“(We’re) excited to be using the new 11 3D printers we have installed in a special hub at our school. I am now working with (fellow teacher) Luke Drain to roll out a plan for the school and ensure the process for every student (all 1700 of them!) to have access to 3D printing and ensure Design Thinking projects are embedded in teaching programs across K-6. I suggested to Luke we set up a Google Form for students to submit their thoughts and reflection of their designs based on the process before we press print so they are ensuring they are dedicating time to actually thinking through the process and not rushing to print… Once again, thank you and I will definitely stay in touch with you all! I couldn’t love Makers (Empire) more!”
“The Naturally Brave project is the ultimate disaster-ready initiative for young people, combining 3D technology, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and a focus on empowering and assisting those affected by natural disasters. It aims to equip young individuals with disaster-ready skills while nurturing empathy in those who haven’t experienced such calamities."
“The project was such a great experience for my students. They loved being able to create anything they wanted and the social aspect in Makers Empire is great. The showcase day was a great opportunity to see other school’s projects and designs and the confidence students showed when discussing their projects.”
“Sustainability is an important aspect of how we deliver trusted water services to our 1.7 million customers, and we know the actions we take today will play a vital role in delivering benefits for generations to come. This (Makers Empire) partnership provides an opportunity to collaborate with young innovators on South Australia’s water future in a fun and authentic way while promoting science-based career pathways and STEM subjects.”
“The first day of PD created a sense of excitement amongst STEM teachers – we were buzzing with possibilities! The opportunity to work with Mandi from Makers Empire enabled the teachers to develop a greater understanding around the Design Thinking process and the endless potential of the Makers Empire program… After the PD day, the teachers had some great ideas. They then did some curriculum mapping to make sure it tied in with other subjects, and was a more holistic approach.”
"I am very proud of my students’ persistence. They made good progress in Makers Empire 3D app by following the tutorials, trying out and exploring ME worlds. I gave them several challenges that involved problem-solving and creative thinking, and the next stage would be to see their design come to life as we print them in the 3D printer at school and display them."
“Throughout this endeavour between Makers Empire and CESA, our students have been immersed in problem-solving exercises that encouraged them to think critically and creatively. They have embraced design thinking principles, understanding the value of empathy as they sought to create solutions that truly address the needs of others.”
“The collaboration between Catholic Education Western Australia Ltd and Makers Empire continues to grow. This program provides students with opportunities to devise solutions to real-world problems through the application of the Design Thinking Model. The showcase event enables students to share their learning with peers and get real-time feedback which adds to their test phase. The partnership with Makers Empire to bring this project to fruition for the third consecutive year has been a gratifying experience.”
“Space is the gateway to STEM. This national (Kids in Space) program will stir the imagination of what is possible and get more young Australians to consider studying and working in STEM related careers. By exciting our young people and getting them to think bigger, we can ensure Australia has the diverse workforce it needs to realise our full potential not just in the space sector but across the broader economy as well.”
“Thanks to all the Year 7 to 9 students and their teachers who took part in the Makers Empire “Learning by Design” project which is part of Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)’s Doorways2Construction program for secondary schools students... We very much appreciate the support of secondary schools around SA as we work to attract the next generation of building and construction industry tradespeople.”
“Our strategy to strengthen STEM education in Queensland includes building teacher capability; lifting student achievement; and increasing student participation. This program (with Makers Empire) equips educators with the tools, knowledge and support they need to empower our students with the core capabilities required for our Advanced Manufacturing Industry.”
“Manufacturing is suffering one of the highest rates of skills shortages in the labour market and increasing our pipeline of future STEM workers is critical for our industry’s success. While most people see manufacturing as an ‘industry’, it is really is a series of capabilities. The building blocks of these capabilities begin when our children are in school, which is why this program (with Makers Empire) is so important.”
“Through this rollout of 3D technology (with Makers Empire), students will learn to reframe needs as actionable statements and to create solutions to real-world problems. In doing so, our students will develop an important growth mindset, the skills they need to make their world better and the essential ability to persist when encountering setbacks.”
“The DECD-Makers Empire partnership is an excellent example of businesses working with school communities to develop learning experiences that involve students in real-world problem solving and challenges them to engage with the critical and creative thinking required to be the future innovators of South Australia,”
“At Toyota, we’re passionate about championing the next generation of STEM talent. We are proud to support Makers Empire and enjoyed seeing the STEM projects at the Showcase.”
“This (Makers Empire) partnership… is an exciting opportunity to help our next generation grow their understanding, resilience and emotional preparedness around bushfires.”
“This initiative with Makers Empire brings primary schools into the Foundation’s orbit and... (creates) educational opportunities and pathways into space-related careers.”
"It was great to see students collaborating, socialising and working together to produce creative designs while also improving their critical thinking skills and spatial awareness. The project was really beneficial for the students' holistic understanding of the design process, and learning how to break the process down into manageable steps to make the project more achievable. I was delighted to watch my students learn and develop their STEM skills over the two terms, and I was incredibly proud to see all of the students from Jackson School win a prize of a brand-new 3D printer."
"I think I grew and learned as much (if not more) from the experience as the students. Our whole school community has engaged with the project and we're excited to build on it going forward. The professional support from Makers Empire has been
outstanding and never felt intimidating which is quite a feat considering how many new skills, understandings, ways of working, and topics we were engaging with."
‘I would like to send my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to you and the team involved in the Kids in Space showcase in Adelaide. I appreciate the enormous amount of time, organisation and co-ordination that was required to stage such a successful event. The opportunity to be involved provided a once in a lifetime opportunity for our students, and one I’m sure they will never forget. To be able to meet and interact with students from all states and territories, as well as the representatives from the space
industry, was amazing and we learnt so much from them."
"Very well-structured program. Concise, helpful staff who gave us plenty of time to absorb material and learn. I love that it's curriculum aligned. The make pedagogy is useful to apply to any STEM/STEAM project. I can't wait to explore this with my students."
"Such an enjoyable, engaging and interactive professional learning! Our kids are going to love this program and challenge and we can't wait to embark on this journey!"
"A wonderful opportunity to further ourselves as educators. I feel much more prepared to deliver engaging and authentic STEM opportunities. Makers Empire is already a hit at our school."
"Excellent! So refreshing to leave a PD session with skills I can actually use. Thank you."
"The 2 days of the Kids in Space have not only been informative but also incredibly practical and useful It has allowed me to understand the abilities of technology enhancing our STEAM program in an inclusive way. All the information (and the way its presented) was easy to understand (even for a novice.) This program would benefit so many students and schools."
"My Year 3/4 extension class are really enjoying the opportunities that Makers Empire provide. We are still finishing the Climate Change Project as students are presenting their knowledge in creative ways.. I have assigned the Managed Project - Finding Your Way and will introduce this next week. I have also created another class for some Year 2’s to begin Strong Structures as I did this last year and it was such a success. Students enjoyed the program and also had to create their own structures practically."
“Since students have a variety of eye conditions and useable sight, we have had to become creative in using Makers Empire. Some students pair up together to share strengths. Some prefer using the iPad with zoom, while others prefer using the computer with or without assistive technology features like zoom, JAWS, and/or Fusion. Some students like using Makers Empire on the SmartBoard and others like to team up with a teacher and describe ideas... Many of our students do not like to edit/make changes/improve in daily work. However, students will notice “mistakes” in their prints and are willing and excited to go through the Engineering Design Process to make changes. This is now spilling over to other areas and I love it! Makers Empire has really opened students up to the possibilities of creating in 3D and possible career paths that they can follow.”
"Makers Empire is a wonderful initial tool in the 3D modelling learning process. It allows students to develop 3D design skills, make mistakes, and innovate in a safe environment. Individual creations include jewellery (earrings and rings), Taj Mahal, dream bed, funny characters, bookmarks, mazes, key chains, etc... Students are also using it before and after school, and many are now emailing 3D files created through Makers Empire from home."
“Students were very excited at the thought of 3D printing, they loved the software and were quick to figure out how to create and manipulate objects after a 3-4 minute tutorial from me. They worked in groups, each on their own iPad and were showing each other features as they discovered them, there was a lot of energy in the room and this energy level has remained high. Students frequently choose to use Makers Empire when they have choice time. Students like the ability to comment and like other designs and this has led to some thoughtful conversations about digital citizenship. Students [also] like the daily challenges in the app and it gives students a problem to solve without me having to create new ideas.”
“Our grade 4 teachers use 3D printing to enhance our students’ participation in the STEM with the students designing their own cars. Designing their own cars in the Makers Empire 3D design app gave the students an authentic learning experience, which connected deeper with their learning through their own design thinking and critical analysis skills."
