That’s How Learning Works?!?! A Comprehensive Model for Understanding the Learning Process

Dr. Nathan Belcher
23 min readOct 28, 2024
Belcher’s “Model for Learning” [Image by Belcher]

Learning happens throughout life.

From the moment we are alive to our final days, the way we learn shapes who we are. Our experiences, abilities, and understanding of the world come from the way we learn, leading us down dark paths or into beautiful light.

Although learning is incredibly important, most people go through life without understanding the general and specific principles in the learning process. Traditional schooling typically focuses on the knowledge and skills for specific content, making students do “work” on a series of tasks. The principles in the learning process are rarely discussed; a learner must do outside research and thinking to understand the principles in the learning process.

Instead of neglecting the principles in the learning process, we need to make the learning process widely shared and known. Every person in the world should understand how to learn — both for themselves and for those they lead, coach, and teach.

This essay introduces Belcher’s Model for Learning, which offers insights for parents, leaders, coaches, teachers, and anyone fascinated by the mechanics of human learning. Whether you’re a preschool teacher nurturing young minds, a corporate trainer developing professional…

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Dr. Nathan Belcher
Dr. Nathan Belcher

Written by Dr. Nathan Belcher

Founder of "The Learning Engine" -- Helping people learn and grow through the principles of learning. W&M: B.S '08, M.A.Ed '10, U of SC: Ed.D. '17