Q: I need my online class students to watch "An inconvenient truth" documentary. It is available via Amazon and Netflix streaming for $3.99. How can we make it available to students without them spending money for a streaming service?

A: The question is related to copyright issues. There are educational licensing options but they generally are too expensive or intended for public screening (http://www.swank.com) .

To check where movies are available, use CanIstreamit (http://www.canistream.it/).

There is FAQ article by Peggy Hoon that contains most answers to questions about using copyrighted works in your teaching: http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org/bm~doc/kycrfaq.pdf

Read answer 4, part 2. My conclusion it is to ask students to pay for a movie rent for the screening assignment because of a conflicting situation with TEACH Act obligations.

Q: I'd like to boost my course to make more relevant to technology my students use (like iPhone or iPad). What platform would be a most modern one with the less challenging learning curve?

A: I would recommend iTunes U app. It gives you access to enormous resources and makes it easy to manage. You can build your course in it in private/public format. It is not an LMS. It has been designed to enhance students/instructor interactions in the flipped classroom or online setting. More