Designing Learning That Lasts
Designing a lesson plan isn’t just about what students will learn or be tested on, it’s about what they’ll be able to do today and in the future. That’s why competencies are essential to teaching in the modern classroom.
Competencies describe the real-world skills learners develop through your lesson, like thinking critically, communicating clearly, or collaborating effectively. When you teach with a competency in mind, your lesson becomes more purposeful and impactful.
Here’s how to choose the right one for your next lesson plan:
1. Start with Purpose
Ask yourself: What kind of learning experience am I creating?
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Do I want students to analyze and reflect? Look at Critical Thinking & Problem Solving.
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Are they expressing themselves or communicating ideas? Explore Language & Communication.
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Will they be collaborating or exploring emotions and empathy? Consider Social-Emotional Growth or Community Action & Leadership.
The competency you choose should align with the bigger goal of your lesson, the human skill behind the content.
2. Go Beyond the Standard
Standards outline what students should know and be able to do by the end of a grade level or course. They’re often tied to academic content and performance expectations. Competencies, on the other hand, describe the broader, transferable skills and behaviors that show how students apply what they know, often across subjects and real-world contexts.
For example:
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A reading standard might focus on identifying the main idea and supporting details in a text.
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A competency might focus on analyzing information and evaluating evidence to form opinions or make informed decisions, a skill that applies not just in reading but across all areas of learning and life.
3. Use the Framework as Your Guide
Get to know the Competency Framework. The framework includes 15 domains, each with five student-centered competencies. Every domain features a short description and clear, student-friendly language to help you quickly identify the right competency for your lesson, resource, or learning objective.
You might start with one of these guiding prompts:
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What skill does this lesson naturally build?
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What behavior or mindset will students practice?
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What do I want students to take away beyond the content?
4. Try the Competency Finder Tool
If you’re not sure which competency best fits your lesson, our Competency Finder Tool can help you narrow it down. This feature analyzes keywords to identify the top three competencies from the EduPlans.ai Framework that align with your lesson. Each result includes a full competency description, helping you understand the depth, intent, and real-world application of each skill.
Learn More
The EduPlans Competency Framework was developed through extensive research and cross-analysis of national and international standards, including academic, social-emotional, and college/career ready frameworks. Each domain and competency was carefully crafted to reflect what students need to do to thrive, not just what they need to know.
Grounded in research from instructional design, cognitive science, and real-world learning, the framework bridges the gap between traditional standards and modern pedagogy. The framework is designed to grow and evolve over time as educators provide feedback and as new skills emerge in response to changing student needs, technologies, and global challenges. This ensures EduPlans remains a living, responsive model that evolves alongside the future of learning.
If referencing this framework or article in your own work, you may use the following citation format:
EduPlans.ai. (2025). EduPlans Competency Framework: Designing Learning That Lasts. Retrieved from https://www.eduplans.ai