Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most important and influential scientists and engineers of all time. He explored a wide range of ideas, including flying machines, anatomical systems, hydraulics, and mechanical designs. He combined art, science, and engineering to better understand how nature and technology work. Drawing was one of his most important methods for developing and communicating his ideas. Notably, he was not the only scientist to rely on this method. Nikola Tesla, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and Robert Hooke were all influential scientists and engineers who used drawings to communicate their inventions and discoveries.

Today, freehand sketching is gradually disappearing from science and engineering education. In fields such as biology and medicine, photographs are commonly used to depict objects being studied. In engineering education, various types of computer-aided design (CAD) software allow students to design new inventions, making simple paper-and-pencil sketches seem outdated or less reliable. Even in design education, drawing is increasingly being overlooked as an essential design tool. This raises an important question: Are we right to abandon drawing as an academic tool, or are we overlooking its value?

This research project will investigate the importance of drawing as a design tool in science and engineering education. It will explore ways to implement or reimplement drawing as a cognitive tool for learning, reasoning, and communication within these disciplines.

This study focuses on the role of drawing as a cognitive and design tool in Onderzoek & Ontwerpen (O&O) education at the secondary school level. O&O is a project-based subject designed to introduce students to real-world practices in science and engineering by engaging them in authentic design and research challenges. Within this context, drawing has the potential to support students in visualizing ideas, reasoning through problems, and communicating solutions. However, the use of drawing within O&O varies significantly between schools, with some integrating sketching as a key design method and others relying primarily on digital tools or written communication. The following research question has been set up to explore the importance of drawing and its influence on learning and design outcomes: What role does drawing play as a cognitive and design tool in O&O education, and how can it be effectively implemented to support learning, reasoning, and communication in science and engineering contexts?
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