A Guide to Better Teaching is a self-help book that provides anyone teaching a college course with a thorough understanding of what it takes to be an effective teacher. Derived from the authors' extensive research, several interactive assessment tools are included that measure levels of effectiveness according to learner preferences. Each chapter is filled with detailed explanations, relevant stories, and action-driven tables that help them in understanding and applying skills. This book aims to enhance teaching skills by offering critical perspectives, practical suggestions, and techniques for improvement. Whether a new teacher, an adjunct faculty, or a seasoned professor, this comprehensive information can be used to analyze effectiveness or the effectiveness of others. The suggestions and the assessment tools are applicable to the entire spectrum of organizational leaders and managers, in education, government or industry whose work requires giving presentations or communicating in a public forum.

Leila Jahangiri, a graduate of King's College, London, and Harvard University, is an active clinician, researcher, and teacher. Her scholarly focus and passion is for effective teaching and innovative curriculum development. For the past 10 years, as chair of a large department at New York University College of Dentistry, she has made significant strides to develop faculty in utilizing multiple strategies to optimize teaching. Always looking for novel opportunities, she met and began collaborating withTom Mucciolois a presentation skills consultant, leadership advisor, and president of MediaNet. Tom is the coauthor of five books, a sought-after keynote speaker, and a recognized industry expert regarding visual communications. Since 1985, high-profile communicators, including corporate leaders, politicians, media personalities, as well as those at any organizational level demand his coaching expertise. In 2005, Tom joined New York University as an adjunct faculty member. The authors' collaboration is a culmination of a vast research study. They share a common goal of finding ways to help teachers teach better, leaders lead better, and in the process, allow teachers to become leaders.

IntroductionPerspectivesChapter 1: From a Learner's PerspectiveThe Effective TeacherWho Should AssessLearner PreferencesEffective Teachers and the Learning ProcessGetting to Know YouChapter 2: The Science Behind the ScenesPreferences of Different LearnersCategorizing PreferencesA Self-Assessment MethodChapter 3: PersonalityCaringEmpathyHappinessEnergyPassionMotivationExpertiseInspirationSelf-ConfidenceApproachablePersonal AppearancePersonality Summary and StrategyChapter 4: ProcessContent OrganizationContent DevelopmentContent DesignAdditional Sense StimulationEnvironmentProcess Summary and StrategyChapter 5: PerformanceBody Language StyleSpeaking StyleTechnologyFocusInteractionPerformance Summary and StrategyChapter 6: Skills Assessment ToolsApplying Science in DesignForms of MeasurementAssess YourselfInteractive Electronic AssessmentsUnderstanding the Electronic AnalysisUnderstanding LearnersApplying the ResultsAudience Evaluation ToolsToward TriangulationTrack Your ProgressEndnotesIndex