical consciousness, where the experiences of one person are explored to support a humanised engagement with an incomprehensibly traumatic past.

We hope that the placement of this article within the journal can support a critical dialogue surrounding the place of AI in History education, including engaging with traumatic pasts.

The co-curation of collective memory: artificial intelligence, Holocaust survivor testimony and the contribution of museum educators by Elsie Leask (The University of Newcastle, Australia) and David Nally (The University of Newcastle, Australia) is part of the HERJ series Investigating the Relationship Between Generative Artificial Intelligence and History Education and published in History Education Research Journal, volume 23

Elsie Leask is a PhD candidate and associate lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle. She trained as an English and History teacher and worked in the public education sector, where she developed an interest in curriculum design, community engagement and collaboration, and the culturally responsive teaching of traumatic pasts. Elsie’s research investigates engagement with Holocaust survivor testimony in Australian educational contexts, with the Sydney Jewish Museum as a key site of analysis. Key to her research is the consideration of how artificial intelligence is being applied to support digitally-mediated interaction with survivor testimony.

David Nally has previously held roles coordinating HSIE Faculties and Gifted and Talented Programs at various schools in Sydney. His PhD research, based at the University of Newcastle, focuses on Post-Truth, the impacts of its related issues (such as misinformation, inequalities and AI) on education, and how educators can address them.

historical consciousness HERJ blog Holocaust education survivor testimony post-survivor era Dimensions in Testimony Sydney Jewish Museum