Thinking Drawing

This article draws heavily on the author's critical autobiography: Eileen Adams: Agent of Change. It presents evidence of the value of drawing as a medium for learning, particularly in art and design, and argues that drawing is a useful educational tool. The premise is that drawing makes you think. This article explains various functions that drawing serves to prompt different kinds of thinking, and shares a framework that describes the purposes of drawing in supporting learning. It explains how action research was used to initiate change in the way teachers in schools and educators in other settings think about drawing, and how they might utilise it to support learning. It offers a glimpse of how evidence was generated, interpreted, validated and disseminated to illuminate practice and prompt development. It challenges teachers and researchers to create a fresh impetus for drawing as a medium for learning.