"We use Makers Empire as a tool to assist us in teaching 3D printing for young students in grades KG, G1, G2, and G3. We used some of the resources available in Makers Empire lesson library to build our first-year curriculum in which students practice 3D design in a form of Project Based Learning environment. One example of a project that students work on is to design a bag tag and keychain. Students also work on designing bird’s nest, street signs, maze, and printed coins... Our students think that Makers Empire is just AWESOME because they learn how to design in a user friendly, funny, and engaging environment through the Makers Empire software. We have some students who are using Makers Empire at home for more practice and the number is increasing every day. Teaching with Makers Empire helps very much in increasing the level of engagement of students and their interaction with the STEM teacher inside the classroom. It also helps in developing the students’ skills and gives them the chance to be creative and build something they would never expect they can build before!"
"My students like Makers Empire and they create a lot of projects by themselves (as) it’s easy to understand. Makers Empire is very helpful at school with all subjects (Math, Science). It is easy to work with and helps students to finish and understand their STEAM projects. They are really excited while using Makers Empire, especially with the sharing projects feature – it helps them to easily present their project and get evaluation from their peers so they can improve their project. My students use Makers Empire to create a lot of projects (house, car, bubble sticks, name tags, animals.)"
“These students have been learning about creating stories and developing characters. The students designed a character on their iPads, which were then printed using the latest 3D printing technology. Together with their buddies from Scotch, the students videoed their stories using their 3D characters and backdrops as settings. The narratives that took place between the students as they created their stories were very entertaining. It allowed the students to share ideas, develop vocabulary and use their imagination. Following on from this visit, the students will each work on writing their own stories."
"My students found Makers Empire very user friendly, easy to handle and interesting. They can make their own 3D models easily and amend their mistakes confidently. Few students commented that they love to use Makers Empire as they can visualise their products before making it into a real models...For example, we used Makers Empire to design a 3D chocolate mould and printed it with 3D printer. We found this free lesson provided in Makers Empire interesting and it suited our learning objectives: students needed to design and accomplish a project-based learning portfolio, integrating computer science and mathematics."
"I nearly pulled out of the project because a student in my class had recently lost his home in a house fire. After speaking with his parents, I decided to go ahead and I’m so glad that I did. The Challenge Course and the videos were so sensitively and carefully put together that the student felt safe and comfortable with sharing his own experiences. I think being able to be creative and think of ways to help has been empowering for this student in particular as well as the other students in my class. This student now wants to be a firefighter!"
"It took me a while, but what I finally realized was that 3D printing and design is not what I am teaching, but rather how I am teaching. Anyone can hit the print button on the computer. Sure, there are technical skills that both the teacher and students need in order to make a design and have it print out correctly but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Makers Empire software allows kids to express themselves and to show what they have learned in the other realms of curriculum... Having a 3D printer in my classroom opened my eyes to incredible new software that has provided my students with an opportunity to create openly. 3D printing and design has made me a better teacher but only after taking a step back and being a student once again."
"The managed projects are good. The students have enjoyed being involved, loved being able to work independently and have gained a lot of knowledge. The have also created some great designs."
“The software is easy to use and kid-friendly… The curriculum has been great and it even fits into the objectives that I am currently teaching… When we first started using the curriculum I thought it was going to be a huge task getting my students to learn this. But instead of teaching, I have become a facilitator. They have really taken off and are helping each other solve problems. When we end our day I may about 20 designs that were created, but when we start the next day I see that number increase to about 50. They are designing at home.”
"Thank you so much for an insightful, informative and inspiring two days. Makers Empire offers an enormous scope for creativity, learning to learn, hard fun and an invaluable opportunity for students to broaden their understanding of Space and Earth."
"Thanks for a well-oranised, inspiring program. There was a great mix of group work, pedagogy, Science professionals and self-exploration. I'm leaving feeling equipped and enthusiastic about how to structure design thinking opportunities for my students. What an imaginative, well resourced program."
"This was the most interactive and knowledgeable PL. I was absolutely blown away by everything we were taught. Giving us time to explore Makers Empire was very beneficial."
“I loved the design challenge. It was a great way to learn and now I really understand the design thinking steps.”
“I loved having time to play with the software in a supervised environment with the opportunity to ask questions. I now feel confident enough to set up the 3D printer and play with it.”
“I highly recommend this program. I use this with 2nd - 4th grade students. I had students go through the set challenges that are grade-level specific. For example - I asked them to create a fantasy house, complete with a "fun" factor. I also had them enter the monthly competitions as well. The students love it and often go on at home on their own time to create 3D designs. The interface is extremely easy for the students to learn and very entertaining. I like that they can design in a free-way and also choose to use blocks to design (Minecraft-like). I can easily assess students' work easily and give comments to the students on the program. Maker's Empire was what I was looking for to take my design program to the next level!!”
"6 White has been working hard on their "Kids in Space" projects over the last few weeks... They have decided that the best way to build a habitat on the moon is to use a team of Rovers who are able to utilize the raw materials already found on the moon and 3D print a habitat. To do this they have followed the process of Empathise (who needs our help), Define (what is the problem exactly), Ideate (how many ideas can we come up with to solve the problem?), and right now they are up to the prototype stage (then there is the test and Review stages to go). Prototyping involves the students working in teams with the Makers Empire software to design a 3D model of a moon rover with a specialized job in our newly established 3D design zone in the middle school STEM lab."
"The years 3 and 4 students investigated simple machines including levers, gears, wedges and pulleys. They used the Makers Empire 3D app to create these simple machines. The year 6 students explored a project called ‘Get in the Game’ as part of their inquiry into games. They used Makers Empire Design software to create their own game piece or characters. The third project involved students in designing and 3D printing items for a Makers Market. These designs included earrings, key rings and small figurines. Future plans are for the students to focus on problem solving around real-world applications. Teachers felt that the gaming elements of the software were very popular, and students enjoyed earning badges and sharing their designs. Students were encouraged to design, create, make mistakes and test ideas."
“The project was such a great experience for my students. They loved being able to create anything they wanted and the social aspect in Makers Empire is great. The showcase day was a great opportunity to see other school’s projects and designs and the confidence students showed when discussing their projects.”
"The feedback from students and staff has been overwhelmingly positive. One student was so proud of his finished product. You’ll never believe this - when he ran out to find us to show his creation he said “Kaitlyn and Dani look at it!” It’s the first time he has been excited enough in his efforts to say our name to get our attention!"
“Winning a prize in the showcase and having seen our students (who have an intellectual disability) confidently present and share their project was a MAJOR success. Our students love using it and I will continue to (use) Makers Empire in all aspects of our learning.”
“I can see its potential for unlocking that creative side and equalising learning for children with special needs. We’ve got a child in our Year 3 class who works at Foundation level with their special needs. They love Makers Empire and creating mazes. Some of it is a bit technical, but if you give this child a really structured, scaffolded direction, they can do anything. Their birdhouse was as good as, if not better than some of the other students. You can make (learning tasks) as big or as narrow as you like and every child can meet with success…. So they’re validated and these students are not often validated. Makers Empire elevates children to feel good about themselves.”
“I’m teaching special education students and (reluctant learners), too. These are grades 9-12 kids that aren’t doing well in regular school – they’re more challenging to teach and motivate. So I started them with Makers Empire because I wanted to make STEM fun and engaging and a couple of kids were very resistant at first. One of my students was like, ‘this isn’t really going to apply to me. I want to do my own jewellery business.’ And I said, ‘3D print it.’ And she was like, ‘Oh! I can do that?’ And I said ‘Absolutely. You can make jewellery boxes, too.’ Then they were very interested. For kids that have special needs or are on ILPs (Individual Learning Plans), Makers Empire is perfect for them. For kids who have learning disabilities or who are cognitively delayed, who are several years behind, it works really well for those kids, too… 3D printing allows kids to be so creative and to think outside the box. They get into that Growth Mindset – this is what they have to do but how they get there is completely up to them. And the kids love that. I can’t tell you the number of pictures I have of kids with their hands in the air and they’re like ‘yes! I did this!’. These are kids that are struggling learners and they’re having such success with 3D printing.”
"Here at the Tynan Elementary School, we house the city’s second largest ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) strand. Our students, often classified as Autistic and or learning disabled, can have a diagnosis that ranges from an intellectual impairment or pervasive developmental disorder to social communication disorders... As a STEM teacher, the challenge for me is how to help these students and all students in general transition from using technology as a toy to using it as a tool for learning. I am often asked this question by parents and colleagues: “What do you do with the kids in the ABA strand?” My answer is now simple: I do the same thing that I do with the “regular” ed classes.My STEM class is a place where ALL students can participate and create. Makers Empire has helped level this playing field and create equality among my students."
“I was a complete newbie with 3D printing, and have had a few issues with my printer – most as it turns out caused by me! The staff at Makers Empire have been exceptionally helpful, understanding and efficient. They have repaired my printer on a few occasions without any hassles or judgement. They have taught me how to troubleshoot, and following their videos I have become quite proficient at fixing minor problems with the extruder. Makers Empire staff fixed issues that I didn’t even realise that the printer had e.g. they replaced a broken clip on the cover – they printed and attached a new clip. Their service was friendly, efficient, economical and effective.”
