# Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS)

> Research center at Georgetown University

**Wikidata**: [Q136689707](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136689707)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/center-for-new-designs-in-learning-and-scholarship-cndls

## Summary
The Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) is a research center at Georgetown University focused on pedagogy, teaching, and research. It was founded by Randall Bass and Edward J. Maloney.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Research center, study center, and research institute.
- **Parent Organization:** Georgetown University.
- **Founders:** Randall Bass and Edward J. Maloney.
- **Field of Work:** Pedagogy, teaching, and research.
- **Instance Of:** Research center, study center, research institute.
- **Subclass Of:** Educational organization, higher education institution.
- **Website:** https://cndls.georgetown.edu/ (in English).
- **Location:** Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA.

## FAQs
**What is the primary focus of CNDLS?**
CNDLS focuses on pedagogy, teaching, and research, operating as a research center dedicated to innovation in learning and scholarship. Its work centers on designing and studying new approaches to education within a university context.

**How is CNDLS structured within Georgetown University?**
CNDLS is a research center that is a direct part of Georgetown University, classified as an educational organization and higher education institution. It functions as a distinct institute within the university's ecosystem.

**What makes CNDLS different from a university department?**
As a research center, CNDLS exists specifically to conduct research and develop new designs in learning, rather than offering degree programs or handling core undergraduate teaching. Its mission is concentrated on investigation and innovation in scholarly practices.

**Who founded CNDLS?**
CNDLS was founded by Randall Bass and Edward J. Maloney, with Maloney's leadership noted as beginning in 2012.

## Why It Matters
CNDLS matters as a dedicated engine for innovation in teaching and learning within a major research university. It addresses the need for systematic investigation and design of new educational methods, bridging scholarship and practical application in pedagogy. By focusing exclusively on research into learning and scholarship, it provides a space for long-term, experimental projects that might not fit within traditional academic department structures. Its work helps Georgetown University—and potentially the broader higher education field—adapt to evolving challenges in education by developing evidence-based new designs.

## Notable For
- Being a dedicated research center at Georgetown University focused specifically on pedagogy, teaching, and scholarship.
- Being founded by key figures in the field of educational innovation, Randall Bass and Edward J. Maloney.
- Operating with a distinct identity as both a research center and a study center within a university setting.
- Its classification as a research institute, a type of organization whose primary purpose is research.

## Body

### Identity and Classification
The Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) is formally identified as a research center, study center, and research institute. It is an organizational unit of Georgetown University, placing it within the subclass of educational organizations and higher education institutions. Its core field of work is explicitly defined as pedagogy, teaching, and research. The entity's website is hosted at `https://cndls.georgetown.edu/` and operates in English.

### Founding and Leadership
CNDLS was founded by Randall Bass and Edward J. Maloney. Structured data indicates Edward J. Maloney's leadership role with a start time noted as 2012. This establishes a direct lineage to specific individuals who initiated the center's mission.

### Organizational Context
As a research center at Georgetown University, CNDLS exists within the broader landscape of a comprehensive university. Its classification as a "research institute" aligns it with a distinct organizational form whose primary purpose is conducting research. This differentiates it from academic departments that combine teaching degree programs with research, and from think tanks that focus primarily on policy-oriented research. Instead, its focus on "new designs in learning and scholarship" suggests an operational role in hands-on investigation and development within the domain of educational practice and theory.

### Scope and Distinction
The center's stated fields—pedagogy, teaching, and research—define its interdisciplinary scope within the university. It is not a learned society or a membership organization; it is an operational entity. Its identity as both a "research center" and a "study center" implies a dual role in conducting original research and serving as a hub for analytical study related to learning innovations. This positions it to contribute to Georgetown's educational mission through dedicated research rather than through standard curricular delivery.