This question and answer section references questions posed during the Carnegie Foundation’s May 2022 webinar on Best Practices from an Improvement Champion on Using Technology for Network Learning.

How do you get access to the platform? What is the cost?

Any individual/group of individuals can request access to a sample instance of the NILS platform at https://nils.carnegienetworks.org/registration/. Organizations that elect to conduct their work on NILS have access to a customized instance of the platform that is specific to their network; network leaders can then invite members of that network to join NILS.

The platform’s pricing structure is based upon an initial set up cost and an annual license cost per user, dependent upon the size of a network. Additional support services are available for an additional fee. Please contact support@carnegienetworks.org for more information.

What kinds of organizations are finding success on NILS?

Organizations across the fields of education and healthcare are finding success on NILS. NILS is a problem and content agnostic platform, and can be used to support the improvement efforts of any network with a measurable aim and a clear theory of change. NILS currently supports networks engaged in the following work: 

• Facilitating networked partnerships between universities and school districts

• Increasing the regional college graduation rate of students with declared STEM majors

• Increasing the number of students engaged in rigorous mathematics instruction in various US regions

• Decreasing the number of students with “early warning indicators” in various US regions

• Reducing chronic absenteeism in various US regions

• Maintaining/reducing special education identification rates for underprivileged students

• Recruiting, supporting, and retaining educators of color and early career educators by increasing equitable access to quality professional learning opportunities

• Advancing the economic vitality and business practices of mission-driven higher education institutions

• Improving physician well being by addressing burnout

What does the process for starting to use NILS look like?

When electing to conduct its work on the NILS platform, a network contracts with the Carnegie Foundation for use of the system. The network then receives two sets of NILS trainings: a training for members of the leadership team, and a training for standard network members. Once the trainings have been conducted, the network receives access to its NILS instance. Members of Carnegie’s support staff are available for technical consultation while network leaders populate the platform with appropriate content for their network, and remain available for consultation throughout the lifecycle of a network on NILS.