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UDL offers us a vision for how we can leverage the power of technology to widen the academic tent. Yet we also know that designing these kinds of lessons isn’t something you just wake up and decide to do. In order to implement UDL, today’s teachers must develop a specific set of skills and knowledge.

That’s why we’ve identified 7 Core 21st Century Teacher Competencies: seven interconnected categories that take into account pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, and content knowledge, and together form a holistic model for meaningful technology integration.

The 7 Core 21st Century Teacher Competencies

Magnify Meaning

The first Core Competency, Magnify Meaning, refers to an educator’s ability to help students understand why what they are learning is important.

One of the most impactful ways to promote meaningful learning is by using essential questions, and the easiest way to get started is with topical essential questions.

In general, to qualify as either an overarching or topical essential question, the question needs to be:

• Open-ended
• Thought-provoking/Interesting
• Timeless/not bound to your specific class
• Important

If you’re new to using topical essential questions, here’s a quick four-step process to follow: