Being Inspired By Learning Battle Cards Maps
Having in mind the whole learning context (business or educational needs, learning goals and objectives, specifics of the target group, technological, organizational, and people-related constraints, etc.) one have to design the right formula which will address all issues related with learning challenge. One of the goals of Learning Battle Cards is to respond to such a need. Learning Battle Cards (LBC) is a set of tools which:
- Helps Instructional Designers design great learning processes.
- Helps “sell” instructional ideas to stakeholders.
- Helps train people in the Instructional Design area.
I wrote about the base tool (which is the deck of Learning Battle Cards) here.
Today I would like to introduce Learning Battle Cards maps or LBS maps.
Learning Battle Cards Maps: What Are They?
Learning Battle Cards Maps are visuals (find a card in the LBC deck under an acronym [Vl]) or discoverer’s maps (another card [Dm]) which show learning tools and approaches correlated with one type of learning intervention. For this moment we have two such maps:
- Workshop Planetary System.
- eLearning Course Planetary System.
We use the same icons which are the part of cards in the LBC deck on the map. Here they are visualized as tokens in various sizes:
Learning Battle Cards Maps
While designing Learning Battle Cards Maps we used some astronomical analogies. There are orbits around the focal points of the map (Workshop or eLearning course) which organizes correlated tools. There are planets on these orbits. Some of these planets have their own moons. Sometimes even these moons have additional satellites. Our goal of building this structure was to show some dependencies between variety of learning tools and approaches which could be used while designing the focal points of the map (workshop or eLearning course).
Additionally, to the last version of the map we added also nebulas which let us to add additional layer of inspiration to the map.
How To Use Learning Battle Cards Maps?
Learning Battle Cards maps could be used both as an inspiration tool for experienced Instructional Designers and as framework for delivering training on Instructional Design.
In the first mode, having it on the wall will remind you all important approaches (orbits, nebulas) and tools (planets, moonsm and satellites) you can use while designing learning intervention utilizing the focal element of the map. Taking a quick look at the map, skimming orbits or nebulas or drilling down planets with their moons you will find additional inspirations which will let you to enrich your instructional design approach.
In the second mode, Learning Battle Cards maps could be used as a training tool in the Instructional Design training room. While discussing how to build engagement or how to implement new skills on the job or how to deliver follow-up activities the trainer can relate to the map, show available tools, share best practices and experiences of how to use them, etc. In this way Instructional Design workshop will deliver additional visual messages with strong framework giving trainees new anchors and references.
In both modes the map could be also explored with the goal of discovering relations and dependencies, opening and stretching one’s mind and learning how to use the whole variety of tools available for educator.
How To Have Them?
Learning Battle Cards maps in small format (A3) are available under Creative Common license here:
Fill free to download them, print them out, share, and use in your Instructional Design or training efforts.
You can also order large (B1: 1000 mm x 700 mm/28 inch x 39 inch), heavy duty, full color copy of a map. It is printed out on heavy paper, laminated on both sides, and sold with hangers which will let you to use it for long time during all your Instructional Design challenges.
You can buy a Learning Battle Cards map alone, but it is worth to take a look at our value packages:
- Single Learning Battle Cards maps bundled with 2 decks of Learning Battle Cards.
- Both Learning Battle Cards maps bundled with 3 decks of Learning Battle Cards.
You can place your order in LBC store here.
More information on Learning Battle Cards could be found on our website.