“I have found Luke to be an absolute asset. I’ve needed to contact him more than I’d care to admit and he’s always very prompt in his response. If he can’t help me sort an issue over the phone, he books me for onsite support, often fitting me in the very next day. I would strongly recommend Makers Empire for any school, particularly those wanting to dip their toe in the 3D printing waters.”
“I have been delighted with the ongoing support that Luke and the Makers Empire team has provided to me and my site. Luke has been very responsive to my questions and queries and was successfully able to repair our printer. He kept me fully informed about the printer and the time line required to fix it… A wonderful engaging program, fantastic training, and outstanding ongoing support makes Makers Empire so successful!"
"This app has truly opened up a world of opportunities for the kids. They're using it not only in technologies and science but also exploring literacy and art. Even if something doesn't make it to the printer, I'm thrilled that they're creating in 3D and sharing their designs as images. The parents have been amazed by their creativity! Thanks heaps."
"I loved seeing the ‘out of the box thinking’ by our students & how they worked together to find solutions to their problems. This was the first time that our school had been involved in this project, so it was a wonderfully exciting and uncharted experience. In hosting the showcase - I loved seeing how beautifully our students represented Essington. I could not have been prouder of their engagement in the project, both throughout the term and at the showcase."
"I have used other 3D design software with students but I can see Makers empire has some really good tools, such as students being able to view work done by other classmates and it checks models for potential printing problems."
"The last two days have been fantastic. The program will be great for our school and was presented with care and excitement. Sharon and Luke helped me constantly with all questions and showed a genuine spirit for their work."
"I had so much fun. Thank you for an engaging PL. I loved learning the Makers Empire program. I can't wait for my students to use (it). It is wonderful to have a program that uses 3D printers and encourages the kids to be makers not just users. Can't wait go get started."
"I came in knowing nothing, left with ideas and knowledge overflowing! Not only learning about how to use Makers Empire to design and then print 3D models but also the whole thinking and making process is invaluable. Add our school priorities and this is an amazing program!"
"The most inspirational professional learning I have been part of."
"Thank you so much for a truly inspiring and amazing couple of days. We are super excited about this project. I'm also very grateful that you shared all your slides and resources with us."
"Participation in the project is a learning experience not to be missed. Your students will learn from you and you will learn from them. Collaboration, communication, creativity and problem-solving skills will be enhanced as you progress through the design thinking process with space in mind."
"The Kids in Space Makers Empire Project allowed our children to collaborate whilst working in teams. It encouraged them to test, problem solve, and retest and as a result built children’s resilience."
"The innovation projects have offered our students real-life opportunities to apply design thinking strategies and understand the importance of prototyping. The Kids in Space project professional development was enjoyable, inspiring, outstanding, interesting and hands-on. It’s meant that we can take our pedagogies to the next level and stretch our students' learning to outer space (excuse the pun). Makers Empire's passion for innovative learning experiences is contagious."
"The Makers Empire - Andy Thomas Foundation Kids in Space Project was a comprehensive learning experience for both staff and students. Firstly building teachers' knowledge with quality PD on space and Makers Empire enabled teachers to confidently teach the students. The students were highly engaged in the learning, empowered to problem solve and be creative to solve space issues whilst developing their skills on Makers Empire. The showcase event with other schools around the state was a highlight. I would highly recommend this project for schools to participate in."
"Makers Empire provides so much more than a great app but resources and connections to curriculum, industry and innovation in our society."
"My year 4 students are doing the Sustainable Communities challenge and loving it. My year 2s are doing the Water Challenge and loving it! Just wanted to pass on thanks from the team and I for your fabulous resources!"
"Makers Empire is a fantastic project that provides multiple benefits to students, teachers and schools. One of the most amazing things I saw was a non-verbal (by choice) student in year five, (being) involved in multiple, on-task conversations and actively involved in the problem-solving process. This student now says hello to me every day."
“Learning the ins and outs of new technologies can be a daunting task that many teachers simply do not have time for. Thankfully, teachers don’t need to be experts to get the ball rolling with Makers Empire. A key strength is that so much learning is built right into the platform. Students progress through tutorials at their own pace, with written and spoken instructions there to guide them. My students think they’re just playing a computer game when they use Makers Empire, but from a teacher’s perspective, I see them developing vital spatial skills, persistence and confidence while experiencing how technology can enable them to become problem solvers of the future. Makers Empire has resulted in one of the smoothest introductions of new technologies at our school. It is accessible for a range of ages and abilities, it is a versatile tool that can be applied for many purposes and the Makers Empire team has been there to support us through whatever hurdle we’ve encountered along our journey.”
"Just wanted to touch base and say thank you on behalf of Haden SS for the PD days. Skye has returned extremely satisfied with the experience and has commented on how useful the program will be in the future for her."
"I have a new role at the school this year and that is the STEAM specialist... I would love to have all the children using Makers Empire and printing in Semester 2 this year. Our Year 4 and 5 students loved the program last year and I am really excited to have all students using this space this year."
Hi Mandi, I just wanted to express my sincere thanks for all the lengths you and the Makers Empire teams went to, to run the pilot program and the PD sessions. I found the activities and sequence very engaging. Although I am now at a different school I found a lot I could incorporate into my current location. With all the setbacks we had in getting the PD sessions to happen I am so glad you persisted.
Thanks to the Makers Empire team for creating such a wonderful two days for the teachers from our school and others in the region. We are looking forward to steaming ahead with the Makers Empire project and what it might bring to our classrooms for all students.
"This AR feature is wonderful. You guys never stop bringing new content in to keep kids engaged and keep the software fresh and I have to say I was hoping this feature would become available. It brings their models to life and AR is making its way into design and engineering in a big way so it is great for kids to use this tech in school. My students also realised new designs that could utilise the AR feature better like designing space ship cockpit that you could pretend to be in or even the interior of a house."
"First, can I say how very much I, and my students, have loved using Makers Empire – it’s THE best program I have ever used! I loved your lesson plans, the continuous new ideas and innovations to the program but, most of all, your absolutely marvellous support. Every (silly) question or problem has always been sorted quickly and without me feeling embarrassed for having asked in the first place. I really, really am going to miss the excitement on the kids’ faces when their design works and gets printed for them to take home. So a huge THANK YOU to everyone!"
Thank you so much Leading the Additive Manufacturing Project in South-East Queensland in 2021... It has been a privilege to be part of the Project and the Staff and Students at Numinbah Valley State School have learned so much about design using 3D shapes and blocks, problem-solving, teamwork and resilience. Living in a small rural area, our students have limited knowledge of the technological advances in manufacturing in recent years. However, they are now both aware of new technologies, particularly 3D print technology, and inspired to engage with Design Technologies in High School and beyond. In 2022 I plan to continue to use Maker's Empire software to engage the students in Years 1-3 and will encourage students who were in the project this year in Years 4 and 5, to act as mentors."
"I honestly haven't had this big a reaction from our team for any other type of technology I've introduced to the school. Getting teachers to step out of their comfort zones and try new tech has been a major struggle in my STEM role... The Makers Empire interest and conversations amongst staff and students have been spreading from there. The classes who got up and running early even had the benefit of being able to assign home learning tasks during the lockdown. One of the classes I helped set up today is our special needs class. I'm often told, "Our kids can't do that," so I can't wait to hear the feedback from that group in particular. I cannot thank you enough for helping me move the needle with Makers Empire and STEM in general. I'm hopeful that it will help me to continue to gain interest from colleagues with other types of new learning technologies."
"The best part of this project was the professional development. I have been to a lot in my time, but I have never experienced such a wide variety of teaching strategies and activities that engaged everyone. From our teacher heart to yours… thank you 😊 We also loved connecting with all the other schools around the Gold Coast and hope to reconnect in the new year."
"Thanks again for this amazing project that we could be involved in. The kids learnt so much and thoroughly enjoyed the showcase on Tuesday. Thank you for all your hard work in organising it and for the treats we all received. We will definitely be doing so much more with makers empire. I have so many ideas from the other schools at the showcase so we are excited to implement these next year."
"Having a blast with it, thanks! (Makers Empire) is all the rage at school at the moment."
@MakersEmpire you are always gathering feedback and improving- to see you all as a company taking the same steps we ask our students is an amazing example to use in students understand the DT process- We love you!! 💙⚔️🌍
“When I first started using Makers Empire I realised there was a way I could show my creativity and develop my confidence when speaking to the class about my designs. When my designs are 3D printed at school, I am so excited to actually hold my design and then look at ways I can modify it to make it even better.”
