Atla Annual 2025

Seminary education is designed to prepare individuals for leadership and service within religious communities, providing a deep and comprehensive understanding of foundational texts, theological doctrines, church history and contemporary social contexts. To achieve this, the use of archives and primary resources is invaluable. Archives provide direct access to the materials that shaped theological thought, allowing students to engage with the voices and perspectives of religious thinkings and leaders throughout history. By engaging with original documents, students are challenged to think critically and ask questions about authorship, context, and purpose. An understanding of historical and contemporary social issues, cultural diversity, and global perspectives is important to prepare students to engage with and address the needs of a diverse and ever-changing world. By providing a comprehensive and integrated approach to these areas, seminary education using archives can effectively prepare individuals for the diverse and dynamic roles they will play in their religious communities and beyond. In this presentation, we will explore the role of archival material in the theological education classroom, emphasizing its importance in developing historical awareness and critical thinking.

Learning Outcome

The audience will leave with a deeper understanding of how primary resources are essential tools for developing theological expertise, historical awareness, and critical thinking. They will be shown examples of archives in the classroom and the projects that are produced, and special attention will be paid to how to use primary sources in distance education, as increasingly theological students are partially or fully online.

Audience Engagement

The audience will be shown examples of primary sources and encouraged to reflect on the value of these documents in their own understanding of history and theology. The presentation will incorporate a case study(s) of archival documents used as part of a seminary course, showing how material was selected, how it was digitized and dispersed for distance learners, and examples of how students interacted with and interpreted the material. Examples of the syllabus, assignments, and work produced will be displayed.

As classical philosophers debated the essence of techne—the art of making and doing—educators now grapple with the implications of generative artificial intelligence. Questions arise about student engagement with AI: Do their creations align with the ethical standards and integrity we uphold? To navigate this journey from techne to trust, transparency is paramount. It involves openly sharing how AI is used for academic work, demystifying the process by making work with AI visible.
Techne and its connections to AI-like constructs in popular culture, literature, and myth provide a rich context for exploring AI's ethical and practical dimensions. This presentation engages two "architectures of visibility"—transparency (voluntary visibility that builds trust) and surveillance (imposed visibility that erodes agency). Through metaliteracy's four domains (cognitive, metacognitive, behavioral, and affective), we demonstrate how stories illuminate the difference between coercive surveillance and empowering transparency. We offer a model lesson using Black Mirror's "Nosedive" to explore how technologies of surveillance affect behavior and learning, contrasting this with approaches that build trust through voluntary transparency.

Learning Outcome

Participants will: Understand key distinctions between surveillance technologies and technologies of surveillance; Explore how storytelling can illuminate ethical approaches to AI visibility; Learn practical strategies for implementing transparent AI use that enhances learning; Develop approaches for helping students navigate AI visibility in educational contexts

Audience Engagement

As with past sessions, we plan to gamify our presentation to foster active learning; we also plan to engage participants in robust discussion about their experiences with (AI) transparency and surveillance as we co-create strategies for teaching AI visibility in theological education.

The paper discusses how learners’ epistemological beliefs may have impacts on their learning progress and their attitudes to learning-related activities (Hofer, 2004). Epistemological beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing are known to facilitate or constrain learners’ understanding, reasoning, thinking, learning, and achievement (Conley et al., 2004).

In particular, this paper focuses on the impacts of learners’ epistemological beliefs on instructional practice that means teaching-related activities. The assumption is that learners’ beliefs about knowing may influence their attitudes towards every aspect of their learning and teaching-related activities. The learners’ epistemological beliefs may also be affected and adjusted by the instructional practice they experienced.

This paper proposes that understanding learners’ epistemological beliefs is beneficial for an institute that includes teachers and libraries both. The library, who is not only a collector of resources but also becoming a learning-related service provider is better aware of these beliefs. Whatever programs and activities a library offers will be utilized the best when a library knows the learners the most.

Specifically, this paper demonstrates different research studies including the author’s. Rooted in the field of social science, their purposes focused on how explicitly a learner’s epistemological beliefs shape their perception related to learning and how they accept certain activities as learning experiences. And the studies found that (1)those with a broader epistemological belief tend to grasp a more comprehensive perception of learning and (2) those with a broader epistemological belief tend to find a typical daily event more meaningful.

