The parts of learning

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The Parts of Learning

By Jason T. Rogers

I’ve been trying to learn electronics lately.

There’s this idea in my head—this vision—of building my own computer parts a few years from now. Not just tinkering, but really understanding what’s happening inside the circuits, the components, the flow of energy. I don’t want to just use technology. I want to shape it.

But I’ve also realized something: learning is rarely a straight line.

It’s more like a cycle of excitement, frustration, curiosity, confusion, and rediscovery. Over and over again.

A Delicate Balance

There’s this delicate balance between desire, curiosity, exploration, and how I feel about my progress. That last part—how I feel about it—turns out to be one of the biggest pieces.

Sometimes I come across a complicated spec sheet or a dense diagram, and my brain just stops. It's like trying to read another language. I feel overwhelmed. Depressed, even. I find myself thinking, how long is it going to take before I can actually understand this stuff?

That’s the tension.
If I dive too deep, too fast, I get discouraged. But if I stay too shallow, I don’t make progress. And there’s no clear roadmap for learning something this complex. So, I’m asking a lot of questions—on Google, on AI chatbots, anywhere I can.

Still, there’s another problem: retaining what I’ve learned.

Learning… Then Forgetting

A few weeks ago, I was reading a beginner’s book on electronics—written for kids, actually. It was super helpful. I finally learned how to read the color bands on resistors. It made sense. I was proud of that.

But a week later? I’d forgotten it all. The color codes. The meanings. Even some of the basic symbols.

Back to square one.

That’s the part that stings the most—the forgetting. There’s the tangible stuff I need to memorize, like what a fuse does or what a resistor is. And then there’s the deeper stuff—the principles behind how it all works. That’s even harder to hold onto because I don’t use those words in daily life.

So before I can learn electronics in a meaningful way, I need to learn how to learn electronics. I need a process that makes it easier—and more fun—to stick with it.

Building My Own Learning Process

Here’s what I’m trying:

1. Make it fun and interactive.
Flashcards are a start, but they don’t really light up my brain. I need something more engaging. A way to interact with the knowledge—not just stare at it. A game would be ideal. Something I could play with that helps the words stick. Maybe a board game, or a DIY card game. I even thought about building a video game for it—but, well, that’s another thing I’d have to learn…

2. Learn the story behind it all.
Once I’ve got the basic terms in my head, I want to understand the why. Why does a resistor work the way it does? Why were certain components created? What problems were they solving? When I can connect the facts to a story, it sticks better. That gives my knowledge something to hold onto—a foundation.

3. Create space to experiment.
Learning has to be playful. I’m not trying to pass a test. There’s no deadline. So I’m giving myself room to just explore. To try things, mess up, and try again. I’ve looked into a few beginner electronics kits. They’re helpful, but honestly, I think there’s a better way to design them—less intimidating, more inviting.

The Seven Parts of Learning

As I’ve been working through this, I’ve started to notice a pattern. Most things I try to learn have a few common layers. When I get stuck, it’s usually because I’m missing one of them.

I call them The Seven Parts of Learning:

  1. Words – The names, terms, and labels that go with the new thing.
  2. Symbols – The icons, signs, and shorthand that represent it.
  3. Forms – How the information is structured or presented.
  4. Principles – The ideas and reasoning behind how it works.
  5. Formulas – The practical rules that come from those principles.
  6. Stories – The history, context, and reasons why it matters.
  7. Actions – What you can do now that you know it.

When I’m stuck, I usually hear myself say things like:

  • “Why does this matter anyway?” (I’m missing the story.)
  • “I can’t remember what it’s called.” (The words haven’t stuck.)
  • “How do I do this again?” (I haven’t internalized the actions or the principles.)

If I haven’t been given information in one of these areas—or if I haven’t found it myself—then the learning feels incomplete. I lose traction. I get discouraged. And I drift away.

But now that I can name these seven parts, I have a way to check in with myself.
What’s missing? What do I need to reconnect with?

Still Learning

So that’s where I’m at right now. Still learning. Still fumbling. Still trying to make this process a little more human, a little more fun, and a lot more sustainable.

If you’re learning something new and feel stuck—maybe this framework can help you too.
Not as a strict rulebook, but as a guidepost.

We don’t have to master everything at once.
We just have to stay curious… and keep showing up.

Stay tuned. I’ll share more as I keep experimenting.

Cheers,
Jason

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