I decided to have all students in Kinder-5th grade begin the 3D Modeling curriculum with the Training Lab. I appreciated the addition to the 4 new Training Lab activities (Rotating, Zooming, Panning, and Catch the Rabbit because it makes the students practice those basic 3 skills in a timely manner)... Once the Training Lab was completed, we moved on to Challenge Central, starting with "Welcome to 3D space". I did this with 2nd-5th only for now... "Welcome to 3D Space" was a much-needed tutorial for the kids. The ice cream scoop was a lot of fun for the students. I like the way M.E. provides the walk-through to design certain objects using various shapes. It's a good visual for how to manipulate the shapes to make actual designs. I appreciate that it's timed so that they improve their speed and accuracy creating the challenge designs. After Welcome to 3D Space, I switched the Challenge Central curriculum to the appropriate grade-level curriculum. The activities have been appropriately modified, and my 5th graders, coincidentally are discussing animal adaptations in Science Lab, so it goes in line with our curriculum."
"I am using ME to create digital designs and lead into CAD for the upper grades... which means the students will be designing from scratch. Makers Empire establishes ways of working and terminology so the learning curve is not as steep."
"WOW Mandi! I honestly can't thank you enough for this. You continue to go above and beyond to help us and I appreciate it so much. I actually sent my Principal a message today letting him know this is probably my most favourite PD session I've been to. It is so well organised, resourced and structured. Thank you so much, Mandi!"
"I would like to let you know that I am loving my experience with the app at many levels: students experience, teaching and assessing. This term I work with 10 classes so around 270 students. It was very easy to create classes and it is easy to track my students work."
"I want to thank you for an amazing piece of software, the children absolutely adore working on it."
“The ability to integrate Makers Empire into many curriculum areas is a huge benefit.”
"Makers Empire is an age-appropriate platform for designing and 3D printing.”
“Students each have their own Makers Empire account that I can easily manage. I love the lessons.”
“Last year was the 1st year we were involved with 3D printing and I wasn't sure where to start. Polar 3D and Makers Empire made it pretty easy to get started.”
“I like that the students manipulate 3-D shapes. This will help them with geometry as they get older. It is a skill that was built by playing with actual objects when I was younger. Many kids are not playing in the same way and we are noticing a deficit in these skills.”
“[Makers Empire] works amazingly on tablets when a lot of other design softwares do not. It is very, very engaging for kids! I love the teacher dashboard. I know that my kids are safe even when sharing out within the software.”
“The biggest benefit of Makers Empire is the ability to set design tasks for the class and giving more children a chance to design and make.”
“Makers Empire is the only kid-friendly 3D modelling software that I can easily use on tablets. it is fun and easy to use for me and for my students.”
“Makers Empire is an engaging, easy to use and student-friendly tool that promotes design thinking and creativity amongst my students.”
“I think the students' engagement via the 'training' systems sets them up to be skilled to develop solutions in other learning situations. They also love seeing their designs take physical form, in spite of the challenges in printing. It seems like [Makers Empire] have a good grasp of getting students interested.”
“The product itself combined with the resources and management environment makes it an all in one solution irrespective of your experience or resources.”
“Very easy to navigate and use. User friendly.”
“A supportive curriculum-aligned platform to support the learning of design thinking and 3D printing.”
“The ability to manage classes as a school. The fact that Makers Empire will print for you and provide support. They understand teachers. They have lesson plans and ‘how to’s’ included. An interface designed for students that is primarily student-friendly.”
“[Makers Empire] is an easy and accessible way to get teachers to use their 3D printers and help students, even the littlest ones to design for the 3D printer.”
“A good way to get all students K-6 into understanding design, and the 3D platform in order to generate their design. Also the students like the idea of earning coin and purchasing elements for their hero. Students are very engaged. It promotes and consolidates mouse skills and mathematical concepts.”
"Makers Empire is an interactive, 'kid-friendly', easy to use and intuitive CAD Package."
"A simple 3D modelling program for the early years that is easy for students to use on the IPads."
"The benefit of Maker's Empire is that it provides learning experiences using 3D Printing to enable students to develop their understandings of Design and Digital Technologies across all areas of the School Curriculum."
"I’m loving the assessment option in Makers Empire, especially the bulk assessment – it is so easy and useful and I can personalize it and make it personal or private. What a great feature!.... Also, big thanks to you and the team for the missions. I’ve been using them with the Year 5 and 6 classes and they have really enjoyed them and have enjoyed the chance to be really creative, especially with the Secret Package module."
"Makers Empire (is) a very powerful learning platform that enables hands-on and visual learning experiences using 3D Printing to enable students to develop their understandings of Design and Digital Technologies across all areas of the School Curriculum."
"The benefit of Maker's Empire is that it provides learning experiences using 3D Printing to enable students to develop their understandings of Design and Digital Technologies across all areas of the School Curriculum."
"Makers Empire is the only kid-friendly 3d modelling software that I can easily use on tablets. It is fun and easy to use for me and for my students."
"An engaging, easy to use and student-friendly tool to promote design thinking and creativity amongst my students."
"It is amazing for both students and staff. Very easy to use and promotes all aspects of design thinking."
"I think the students' engagement via the 'training' systems sets them up to be skilled to develop solutions in other learning situations. They also love seeing their designs take physical form, in spite of the challenges in printing. It seems like you have a good grasp of getting students interested."
"It works amazingly on tablets when a lot of other design softwares do not. It is very, very engaging for kids! I love the teacher dashboard. I know that my kids are safe even when sharing but within the software."
"Makers Empire offers students a great way to work through the design process and apply critical thinking to real-world problems and solutions. And it's really fun to make things and watch them get printed."
"It has been awesome to see how students collaborate to design and test things to print (for example symbols for a 3-D map). The software is very intuitive for the students and they learned it very quickly. I like how engaging it is. I love how students can actually have a product print out that they created."
"I like the ability to bring students' imaginations and creations to life, as well as the ability for students to learn the software."
"I love the opportunity it gives to students to be creative and critical thinkers."
"This was the first school I had worked in which had an easy to use 3D printer set up with a designated computer attached to it. It was easy to log in to Makers Empire as a teacher and print the student’s designs directly rather than having to save files to USB’s or send from a classroom and run across to the printer etc. It’s great that 3D printers are becoming more affordable. All our colleagues and classes incorporate 3D printing into at least 1 of their Inquiry or digital tech studies so that the whole school are utilising the 3D printers rather than them collecting dust."
"I love that Makers Empire allows students to have a tangible educational artifact, often one that they created and designed themselves. I also appreciate how user friendly it is."
"Creativity spurned in the students brought to life. Truly engaging when they see their work made and can hold it in their hands!"
“It is fun and always has challenges for all levels! You can build whatever you want! Maze mazes are fun to create and make sure to try your friends mazes!?”
“I like this game because you can make whatever you want and it helped me build my imagination a little more and some inspiration from looking at other people's other work.”
“This game is EPIC! I have played it at school and I loved it so I downloaded it at home. This game is so fun and you can design things!”
“I first started using this app at school, then I had so much fun and got so obsessed I started using it at home. Honestly, it’s probably one of the best ‘making’ apps I’ve ever used.”
“Everyone in my class loves it and it is so educational. I think every kid should get it. You can build whatever you want and sell the stuff you make! Lovely game."
“An inspiring school App. I loved how we can build mazes and designs. I found out they were really awesome and I totally recommend this app. I love creating avatars and they also give us a chance to edit our designs/mazes and avatars is well like its a true game! If you want to download this in your free time, this is truly accepted!”
“At my school, we have a 3D printer we use Makers Empire to make an item to print and then download this to my teacher’s computer and print it. It is great with the 3D printer and is also great in a private setting when you have a spare minute or two you can make stuff I very much recommend it to people with spare time.”
“I love makers empire because we get to create things and then print them using the 3D printers and we get to make mazes for other people to play and we can play their mazes. But my favourite part is doing the daily challenges. We play Makers empire at school and we have races to see who can finish the maze first and when my teacher says we can have free time everyone yells out to their friends 'let's play Makers Empire'. We also designed pinball machines using ‘Create’ and we got them printed out so now we’ve got cool pinball machines to play with.”
“I highly recommend this program. I use this with 2nd - 4th-grade students. I had students go through the set challenges that are grade-level specific. For example - I asked them to create a fantasy house, complete with a "fun" factor. I also had them enter the monthly competitions as well. The students love it and often use it at home in their own time to create 3D designs. The interface is extremely easy for the students to learn and very entertaining. I like that they can design in a free-way and also choose to use blocks to design (Minecraft-like). I can easily assess students' work and give comments to the students in the program. Maker's Empire was what I was looking for to take my design program to the next level!!”