Finally, the paper discusses how the findings in those studies can be applicable and helpful to the libraries in the field of religious and theological education that is facing so many changes and challenges.

Learning Outcome

As a librarian's job is to collect knowledge, to connect resources, and to help teachers and learners, this topic, while not the most practical, should be able to offer insights that will help librarians' contextual understanding deeper and richer.

Audience Engagement

Frequent interaction through questions and answers will be made during the talk.

Text analysis has emerged as an invaluable tool for scholars, especially in the humanities and social sciences. In recent years, there has been extensive research published on various applications of text analysis, including user experience sentiment analysis, image analysis, and visual mapping techniques. Furthermore, text analysis provides a framework to identify patterns, organize and categorize themes of sacred and religious documents, and advance the understanding of religious studies and theological librarianship.

This presentation explores how text analysis and visualization tools were integrated into library instruction sessions in a pilot project tailored for engineering and business students. The presentation is structured in three sections: First, alignment of library instruction with class assignment learning objectives emphasizes interdepartmental collaboration and deepens understanding of learners’ backgrounds and competencies. Second, the pedagogical framework includes a lesson plan model highlighting the significance of student participation; this approach, grounded in the ACRL framework Information Creation as a Process, reinforces inquiry-based learning. Third, methodological implications introduce text analysis methods for instructors aiming to incorporate visualization literacy into their teaching practices.

The presentation concludes with an overview of the findings, comparing and contrasting data to demonstrate innovative pedagogical approaches in library instruction. The results highlight how text analysis tools can alter traditional library instruction into more engaging, data-driven learning experiences for learners. This initiative enhances students’ understanding of library resources, broadens their perspectives on research, and empowers them to critically analyze resources. The insights gained from this project demonstrate a pedagogical model for librarians and faculty seeking to integrate digital tools into library instruction.

Learning Outcome

-Text analysis tools in library instruction enhance students’ information literacy skills and foster critical engagement with digital resources.
-Integrating the ACRL framework into text analysis library instruction strengthens students’ research perspectives and motivates participation in scholarly discourse.
-Library-faculty collaborations bolster discipline-specific leaning opportunities through text analysis coursework projects.

Audience Engagement

The presentation will offer participants with a structured lesson plan model demonstrating how to implement this pedagogical approach in the library instruction classes. Building from theoretical foundations in text and visual literacy, participants will explore practical strategies to adapt these methods to their specific courses.

As a hub for learning, the theological library facilitates the resourcing and delivery of academic material on campus. Within this setting, library staff serve at the forefront of curating content to support student objectives. The advent of Artificial Intelligence has led libraries to analyze anew the meaning of information literacy as students increasingly turn to this recent technology to research, analyze and disseminate their knowledge. Fundamental to this discussion are 1) the challenges and opportunities for information literacy in light of student AI usage and 2) library and institutional policies that will guide students to be information literate in an ethical and responsible fashion.

Learning Outcome

The audience will reflect on the theological library's responsibility to be the harbinger of information literacy as students enter into the age of Artificial Intelligence. Key questions to be discussed include 1) the challenges posed to information literacy as a result of student AI use, 2) the reconceptualization of information literacy as libraries align themselves with innovative AI usage among students, and 3) the policies needed to guide libraries as they face an uncharted future with AI.

Audience Engagement

After a brief overview of AI principles and terms, the audience will be divided into groups and provided with a series of open discussion questions focusing on the role, implementation, and policies pertaining to information literacy as students use AI for their academic pursuits. Attendees will be given the opportunity to debrief with the goal of generating key conclusions about the ramifications for information literacy in an AI-infused academic world. Participants can subsequently join a monitored listserv or blog for ongoing discussion, comments, and questions about issues raised during the conversation group.

