Dr. Patricia Samson
Affiliations
Associate Professor
Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton Campus
Contact information
Phone number
Office : +1 (780) 492-0108
Location
Off-Campus: Edmonton Social Work 3-182
Background
Educational Background
Bachelor of Social Work University of Windsor, 1988
Master of Social Work Social Work, University of Windsor, 2009
Doctor of Philosophy Social Work, University of Windsor, 2018
Biography
Patricia Samson joined the Faculty of Social Work in 2016. She has over 28 years of social work practice experience, both direct and indirect, in the areas of domestic violence, justice support and correctional services, mental health, and community-based healthcare. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses related to social policy, social justice, social welfare, the organizational context of practice, and field education. Patricia’s research interests are focused on advancing social work education and practice in the areas of teaching and learning, mental health and addictions, and health care.
Research
Areas of Research
Current Research
Dr. Samson is currently the Principal Investigator on a SSHRC-PEG: Supervisor Training and Supporting Continued Competencies in the Healthcare Environment: Promising Practices. This is a collaborative research project with Alberta Health Services examining the effectiveness of supervisor training and the utility of Communities of Practice in supporting social work/allied health supervisors within a complex healthcare context. Dr. Samson is a Co-Investigator on a UCalgary VPR Catalyst grant led by Dr. Adam McCrimmon from the Werklund School of Education: Supporting Success in Practicum Placements: Autistic Students’ Experiences in Regulated Professional Program. This transdisciplinary project will examine formal and informal supports across institutional and field-site contexts for practicum students from social work and psychology, explore facilitators and barriers to accessing accommodation, and gain insights to inform policy, practice, training, and resources.
Areas of Interest
- Critical thinking and transformative learning in social work education
- Social work field education
- Communities of Practice
- Social work competencies (practitioner and supervisor)
- The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
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Professional and Community Associations
Dr. Samson is active in several professional organizations and community associations, including:
- Alberta College of Social Workers
- Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)
- Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE)
Projects
Our research aims to explore employer perceptions of social workers professional practice. With this knowledge we hope to uncover any discrepancies between what employers expect and what social work delivers in the workplace, to improve the retention of social workers in the workplace, and support the utilization of the breadth of the social work skill set. This research may also be used to inform regulatory or curriculum changes.
https://socialwork.ucalgary.ca/research/workforce-perceptions/about-workforce-perceptions
The overarching goal of the Children and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) Project is to engage children and youth, as well as parents/guardians, natural supports, and community partners, in the development of user-focused initiatives for the promotion and early intervention on child and youth mental health. We do this by identifying intervention strategies to promote healthy physical, emotional, and social development. This project is an international partnership that aims to support children and youth aged 12-17 in Canada and China.
Awards
- SSHRC-Insight Development Grant (IDG): Principal Investigator, $74,130, Social Sciences and Research Humanities Council of Canada. 2023
- SSHRC-Insight Development Grant (IDG): Co-Investigator, $71,916, Social Sciences and Research Humanities Council of Canada. 2023
- SoTL Grant-Teaching and Learning: Principal Investigator, $38,550, University of Calgary. 2022
- SoTL Grant-Teaching and Learning: Co-Investigator Investigator, $40,000, University of Calgary. 2022
- SSHRC-IG: Co-Investigator, $90,406, Social Sciences and Research Humanities Council of Canada. 2022
- Faculty Publication Award, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. 2020
- Faculty Publication Award, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. 2019
- Best Digital Poster Presentation , University of Calgary, Post-Secondary Conference on Learning and Teaching. 2019
- SSHRC-Partnership Engage Grant, Principal Investigator; $25,000, Social Sciences and Research Humanities Council of Canada. 2025
Publications
- Examining the COVID-19 Pandemic and it’s on impact on social work in health care. Nicholas, D., Samson, P., Hilsen, L., McFarlane, J. . Journal of Social Work. (2023)
- Transformative Learning in Field Education: Students Bridging the Theory/Practice Gap. Archer-Kuhn, B., Samson, P., Damianakis, T., Barrett, B., Matin, S., & Ahern, C. . British Journal of Social Work. 1-20. (2020)
- Reconsidering critical thinking: Findings from a qualitative Delphi study. Samson, P. L. . Social Work Education: The International Journal. 427-444. (2019)
- Transformative learning in graduate education: Masters of social work students define their experiences of personal and professional learning. Damianakis, T., Barrett, B., Archer-Kuhn, B., Samson, P., Matin, S., & Ahern, C. . Studies in Higher Education. 2011-2029. (2019)
- Masters of social work students identify teaching approaches that made a difference. Damianakis, T., Barrett, B., Archer-Kuhn, B., Samson, P., Matin, S., & Ahern, C. . Journal of Transformative Education. 1-22. (2019)
- The contribution of supervision to wellness in the workplace: Implications for social work field education. Samson, P., Tanchak, S., Drolet, J., Kreitzer, A., Fulton, A. . Field Educator. 1-24. (2019)
- Building partnerships in curriculum planning. Samson, P. L. . Papers on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching. 127-136. (2019)
- Enhancing supervision in children’s mental health through Bowen's Family of Origin supervisory training. Archer-Kuhn, B., & Samson, P. . Journal of Social Work Practice. 23-38. (2018)
- Self-care and well-being in Social Work Education: Creating new spaces for learning. Drolet, J., Samson, P., Tanchak, S., Kreitzer, L., & Hilsen, L. . Journal of Educational Thought. 200-215. (2017)
- Critical thinking in Social Work education: A research synthesis. Samson, P. L. . Journal of Social Work Education. 147-156. (2016)
- Practice wisdom: The art and science of social work. Samson, P. L. . Journal of Social Work Practice. 119-131. (2015)
- Fostering student engagement: Using CPS in small group facilitations. Samson, P. L. . Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching. 153-164. (2015)
- Exploring Children's Services Workers’ Perceptions of COVID-19: Trauma, Connection and Creativity. Boynton, H., Samson, P., Vis, J., & Assante, B.. Mental Health & Prevention. 1-9. (2024)
- From theory to praxis: conceptualizing communities of practice for social workers in healthcare settings. Samson, P. L., Nicholas, D., Gloeckler, T., Samek, D., & Zawaski, N. . 1-20. (2025)
- The Delphi method in qualitative research: Building consensus using thematic analysis. Samson, P. L. . International Journal of Qualitative Methods. (2018)
- Critical thinking in social work education: A Delphi study of faculty . Samson, P. L. . University of Windsor. (2018)
In the News
- Virtual practicum pilot project at UCalgary delivers long-distance value to small Alberta town. UCalgary Today. (2024)
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