"I first learned about 3D printing at school because two of my school teachers went on a 3D design course with Makers Empire... I started to use Makers Empire and I asked if I could print out one of my designs so my teacher showed me how to slice my design and use the 3D printer. After that, I knew that I wanted to get into it... We use 3D printing at school for school projects and prototypes for product ideas in Enterprise. I used the UP box at school to print a beetle for the tournament of minds last year... Makers Empire is a very easy program to use and get the hang of... (At G3D) we make a lot of personalised bag tags and key rings, particularly for people with unusual names. We also make wall art, bookmarks and novelty pencil toppers. We can take custom orders for specific designs for people as well: we have just designed a replacement part for a customer for a set of blinds that have broken as she cannot get spares from where she bought them from."
“I wanted to get a 3d printer because I wanted to print things for my friends and family. Then I made some money so I decided to start a business printing and selling things to other people. I made over $1,000 so far and I’m still working... I have printed hundreds of models but my favourite builds are the big ones like the full-size Boba Fett costume, the giant Venom, Huge 1/57th scale Hogwarts castle and full-size R2D2. I print things for kids at school like infinity cubes and characters from games. One time, a girl in the younger grades broke one of her toys and asked if I could fix it. I used a program to make a replacement part and printed it. It worked great and I got some more money. Yay! Also, we are designing things at school using Makers Empire. I am really good at it because of all the practice I have at home."
"This app is REALLY good and is best for kids (adults, too!).”
“Easy to use with children, from as young as 5. Multiple 3d design modules are nice to choose from. Education focused.”
“It’s great, my husband likes it and so does my son!”
“Love this so much. I am not good with 3D structure but I can have lots of fun with this app! At first, I didn't know this app is also designed for children (I am using for 3D modellings for ancient tombs of Egypt), so after I checked their website and saw kids using the app I am planning to introduce the app to my little son. He is good with structure and I think he will have lots of fun!”
“My (10YO) son, Tomo, was very intrigued (with 3D printing) and came up with the idea of making things to sell. I suggested he should start a business and make it happen. We looked online and with almost all of his saved up pocket money he bought an Ender 3 printer for himself. We created some business cards and a Facebook Business page and started to advertise. The response was overwhelming and he has now made close to $1,000 profit from his $250 printer."
"I haven’t started using Makers Empire yet as my class is on summer holidays until the end of January. However, my own children have used it at their school and they love it. It’s engaging and allows them to be innovative and imaginative. I’m looking forward to using it myself when I get the chance next year in my own class."
“We had this huge printer but no one was using it because all the (3D design) programs were for high school students… plus, no one was trained in it – no one knew what to do... I was looking at (potential 3D software for the school) from a first-grade perspective. I asked myself: could I do this? With the other (3D design) programs I thought, no. And I’d never want to do it again... One of the great things about you guys is the PD (professional development) and the lessons – that sold a lot of people in our district, especially the alignment with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). That’s one of the newest things in our district so having lesson plans already aligned to it makes things easier... my principal asked me to do a PD (professional development) on it because the kids were talking about it to their teachers. So I led a session on it... I also had a few district people to come out and see what I was doing with 3D printing.”
“Most students had minimal prior knowledge to 3D printing (so) all classes started with the ‘Introduction to 3D printing’ (found on the Makers Empire website). I then looked through the lesson library and found the Chocolate Moulds unit of work, which focuses on students learning about measuring volumes and capacity by designing and printing a chocolate mould. I slightly tweaked it as it needed to engage and cater to students from Reception to year 7, and I also wanted to build more empathy with students. So we decided to make chocolate moulds as a Christmas present for a family member. I really enjoyed seeing the variations of designs from students in reception to year 7.”
"In my first year (of leading the STEM program), some of my students had a desire to learn about 3D printing... I introduced Makers Empire to my students for a 3D printing unit and they absolutely loved it. I have continued the subscription and use it every year... The students love the Game Zone, the challenges, and just being able to create on their own!... I have my 3D printer set up in a common hallway so students can see creations being printed when they are walking through the halls. They are curious with the creations and like seeing peers work being turned into 3D creations. I love that even though we are a rural school, students can still be a part of such innovative technology! I love the collaboration it teaches. I like when students figure something out, they can then show others how to do it. The Game Zone mazes have created a friendly competition to compete against each other and to come up with mazes to challenge other classmates!"
"When I first looked at this MakeShop project — metal jewellery — other projects were starting to eat into my curriculum time. So I couldn’t find time for it. That’s when I thought, how can we build this into something more while making it realistic for the students? How can I incorporate as many KLAs (Key Learning Areas) into it that I can?... This has been a really good learning opportunity for students – it had more opportunities than I even realised... Students that I had trouble engaging – they surprised me the most. Because it was non-traditional learning, they got up and jumped in... There was one student whose pendant’s design kept getting knocked back (as not being physically suitable for printing) and he was getting really frustrated. When he finally got it right, he said, ‘Mr Drain, thank you so much for pushing me – you have no idea how good I feel right now.'"
“A great overview of Design Thinking! The examples of student experiences solving problems are inspiring. I’m looking forward to finding an opportunity to engage my students in 3D design thinking before the end of the year.”
"My students love the app and the ability to share their creations... I have used the lesson library and the iPad app to help students learn the tools available to them as they create. We have just begun to create designs that are more geared towards solving a problem...Allow your students to do the work and learn from their mistakes. Do not be afraid to experiment! We started out with easier projects before moving onto ones that were more complicated or ones that allowed more freedom."
"It has been great to have this subscription to deliver STEAM sessions virtually - without it I would not have been able to run my sessions at all. Thanks for sharing this resource."
“Students learnt about spatial awareness, measurement, shape and sharing... They like the creativity they have with the range of different shapes and objects at their disposal. They also like the Game Zone section where they can share their mazes to others... Creating tasks that were relevant to the student’s interests enhanced student engagement. Students even went home and would play mazes. Students were very focused on the task as they had activities that were interest-based... Incorporating Makers Empire into a reading session helped students who lacked confidence reading... Students also improved their ability to work as a team and showed a sense of pride in their work... Our students love using it and I will continue to (use) Makers Empire in all aspects of our learning,”
“Makers Empire… (has) developed a range of learning resources for parents and teachers that you can use for free. Students and families can also download the Makers Empire app for free at home if your school doesn’t already have a subscription. Using the app encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, design-based thinking and develops spatial reasoning in children. It’s ideal for primary school-aged children. (I have used it with Reception to year 7). YOU DO NOT NEED A 3D PRINTER… It’s more about the thinking and design process – and having fun.”
“We fully support you guys doing what you can to support everyone who is connected to your company. In my opinion, you are doing a lot of good and pumping out some really great material and programs.”
“Makers Empire has a great resource of #designchallenges around the coronavirus. I made a Flipgrid for students to be able to participate at http://flipgrid.com/amesburymiddleschool… Great opportunity for students to solve relevant problems going on right now. Please join us, feel free to share!”
“While it has been madness with the online/face-to-face teaching dramas, I wanted to give feedback on the COVID-19 at home learning tasks – they have been absolutely brilliant. I set a term of tasks, once a week scheduled on Seesaw for St Pats, Yr 2-6. Now that we are back at school I thought I would still use them this term. They have been a massive hit and that actually surprised me. The students DON’T like the massive pre-planning, ideating, etc etc, but just getting down and dirty on a direct task. Some have produced fantastic designs… I am writing to let you know how MASSIVELY successful this approach has been. Short, sharp, 40 min direct task. If you ever want to release some more tasks like this, please do. We are working through the list, once a week, in a 40 min session.”
“I am loving Makers Empire. It has been great and students have been able to do their remote learning with ease.”
“Thank you for all the work you have put into the home learning space. We have a ‘student free’ week starting Monday (with the students of working parents in attendance). This will be a great opportunity to share with staff the online PD.”
“Thank you for your latest wonderful and thoughtful Social Distancing Challenges. I think they are just awesome!! I will most definitely be using them with my students when setting up online lessons at home.”
“These are crazy times we’re now living in and our staff are feeling quite stressed and inundated about the current situation. The free resources you have provided will help to lighten the workload.”
"I don’t think there was one child in the group that didn’t achieve something with it… Also, there was never a problem with them going back and doing something again. If this was a writing project and I asked them, ‘can you go back and redo this?’, the kids would groan. But, if we said, ‘I really like the way you did this but can you go back and try this?’, they would,"
"I liked the way the site is geared toward easy use by teachers and the tutorials help the learner (teacher or student) to be independent and self-driven. The app was easy to download and create accounts in. The multiple entry points available in tasks also differentiates well for teacher. The program engages students with its game-like appearance and improves not only their creativity but critical thinking and collaboration skills. I like the option of having the designs printed off-campus due to time constraints but it is also valuable for students to see the printing process from start to finish. This is an excellent way to create and give back to the community in our Christmas Lights Program. More schools should try it!"