The rapid popularity and adoption of generative AI tools are transforming how students learn, research, and create. Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, are becoming ubiquitous in educational environments, yet little is known about how university students use them. This study investigates students’ use, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding these powerful technologies, aiming to identify critical gaps in understanding, perceived challenges, and necessary training interventions. Our research addresses several key questions: (1) How are students currently utilizing generative AI in their work? (2) What are their perceptions of the benefits and risks associated with these tools? (3) What misconceptions or knowledge gaps exist regarding the functionality, limitations, and ethical implications of generative AI? (4) What challenges do students face in effectively and ethically integrating these tools into their learning processes? Finally, (5) what targeted training and support structures are needed to empower students to leverage the potential of generative AI responsibly and effectively? This presentation will provide actionable insights for educators, librarians, and administrators seeking to address students’ use of AI in educational environments and explore what training opportunities would benefit students at this time.

Learning Outcome

By the end of this session, the attendees will:
1) Gain an understanding of how students perceive and use GenAI tools in their academic work;
2) Recognize students’ misconceptions, perceived risks, and challenges related to the ethical use of GenAI tools;
3) Apply the findings of the study to designing educational interventions to promote ethical and critical engagement with GenAI tools.

Audience Engagement

Our presentation will engage the participants using interactive presentation elements called Slido. This tool allows us to have anonymous online interactions with the session attendees. We will explore the attendees’ beliefs about students’ needs with regard to GenAI, and what educational interventions do the attendees provide in their respective institutions. In addition, we will have an editable document with the resources, which will be an important takeaway from the session.

Librarians, including theological librarians, are commonly considered to be, and generally aspire to be, neutral. Regardless of personal feelings and beliefs, we will gladly help you find a copy of Mein Kampf, The Communist Manifesto, Late Great Planet Earth, or Malleus Maleficarum. Such professional neutrality seems especially precious, and threatened, in our increasingly polarized culture. Yet, are there ever times when it may be appropriate to set aspirations to neutrality and objectivity aside, and share our convictions? When, if ever, might if be acceptable to state our opinions or express our beliefs when conducting a reference interview or providing feedback on a student’s paper? Is neutrality even possible? How does neutrality relate to equity? This session will provide an opportunity to consider, debate, and discuss these important questions.

Learning Outcome

Attendees will come away with a greater, if more nuanced, appreciation for the complexities inherent in the professional aspiration toward neutrality and objectivity. At the same time, they will come away with a deeper understanding of the reasons it may at times be necessary and appropriate to set aside this aspiration. Such insights can help guide both reference interviews with students and acquisitions decisions.

Audience Engagement

We plan to engage our audience by considering timely and urgent questions that touch on the heart of our professional identity. We will also offer an opportunity for them to share their own insights and concerns in the discussion.

As a part of the redesign of the Introduction to Theological Education course, BSK Theological Seminary pre- and post-tested students in the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 sections of the course using “Module 3: Research & Scholarship” from ACRL’s Threshold Achievement Test for Information Literacy (TATIL). The aim was primarily to get a sense of the Information Literacy competencies had upon entering (or early in their seminary careers) and to gauge development in a short timeline. This was a largely successful trial despite some mixed results and limitations. The results and conclusions of this study will aid the seminary to improve both Information Literacy Instruction (ILI) and program assessment. An overview of the testing process, high level testing results, and recommendations will be included in this session.

Learning Outcome

Assessment of ILI can be vague: a primary aim of this session to offer attendees a sense of the return on investment for this particular tool/set of instruments.
Secondary takeaways would be to get attendees to be motivated to imagine ways to assess ILI in their contexts and to consider what the timeline for this type of skill building might be.

Audience Engagement

Other than the standard Q and A time (as well as questions during the presentation) I would hope to include a limited amount of live polling to engage more than eyes and ears. Demonstrative slides and data visualization will be included. For better or worse, this is very much a “what we did, why we did it, and how it turned out” style proposal.

