Carol Huston

Outstanding Teacher 2001/2002

Throughout her career as a nurse, nursing administrator, and university teacher, nursing professor Carol Huston has been committed to teaching and learning. While her primary teaching responsibilities have been with undergraduate nursing students, she has also taught graduate courses and served as an academic adviser for nursing students and as a mentor for the international nursing honor society. Her use of case study presentations in nursing leadership courses has been widely used in nursing education programs across the country, and she has authored or co-authored seven texts in the field.

Huston builds critical thinking exercises into her courses and, along with colleague Bessie Marquis, developed a teaching model that has received national recognition and serves as the foundation for her teaching. Huston believes that greater emphasis should be placed on teaching students how to think, how to generate questions, and how to access the tools they need to update their knowledge in the future. She uses case studies regularly and believes that the group process “adds a vital dimension to learning as students have the opportunity to interact with and learn from others.” In addition, she uses Web-based technology to enhance her students’ learning experience.

Her students describe Huston’s teaching style as “dynamic,” “knowledgeable,” and “supportive.” Huston holds master’s degrees in nursing and public administration and a doctorate in public administration. She has taught at CSU, Chico since 1982.