"We recently discovered Makers Empire and introduced it to our Grade 1 students while they were learning about 3D shapes. It was quite a successful experiment and our young students responded very positively to the tool because of its user-friendliness, unlike other more complicated 3D designing tools. Since we enjoyed witnessing the collective enthusiasm, we kept it as an exploration app for Grade 4 students during our Tech Exploration Week in January. And it turned out to be exciting for that age group as well, many of whom have installed it at home and continue working on it... the best thing about Maker’s Empire is its user-friendliness... The ease with which students can independently use features like shapes, text, colour, etc. is what makes it so popular amongst students. Students are able to build skills like design thinking and spatial understanding by creating even simple things on the app... Students simply love playing around with Makers Empire. They always look forward to creating something which is appealing enough to be printed on the 3D printer. They are simply awed by the fact that something which they created using a software takes a real shape into something tangible. It’s a huge sense of achievement."
"What I really liked about Makers Empire was that it provided a comprehensive package, and one that can make sense to students from five to fifteen years of age... The real beauty of Makers Empire doesn’t lie in the printers or the software. In my opinion, where the company really shines – and the reason I was so eager to go through it – is in the wealth of curriculum-based lessons it provides, along with a host of lesson plans and a thriving community that contributes to the lesson bank. On top of this, the Makers Empire subscription allows teachers to set up classes and assess designs as they come in. Students have their own accounts (in our case, linked to their Google for Education accounts that we already set up), which are linked to their teacher’s. It is my intention for all students in our school (from Foundation to Year 6) to get the opportunity to use Makers Empire 3D. There are plenty of lessons for all year levels in the library to choose from, as well as ones provided by the community... Makers Empire 3D is not cheap. However, a lot of time and effort has gone into its creation, and I believe the price is well worth it. Not only is it a student-friendly piece of software, but it also contains a wealth of teaching and assessing tools for educators."
I just had a play and I LOVE the changes you’ve made. It will make life much easier and more obvious and visible for the kids (and me too!)."
"I have to commend the recent update to Makers Empire. The precision mode is a great addition, particularly for our older students, who have been loving it already. It’s really nice to use a product that is built around kids and teachers and can evolve with their needs. Thank you for consistently taking and considering our feedback and improving your already great product. I had a class of Receptions and Year ones today. The Year ones were working in ME and the Receptions were chomping at the bit to get in too! We have been loving using the Toy Designer with our younger students, as the access level is just right for them to create unique 3D models from their own imagination, but scaffolded enough for them to easily learn the tools in a lesson. I’m very glad we are using Makers Empire."
"Makers Empire is easy to use software for 3D modeling, design and printing on tablets, Macs and PCs. The app itself is free, but additional features are not. Ideally, a school licenses Makers Empire. Doing so only provides access to clever and intuitive 3D design software, but an ecosystem that helps keep track of student projects. Normally, we are uncomfortable with dashboard systems that allow adults to track, measure, or surveil students, but if you ignore the instructionist gamification and assessment aspects of the Makers Empire system, having all the files that need to be 3D printed in one place can be a practical godsent. The software is worthy of consideration if you focus on student creativity, rather than prizes and grades."
I have been teaching 3D printing for the past 3 years in my elementary science methods course. I was awarded a small grant that was enough to purchase a 3D Printer (Makerbot Mini Replicator). Recently, I discovered Makers Empire and started the free trial. I was amazed at the results! Here are my main take-aways after using Makers Empire.
1. User-friendly for elementary-age children! I offered very little training compared to other 3D printing software and it was super easy for children to navigate, design, and begin creating. I also like that Makers Empire offers a student-friendly app - perfect for young children.
2. Teacher Dashboard- The teacher Dashboard is perfect for setting up and managing a class of students. It's easy to assess their designs and works well with my Makerbot Software. Downloading files was quick, easy, and problem-free.
3. Fabulous customer service! I have been impressed with the follow-up emails and genuine desire for feedback. A big part of the design process is 'improvement' and Makers Empire seems to be committed to improving their product to meet the needs of educators and children. "
"The kids love it and it is a pleasure to teach with. It is easy to use and all the extra activities do a great job at developing the skills necessary to design printable 3d models in a fun, game-like manner. My students continue their learning at home completing challenges and developing new skills. This is the true value of software. It can provide a platform for students who are enthusiastic to keep learning after the school bell rings... The addition of the Australian Curriculum aligned challenges is fantastic and really encourages the use of this software in state schools throughout Australia... Giving feedback to students and rewarding great work is very easy using the assessment tools. I use this feature a lot."
"I have been doing 3D design and printing for about four years. I have used many programs including Sketchup, 123dDesign and Tinkercad. I am always looking for new programs and ran across Makers Empire when searching for 3D programs and ideas… I immediately was interested in the idea of a curriculum and being able to have classes… I signed up for the trial first and fell in love with the format… I also loved the different areas that the students could explore and that they could work at home as well. It is very engaging and my students love it! I like that I can set challenges and that they can also follow the challenges from the curriculum. The interface is very easy and the students can master it quickly. I like all the things students can do such as monthly contests and the game zone. Being able to design in a 3D environment is key to their computer studies as they progress through the grades. They love designing in the 3D world. I think it is a skill that will be important to them as they grow. It inspires their creativity and put their ideas into reality. They have gained confidence in their creative abilities and their perseverance increased as well.”
We first began designing using Tinkercad, a terrific CAD program and widely accepted by schools. Some of my older students were able to grasp the mechanics of designing things but that’s all it was, designing things. It had no connection to what we were learning and studying in school. It was isolated and, to be honest probably more trouble than it was worth. I hadn’t found a way to connect this great tool to the needs of my students... I had been searching the blogs and chat groups looking for resources to teach the curriculum when I discovered the Makers Empire software... Clicking on their website and watching a few tutorials I immediately could tell I had found something special. There was something simplistic to Makers Empire’s approach of complex design. The website offered video tutorials, downloadable resources, and an iPad friendly interface... It took me a while, but what I finally realized was that 3D printing and design is not what I am teaching, but rather how I am teaching... Sure, there are technical skills that both the teacher and students need in order to make a design and have it print out correctly but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Makers Empire software allows kids to express themselves and to show what they have learned in the other realms of the curriculum.
"I have worked with several (different) design software but Makers Empire is the easiest to use... One of the best things students learned is that it is okay to not get the "right" answer the first time, or second time. Students know that "failing" is part of the design process and problem-solving. Students have expanded their problem-solving skills to think more outside of the box."
“...when I started using Makers Empire with the kids they really took to it. I think that we had 5,000 designs within a month’s time! What is really nice about Makers Empire is it’s the first time that the students are actually creating something. We’ve had a 3D printer and stuff going on four or five years now (but) the students didn’t really create (anything) original... But with Makers Empire, each student had all of these different unique creations... Makers Empire is a game changer... There’s a lot of software out there but Makers Empire has incorporated so many different features. With the challenges and then the tutorials built in, no one else has that."
3dprinting with no experience? No cad modelling skills required? Anyone can create a 3dprintable design in under 5 minutes? Sounds like a dream come true and that is now a reality with the release of Makers Empire 3dprinting software ... Makers Empire allows users with no experience of 3d design, to create models from scratch in a matter of minutes... a game changer. Every child can succeed regardless of ability."
"Makers Empire has been a great tool for many of my students that find other CAD software difficult... Originally I started with my whole class using TinkerCAD. However, when given the choice many of my students gravitated to Makers Empire. I'm not sure if they prefer using the touch screen on the tablets to manipulate their designs, the gamification, or something else, but many have been successful with it and have made some great designs!"
“Makers Empire is a more student-friendly version of TinkerCAD for your primary kids. It’s so much easier and there are games to teach the kids how to design and how to manoeuvre the build plate… TinkerCAD, Sketchup – they are all for upper grades.”
“Before I started with Makers Empire I had no idea how 3D printing worked. I avoided coding and anything to do with the DigiSpace... Definitely, do the PD (professional development) from Makers Empire. It was very clear and helped me put 3D printing into practice… I think it’s wonderful for someone who is a bit fearful… it really helped me develop confidence in it.”
“...when I started using Makers Empire with the kids they really took to it. I think that we had 5,000 designs within a month’s time! I had seven classrooms at the school using it. And I had other teachers saying, ‘I really want to get in on this. I want to try this with our kids,’... Clearly, Makers Empire was a hit!... What is really nice about Makers Empire is it’s the first time that the students are actually creating something (original). We’ve had a 3D printer and stuff going on four or five years now. Previously, the students didn’t really create (anything) original... But with Makers Empire, when they were all finished, each student had all of these different unique creations... I feel like Makers Empire is a game changer for 3D design for our kids. There’s a lot of software out there but Makers Empire has incorporated so many different features. With the challenges and then the tutorials built in, no one else has that."