Is your library prepared to lead in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI? In this cutting-edge session, we will explore our forthcoming ALA monograph, Claim the Center: Libraries, AI, and the Future of Learning and Work, to equip hearers with essential strategies that position libraries as central players in this technological transition. Drawing from our book, we'll explore how libraries can leverage AI to amplify their core values and mission, engaging at the edge of innovation while sustaining and enriching the work we have always done. Discover how the human-centered approach that has always characterized librarianship becomes even more critical in shaping an equitable and accessible future. We will examine practices that embody our five policy values of transparency, rigor, curiosity, inclusion, and play, activating the synergy of information literacy and AI implementation. This session empowers participants across library types and experience levels—from day-to-day practitioners to forward-thinking innovators and decision-makers—with the knowledge and framework needed to navigate the current AI landscape. Now is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for libraries and librarians to claim the center in our shared future.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:
1. Apply a framework for navigating the AI landscape that aligns libraries' core values with emerging technologies across diverse library settings.
2. Analyze the role of a human-centered approach in promoting equity and accessibility in AI integration within libraries.
3. Evaluate strategies for positioning libraries as central players in the AI-driven technological transition.

Audience Engagement

We plan to center AI-empowered research instruction, providing space for robust engagement (e.g., sharing participant experiences, tool exploration, etc.) Our program introduces an innovative approach by emphasizing the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy as foundational to AI literacy. This perspective bridges traditional library instructional values with cutting-edge technology and innovation. We present a fresh framework for navigating the AI landscape that aligns libraries' core values with emerging technologies across diverse settings. By reimagining information literacy for the AI age, we offer new methods for cultivating empathy in AI implementation and applying core policy values for ethical AI integration. Our human-centered approach to AI in libraries represents an innovative method for balancing technological advancement with human needs and values, ensuring that libraries remain central in shaping an AI-literate society. So, lots of room for discussion, debate, and sharing.

In 2021, the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary received a Lilly Grant to enhance the training of urban pastors. One objective was to create an open access special bibliography showcasing the scholarship of Ethnic/Minority authors in theology to support pastoral pedagogy. The Andrews Bibliography of Ethnic/Minority Scholarship in Theology (ABEST) uses a dedicated Koha library catalog platform to list academic publications by BIPOC authors who were faculty at ATS institutions (2022-23 academic year). The database links each record to library resources, databases, publisher, and/or WorldCat. Each entry is tagged to a broad curriculum taxonomy and simple subject terms.

In 2023, I received a faculty research grant from the Andrews University Office of Scholarly Research to develop a bibliography showcasing and archiving publications pertaining to the archaeological work sponsored by Andrews University at Hisban, Jordan. This year, we are developing a new Koha bibliography that will include not only entries for these publications, but also photographs, field notes, and other cultural objects from over fifty years of excavations. Entries for publications link to library resources, databases, publisher, and/or WorldCat. Non-print media link to the institutional repository.

The presentation will demonstrate the databases, discuss the reasons for choosing Koha, and share lessons learned on uploading content into the databases.

Learning Outcome

An innovative use of an open-source library catalog for showcasing specialist bibliographies that can be a work in progress indefinitely.

Audience Engagement

Live demo of databases, with time for questions and discussion.

Last year we introduced generative AI and what it meant for theological education. As these conversations have continued to evolve it is important for libraries and librarians to begin to think and act more intentionally as it relates to research and learning for both faculty and staff. These concerns are ultimately concerns about pedagogy, design, and tools.

This interactive half-day workshop provides a pedagogical frame for libraries and librarians to equip themselves, faculty, and staff with the underlying skills necessary to critically engage and leverage generative AI tools in the work of theological education.

Particular attention will be paid to concerns about ethics, learning outcomes, and academic integrity, as well as offering a through exploration and application of generative AI tools for research and learning.

The role of the library in cultivating and sustaining the metaliteracy skills of faculty and students will be highlighted alongside guidance for how libraries can demonstrate not only this contribution to the work of theological education, but to the leaders of their institutions as part of their requests for funding, staffing, and other forms of prioritization from the institution.

Learning Outcome

(1) Pedagogical and design frameworks that can be shared with faculty and students. (2) Exposure to and initial training in specific generative AI tools, (3) Guidance on positioning themselves as an essential frontier in the future of learning and work in theological education, and (4) the initial seeds of training that they can offer at their respective institutions.

Audience Engagement

My workshops are always conversational, emphasizing a kind of rolling dialogue with lots of structured room for Q+A and discussion. I find that engagement around these questions are easy to generate and sustain.