This handout provides a brief overview of open access to scholarly literature. It looks at the problems with traditional journal publishing, the promise of open access as a solution, and the different paths to open access.
Reading Mediations is an interactive, web-based guide for teaching and learning critical online reading skills. Best used with high school or college students, it includes a selection of critical reading tools and verification resources, guided readings, and structured learning activities. It also presents opportunities for independent exploration and critique of the online news and information ecosystem, with live content provided through Twitter and several news websites.
The guiding principle of Reading Mediations is that the epidemic of misinformation, propaganda, and poor journalism online cannot be eradicated by fact-checking tools alone. It must begin with us, the readers. Learning first about how we consume information, and then learning how to do so in a savvy, responsible, and self-aware manner, readers will be better equipped to absorb and share what they engage with online as critical thinkers. Published on the Scalar platform, Reading Mediations takes advantage of the networked environment in which we read, both to model best practices and to provide users with direct experience. The guide's readings are organized in a semi-structured but non-linear way––not only because this is how we tend to read online, but also because reading in a networked manner can help us navigate and evaluate the surfeit of information available.
Access Reading Mediations: here: http://readingmediations.memoriamundi.org/education/reading-mediations/index