3dprinting with no experience? No cad modelling skills required? Anyone can create a 3dprintable design in under 5 minutes? Sounds like a dream come true and that is now reality with the release of Makers Empire 3dprinting software ... Makers Empire allows users with no experience of 3d design, to create models from scratch in a matter of minutes... The teaching resources have been written to meet both the (US) and Australian national curriculum with clear and concise lesson plans that are easy to understand and have easily achievable learning outcomes. This is the most important feature of all, it’s clear what the students will learn and it’s clear how they will learn it! Also, this app is fun! It has its own personality and gives users instant feedback when you have successfully achieved something new... Overall this app, and the teachers portal that supports the app, is truly a game changer. Every child can succeed regardless of ability and they can embark upon a 3dprinting journey of a lifetime."
“Redlands has been using Makers Empire to support the students’ creative writing efforts. Students were asked to design a character or an object using the Makers Empire software. After this creative process, students had to justify the design attributes of their character or object in writing. Students became actively involved in the creative process which helped inform their writing process. Makers Empire is a great hook before a writing task.”
"We’ve been using Makers Empire throughout the college and in Technology lessons for a while now, but this was the first time we used it in our classroom with our year 7s. The students thoroughly enjoyed the game-like structure of the program and were keen to work through levels to unlock parts for their designs... when we found the Global Design Program that Makers Empire ran, we were incredibly keen to connect with other schools... The learning that occurred from this project was invaluable and more than just curriculum based. Whilst the students learned about livability from researching and designing parts of a city that adhere to Mercers Quality of Living Factors, they learned about what living and cities are like in China from first-person conversations and experiences – a far deeper intercultural understanding than what they could possibly gain from textbooks and the internet."
“The (3D printing) lesson plans are really good. While they’re designed around the Makers Empire software, they’re actually designed around the design cycle. This is important is that it’s actually saying to kids, here’s a design cycle that has these steps in it: you have a thought, you make a plan, you design it, you print it, you check it, and then you go back and you improve it. It's driving kids to think about the design cycle."
“The kids just fly...The software makes it easy – if the software was more difficult it wouldn’t work as well. It’s at the right level for the reception students but it’s also not too easy for the upper primary kids. It’s a good start-off point... My class will go into another class — junior primary, middle primary or upper primary — and will partner one on one with the other students and help them learn how to use the software... My kids love helping the other students... Just to see the students faces light up during lessons is so good.”
“As part of their science studies, our grade 5 students designed their own pulleys in Makers Empire 3D design app using mathematical shapes. By allowing students to create 3D printing designs we provide them with an authentic learning experience whilst also working with tomorrow’s advanced manufacturing technology in 3D printing.”
"(Makers Empire) is another avenue that allows me to incorporate STREAM into my daily lessons. It adds another layer to the curriculum allowing us to dive deeper into the curriculum from a different standpoint – 3D printing... Makers Empire excites students. They love working with it and look forward to it... (it) allows students to feel successful if they do not feel successful in other areas. It is nice to see students who do not typically excel academically feel success... I love that the kids love it and that they are able to create and design in such a fashion.”
From the beginning, the students had no trouble. They absolutely loved it... The students' favorite part was going from the computer screen to something they can hold in their hand...It’s always better if you can give students an authentic reason to communicate."
“Though I plan to expand to other classes in the future, I predominantly use Makers Empire with my Science classes. I give students parameters and allow them to go through the Engineering Design Process. In Science classes, students have created plant and animal cells, aircraft, and aliens for classification... Since students have a variety of eye conditions and useable sight, we have had to become creative in using Makers Empire. Some students pair up together to share strengths. Some prefer using the iPad with zoom, while others prefer using the computer with or without assistive technology features like zoom, JAWS, and/or Fusion. Some students like using Makers Empire on the SmartBoard and others like to team up with a teacher and describe ideas... Our students really excel with 3D models, but using a 2D method to create 3D is a challenge for students... though Makers Empire is more geared towards students that are middle school and younger, I find that my students with Visual Impairments of all ages are able to use it because it is a bit easier to use with fewer complicated pieces that add to the visual distractions.”
"I have seen numerous benefits from our ‘Nature Play’ project and other 3D printing learning we have undertaken at Blakeview Primary School. During our 3D design lessons on the iPads using Makers Empire, the most significant benefit I have noticed has been the increase in student engagement. I have witnessed an increase in teamwork and positive interactions between students, which involved the sharing of learning and discoveries between groups. Students were able to work together to collaborate on projects and use each other’s varying strengths. They offered guidance and gave each other constructive feedback on what they liked about other designs and gave helpful suggestions for improvement, which promoted the persistence required to perfect their designs. Students also developed their spatial awareness through the ability to transfer and manipulate their 2D design plans and reproduce them into 3D design models... The success and accomplishment that was felt by solving a real-world problem with our ‘Nature Play’ project was incredible. The students that were involved feel a strong connection to the space and are proud of how their small idea and hopes turned into something real that could be enjoyed by the whole school and members of the community."
"I loved that (Makers Empire) had built-in learning experiences for kids and that I could see their progress without having to touch their devices. The fact that it also had built in lessons with videos and standards was also a bonus... The Challenge zone is great, I would love to see more in it… the challenges as you are setting up the account are great to let kids get their feet wet in the app... Students used Makers Empire during a party station and LOVED it… they then asked to stay in at recess to do more of it and skip(ped) the other stations of the party."
'I found Makers Empire to be incredibly user-friendly. In particular, it was very “school” friendly. There are very easy processes for children of all ages and literacy levels to log onto their accounts saving so much time and stress... the learning is in the process, not the product. You could very successfully use Makers Empire without ever actually printing anything (but it is a lot more fun and exciting when you can print it!)... All unit plans have direct links to the curriculum including the Digital Technologies curriculum. The deeper I delve into using Makers Empire the more opportunities I see for using maths in an authentic manner, particularly when using the Shaper app with measurements, shapes etc.”
"I haven’t started using Makers Empire yet as my class is on summer holidays until the end of January. However, my own children have used it at their school and they love it. It’s engaging and allows them to be innovative and imaginative. I’m looking forward to using it myself when I get the chance next year in my own class."
"As a school, this has been a game changer in the 3D design game for our students of all ages. This is a great design and creation tool that teachers and students can use to be innovative and share ideas with a vibrant community of makers. With Makers Empire, students learn how to identify needs and opportunities and then create, prototype, test and refine designs of solutions using 3D printing."
“I am so much better prepared and motivated to tackle our 3D printer dilemma. I am so glad you clarified that the goal is not necessarily to print but to be creative, have the kids explore and problem solve... This makes so much more sense. Of course, we will have a printing party to inaugurate our new journey through the Design Thinking Process in Makers Empire, but we will focus on having the kids grow into becoming better designers and problem solvers. Thank you!!!"
"Yessss! We have found the perfect application for Elementary Students to design and 3D Print on the iPad. Thank you @MakersEmpire!!
"I’ve started preparing for the @GEAdditive 3D printer that I’m receiving by working through the tutorials on @MakersEmpire. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to use this program with my students!"
"...wonderful day. I heard a few teachers talking about this being the best professional learning day they have done in their careers! Great job, we are planning to share with the Governing Council and run a parent information night to follow this up."
"Software is great, very user friendly... Kids loved it."
"Makers Empire has been a great tool for many of my students that find other CAD software difficult. Some students have difficulty visualizing in a 3D workspace; 3D modelling is great practice to build spatial sense... This is linked to a skill in our math curriculum, so it's great to give a real world application for students to practice... Originally I started with my whole class using TinkerCAD. However, when given the choice many of my students gravitated to Makers Empire. I'm not sure if they prefer using the touch screen on the tablets to manipulate their designs, the gamification, or something else, but many have been successful with it and have made some great designs! 3D printing tech lets my students see themselves as creators and how it can help others. They feel empowered by the possibilities of the technology and the leadership they are able to take in their school."
"This has been a wonderful new way to teach and motivate my students. They are so eager and excited to learn in this new way!... They are beginning to see real-life implications to what they learning to do in class and how they could develop prototypes of objects that they could develop and then produce to sell... At first, I preferred Tinkercad because I knew this software better. However, now that I have had some time to work with Makers Empire it is so much better. It does a much better job of showing you how to build and create. The challenges help tremendously!...The overall enthusiasm towards school and learning has increased tremendously. Students who are typically reluctant learners have come to life. One student was chronically absent and has now improved his attendance. He asks me each morning if he can get on the computer!"
"I have worked with several design software but Makers Empire is the easiest to use... One of the best things students learned is that it is okay to not get the "right" answer the first time, or second time. Students know that "failing" is part of the design process and problem solving. Students have expanded their problem solving skills to think more outside of the box... Before, my students were limited in their STEM applications and designs due to financial issues and materials available. Now each student is able to have an account for their designs and can work at their pace which is meeting them on their individual need. Through this, my after school STEM club has gained interested to where students had to be put on a waiting list. Students have discussed participating in STEM clubs in middle school and high school as well as more interest in engineering type careers."
“I use Makers Empire to enhance students’ ability to demonstrate understanding across a wide range of topics. As we work through different curriculum, including geometric shapes, things we’re scared of, plants and insects, and engineering design challenges, students create 3D models related to the content… We use the app to create 3D products that are printed as well as those that are not, but still viewed in 3D on the iPads.”
