The objective of this paper is to discuss the potential of design-based research (in short: design research, or abbreviated DR) as a methodological approach for the SCoRe project. The SCoRe project is combining a wide range of innovative dimensions (of both technological, substantive, pedagogical, methodological, as well as social nature). In view of the intention to integrate all those dimensions into a comprehensive intervention, design research seems quite appropriate, but not without challenges. This paper will focus on those challenges in order to contribute to a productive and realistic use of design research. Design research as a methodological genre is increasingly gaining prominence in educational research. Its major claim is that is contributes to both practical improvements as well as to theoretical understanding. During recent years, experiences with DR have resulted in various hand(books) on how to apply a DR approach in education (e.g. Bakker, 2018; McKenney & Reeves, 2018). Its main characteristics can be summarized as follows: practical relevance; theory-supported; user-involvement; cyclic approach; empirical underpinning. Typical for DR is also its cumulative attention to various quality criteria of education (relevance, justification, consistency, practicality, effectiveness, scalability, sustainability). Given the many design components at stake, the presenter will use the lens of curricular design research (Van den Akker, 2013) to address the major issue of design consistency. The sequence of the paper will be threefold. First, a very short introduction about the essentials of design research. Second, an attempt to an exploratory analysis of the chosen approach along the well-known SWOT formula: what are the respective strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of design research in relation to the SCoRe project? This will be done by studying the available project documents with the aforementioned quality criteria in mind. Third, and based upon that analysis, attention will be raised to a number of specific challenges, including issues around, for example: • How to combine the various theoretical sources into the design of the intervention? • What might be the most suitable evaluation methods and instruments? • How to engage teachers and students along the process? • How to anticipate at later efforts to scale up the findings of project? • How to generate powerful design principles as knowledge output of the project?

Bakker, A. (2018). Design Research in Education. London: Routledge. McKenney, S. & Reeves. T.C. (2018). Conducting Educational Design Research [Second edition]. London: Routledge. Van den Akker, J. (2013). Curricular development research as a specimen of educational research. In T. Plomp & N. Nieveen (Eds.), Educational Design Research. Part: An Introduction (pp. 52-71). Enschede: SLO, Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development.