Krista Osborne RCSW, MSW

Krista Osborne

RCSW, MSW
Pronouns: She/her

Positions

Assistant Professor (Teaching)

Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton Campus

Field Education Coordinator Office of Field Education

Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton Campus

MSW Trauma Informed Practice Team Lead

Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton Campus

Contact information

Email

krista.osborne@ucalgary.ca

For media enquiries, contact

Don McSwiney

Office: +1.403.220.7083
Email: dmcswine@ucalgary.ca
Twitter: @UCalgary_FSW

Preferred method of communication

Email

Background

Credentials

Registered Clinical Social Worker, Alberta College of Social Workers, 2013

Educational Background

MSW Clinical Social Work, University of Calgary, 2010

BSW Social Work, University of Calgary, 2004

BA Psychology, University of Alberta, 1999

Projects

Celebrating queer intersectionality funded by City of Edmonton 2SLGBTQIA+ Beyond Belonging Grant Program (2025-2026)

This project engages sexual and gender diverse communities in Edmonton to create and showcase a series of short films that illuminate the complex, intersectional realities shaping queer lives. Developed through a community‑driven process, the project is organized around four thematic pillars: the intersections of drag and disability; migrant and sexual identities; street outreach and queer identities; and experiences of queerness within post‑secondary environments. This project is co-lead by Dr. Roz Zulla and the Queer and Trans Action Group (QTAG), a Committee within the Faculty of Social Work. 

Designing Interactive, Unfolding Case Study Simulation Learning Objects to Prepare BSW Students for Professional Practice and to Empower Instructors with Engaging Tools to Facilitate Experiential Learning (2024-2026)

This project highlights the central role of experiential learning in developing the professional skills, knowledge, and ethical foundations required of Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students entering a regulated health profession. To practice competently, social workers must be able to navigate complex real‑life situations, exercise sound ethical judgment, collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams, and apply critical reflection to diverse and evolving practice contexts. Preparing learners for these expectations requires structured opportunities to engage with the complexities of practice in a supportive, pedagogically intentional environment. The project advances these goals by designing interactive, multi‑dimensional unfolding case studies that align with the new BSW curriculum and reflect competency expectations within community‑engaged practica. Unfolding simulations are a promising form of experiential learning because they approximate real interactions with service users and challenge students to assume the role of the social worker as cases evolve in complexity. Through these scenarios, learners practice applying theory, coordinating care, making ethical decisions, and responding to diverse populations across the lifespan. By engaging with these simulations, BSW students are given repeated, meaningful opportunities to integrate theoretical knowledge with practice-based decision‑making, strengthening their readiness to enter the field as ethical, competent, and reflective practitioners.

Awards

  • Educational Leadership (Group) Teaching Award, University of Calgary. 2024
  • Teaching Excellence Award, University of Calgary, Student Union . 2026

Publications