"I love Makers Empire software. It is great to use with elementary age students... I love teaching students how to design for 3D printing. It’s so fun watching them problem solve to create a certain shape by adding or taking away."
"After having tried several softwares I can say hands down that Makers Empire has been the easiest for my students in grades 3-5 to access and manipulate."
"The software is easy to use and kid friendly... The curriculum has been great and it even fits into the objectives that I am currently teaching... When we first started using the curriculum I thought it was going to be a huge task getting my students to learn this. But instead of teaching, I have become a facilitator. They have really taken off and are helping each other solve problems. When we end our day I may about 20 designs that were created, but when we start the next day I see that number increase to about 50. They are even designing at home."
"I think it is great because it integrates so many curriculum areas that we have to do in a busy classroom. You have got your maths, science, you can do literacy, then you have also got your digital technology and design technology, and art as well... We are in an ever-changing world and we all have to keep up."
“The software has lesson plans based on many state standards with many modules to choose from. Maker’s Empire can be used to teach science, math and even art, K-12. The 3D-printing course was not as challenging as the grade level I was given — first graders!... However, their enthusiasm and absolute thirst for knowledge is awesome to see. They blaze through the challenging 3D lesson plans… Seeing the students faces when the IT team at BPY brings the 3D prints to the classroom is just something I can’t describe. The best part is while walking in the hallway with the huge iPad cart, some eighth graders ask who made that. I point to the first graders, who grin ear to ear.”
“I’m sending you the very best wishes and enormous gratitude for connecting our students with your learning program. To say this purchase has been transformative might sound like an exaggeration but it’s pretty darn close to the truth."
"Students developed a range of design skills..They learnt what the design process looked like, learnt how to create their designs in Shaper, learnt about scale when printing their designs. Students learnt to measure their objects as well as problem solved to make their design as similar on Makers Empire as their initial design... the students were so engaged and thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience...(Makers Empire) is a wonderful program that engages all students well!"
"I think the lesson plans are fantastic for teachers - especially those who may find the hardest part being the inspiration/ideas on where to start...The Makers Empire app is a MASSIVE value add to the learning. We could have taught children how to design an iPad stand, learn what makes a structure strong, what are strong ‘shapes’, how to keep an item balanced etc etc etc - but the ability to create their design in 3D AND then print it makes the learning so much more obtainable and relevant/real."
"This was the best PD that I have been involved in for ages... This whole project has been inspiring for teachers and students in empowering students to become change makers. Our students were so engaged and excited about solving a real world problem... The fact that they could see they could help someone through their own design, meant their learning was authentic and valued."
"Makers Empire is friendly towards all ability groups and help engage students who are less motivated to be working in the classroom. It gives students the opportunity to be creative and learn by trial and error in a digital format. On paper some students get disheartened when drawing designs and have to erase mistakes and makes their work look messy. Using this program it is simple to remove mistakes. I think this has been a fantastic tool to have in the classroom. I have many teacher friends and have actually shown them the program and they are all very impressed."
"The Makers Empire team came to run a session on 3D printing at our STEM day. It was the most popular session of the day and the students clearly had a fantastic time designing in 3D."
"A roadmap to start 3D printing at our school."
"The lesson plans provide authentic learning experiences that help our teachers integrate 3D printing and encourages our students to print with a purpose. We appreciated that the Makers Empire trainers were dedicated educators, with former classroom teaching experience. They helped our teachers understand how to use the printers and program but most importantly how to thoughtfully integrate the application in the classroom."
"Makers Empire is a great introduction to the world of 3D design and 3D printing."
"My department was searching for applications and curriculum that would align to the common core standards. We found reference to [Makers Empire] on the web and reached out to see if what they were doing would meet our needs... We were impressed that they were addressing the use of 3D printing not simply as an endpoint but as a true curriculum enabling tool. We simply had not found anyone else doing the work required to create quality educational activities... The New York State Teacher Centers and the New York Institute of Technology have been working with Makers Empire on what has turned out to be a transformational pilot with New York State Schools... The Makers Empire pilot has provided the beacon for schools to follow that are opening opportunities for students that simply were not on the table before the pilot."
"Our students were riveted by the magic of this new technology! Watching their creations come to life they were spellbound, and we had to literally pry them away from the computers when the session ended."
"The Professor Garfield Foundation has been a leading advocate of high quality curriculum for over a decade. We strive to find outstanding educational partners who know how to connect with students and teachers alike. The last worldwide 3D printing competition Makers Empire conducted with us was a prime example of how they can make learning fun and meaningful by challenging students to use their creativity and ingenuity."
"It is important to prepare our students with a world-class education through a curriculum integrated with academic training and practical learning. Tomorrow’s international currency includes developing skills in STEAM through society transforming technology such as 3D printing. Our students develop international perspectives, creativity, and social awareness for the 21st century.”
"Our students study key concepts and discover knowledge of the world around them through an enquiry-driven approach to learning. Design and 3D printing with Makers Empire will help support our students develop important skills such as design thinking, problem solving and critical analysis.”
"In the future 3D printing will be as simple as 2D printing... but its effect on industry will be much greater. Through designing 3D models and printing them out, students understand the importance of maintaining a balance between practicality and creativity. Makers Empire is a great app for students... and will lead to a brighter future.”
"...our staff were genuinely impressed... The Makers Empire 3D printing iPad app exceeded our expectations. The design and creative elements of this software have been carefully designed to engage children while opening up numerous educational opportunities and learning experiences. We loved the Teacher (Dashboard) with its support, ideas and integration of the Australian Curriculum. A great way to expose our students to this rapidly emerging technology that will have a significant impact on their lives."
"Students have been learning about creating stories and developing characters. The students designed a character on their iPads, which were then printed using the latest 3D printing technology. Together with their buddies from Scotch (College), the students videoed their stories using their 3D characters and backdrops as settings. The narratives that took place between the students as they created their stories were very entertaining."
"We are certainly excited to begin investigating the possibilities this will open up to our students in multiple areas of the curriculum. The Makers Empire app makes it easy for our students to begin designing and appraising their creations and then gives them immediate feedback with the end result being their very own 3D model."
"We are currently using Makers Empire with the whole of year 5 at the moment and have brought a second 3D printer to keep up!! The Learning Support Platform and its new design looks awesome, the functionality, navigation and amount of information available is excellent. Thanks!"
"This is an exciting initiative which we foresee will enrich the learning experience of Scots boys. The usefulness of the 3D equipment to the students is evident as their visualisations become reality.”
"I just wanted to let you know that Makers is up and running and the girls have come up with some wonderful ideas. I had them complete a design brief, first outlining something they’d like to design, create, manipulate etc. To help them do this I had them think of something that annoys them, they love, helps them, could potentially make life easier etc."
"...we looked extensively for a software program that was inclusive of all learning styles. The 3D design & printing app is brilliant in the way it allows students to start at a level that's suited to previous learning and nurtures their journey forward. The developed lesson plans can be delivered explicitly to the class or used as individual tutorials and we feel confident in the notion that we are addressing the ACARA performance standards."
"As a school we need to ensure we provide as many broad opportunities as possible to promote and prepare our students to be life-long learners. Many of the jobs that exist today will be obsolete by the time our children enter the workforce. As a school we are excited by the creative and innovative opportunities the relationship with Makers Empire will bring through 3D design and printing."
"The Year 7 class at Westminster Preparatory School had a fantastic time... Students had the opportunity to design and create their own 3D object. This was a great way for them to learn about the design process from both concept to production. We believe this technology has a place in student learning and fits in nicely with the Australian Curriculum and many levels of primary education."
"It was an absolute delight to have you work with my Foundation (5 year old) students. They're still talking about the experience! ... What you presented to the children was fantastic! Thank you for presenting an age appropriate and engaging lesson. The lesson was scaffolded to suit the needs of Foundation students and the students felt so proud to have independently designed their own dinosaur and key ring."
"I’ve been astounded at how much the students using (Makers Empire) have developed over the last 18 months. The kinds of design they’re doing now are very sophisticated. I give them a design brief and the extent to which they take it always surprises me. Using (Makers Empire) has really accelerated their learning.”
"At Scotch College Adelaide, 3D printing has been integrated into the Year 6 curriculum during the past 12 months. The pupils really enjoy utilising 3D printing technology in the classroom and the session provided by Makers Empire allowed the students to showcase their knowledge and creativity. This was yet another opportunity for our students to extend their learning."
"The teacher resources were comprehensive and supported the easy implementation of the lesson. The Makers Empire 3D design app made sophisticated designing available and accessible to young students. They were totally engaged as they designed their very own 3D Hungry Caterpillar."
Do you use Makers Empire in your school? Share your experience and help inspire your fellow teachers!
