The opportunities for sharpening your skills as an historic site interpreter continue to grow online, sometimes even for free.  Here are a sampling of a few non-degree granting organizations where you’ll find workshops and classes on the Internet to keep your thinking fresh and improve your technique.  All times are Eastern unless noted.

American Alliance of Museums

• Embracing 360 Engagement, Widening the Circle.  September 2, 2014 at 2:00 pm Eastern.
• Building Trust through High Performance, Becoming Essential.  December 3 at 2:00 pm.

American Association for State and Local History

• Historic House Calls: Using Futures Thinking to Navigate Ongoing Change.  August 20, 2014 at 2:00 pm. Free for AASLH members.
• Writing the Grant: What’s the Process Like?  August 27 at 3:00 pm.  $115; $40 members.

Coursera

• Art and Inquiry: Museum Teaching Strategies for Your Classroom. Ended April 6 but so closely related, I had to mention it.
• Emerging Trends and Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom.  Starts August 18, 2014 for 5 weeks.  Free.
• Making Better Group Decisions: Voting, Judgment Aggregation, and Fair Division. Starts August 25 for 7 weeks.  Free.
• Foundations for Teaching for Learning 1:  Introduction.  Starts September 1 for 6 weeks.  Free.

Creative Learning Factory

• Making Your Museum Teacher-Ready.  August 21, 2014 at 2:00 pm.  $20.
• Programming for Visitors on the Autism Spectrum. September 4 at 2:00 pm. $20.

National Association for Interpretation

• There’s No Such Thing as a Stupid Question:  What are Those Visitors Really Asking?  August 19, 2014 at 1:00 pm.  $50; $35 members.
• Facilitated Dialogue:  Who’s Engaging the Public and Why? August 26 at 1:00 pm.  $50; $35 members.
• You’re Either First or Third…There’s no Room for Second:  Accuracy, Authenticity and Audience Engagement in Living History.  September 30 at 1:30 pm. $50; $35 members.
• Interpretive Writing.  October 14 at at 1:00 pm Eastern.  $50; $35 members.

National Park Service

• African American Heritage and Ethnography.   Free, ongoing, self-paced course.

Smithsonian Institution

• Museum Writing Workshop.  Free, ongoing, self-paced course.

Others

Although no applicable webinars are coming up, you’ll want to watch the Alliance for Excellent Education, J. Paul Getty Museum, and Smithsonian Institution.  If you know of other non-degree granting webinars or courses, please share in the comments below.