Makers Empire Offers for Vermont Fest 2024

We look forward to seeing you at Vermont Fest 2024, November 6- 8 2024. Makers Empire is happy to support the sessions hosted by Kimberly Smith, STEM Teacher at St Raphae’s New Jersey.

As an Vermont Fest attendee, you can access Makers Empire for up to 3 months. Please sign up for a free trial here, and mention VermontFest.

Kim will be running two sessions at Vermont Fest:

Enhance Any Curriculum with 3D Printing

This hands-on workshop will provide educators with the tools and knowledge needed to integrate 3D printing technology into any curriculum, enhancing student engagement and bringing learning to life. Participants will explore how 3D printing can be used across different subjects like math, science, history, and art. By the end of the session, educators will walk away with actionable lesson ideas and the confidence to implement 3D printing in their own classrooms.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
I prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by introducing 3D design platforms transcending socio-economic barriers, offering free access for children of all backgrounds. As a woman in computer science, I also can offer teachers my a unique perspective to help teachers integrate emerging tools for every student K to 12.

Harness the Power of Virtual Makerspaces to Create Equitable Access to STEAM

Leverage the power of 3D platforms and virtual makerspaces to create opportunities for all students to dive into emerging STEAM careers with real-world STEAM projects. Learn how to design authentic learning activities where students engage in high-fidelity prototyping and learn spatial reasoning, computational thinking and data analysis. This presentation highlights how virtual Makerspaces, specifically Maker’s Empire, Tinkercad and Qweebi paired with 3D printing and CAD tools, can break down barriers for students in under-resourced schools or remote areas by providing them with the same hands-on, innovative learning experiences as those in physical Makerspaces.

Reimagining Learning and the Classroom
Virtual Makerspaces increase access to STEAM by eliminating space and cost issues! They allow for diversity in student choice by making it possible for different students to do different projects simultaneously in class! Virtual Makerspaces are more inclusive by offering ways to adapt the software to students with different needs!

Download Makers Empire

We recommend downloading and installing Makers Empire before you arrive at Vermont Fest for a smoother experience.

iPhone and iPad

Android and Chromebook

Mac

Windows

Don’t have the admin password? Use this (per-user) version instead

For Chromebooks, please check out our guide to Chromebooks and Makers Empire.

Makers Empire Design Curriculum

Based on, and aligned to international design and technology curricula, including the Australian Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate, Next Generation Science Standards (USA) and the National Curriculum (UK), the Makers Empire Design Curriculum describes the development of skills, knowledge and understandings across K-9. It aims to help students:

develop confidence as designers and problem solvers;
use design thinking processes to generate & communicate design ideas;
produce designed solutions suitable for a range of technologies contexts by selecting and manipulating a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment creatively, competently and safely; and managing processes;
evaluate processes and designed solutions and transfer knowledge and skills to new situations;
become competent users of 3D design and 3D printing;
develop spatial awareness; and
understand how technology is and can be used to develop designed solutions in real-world contexts and for a range of users.

“…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,’… 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,”

Karie Huttner, K-5 Educational Technology Coach

The Makers Empire Program

Makers Empire works with many schools that already have a 3D printer, but are struggling to unlock the potential for both teachers and students. The Makers Empire program makes sure that technology doesn’t sit idle in the corner, but is being actively used by teachers and students to improve learning outcomes in the classroom.

The Makers Empire 3D design app
The Makers Empire Teacher Dashboard
In-app challenge courses and a lesson plan library
Professional development for teachers

“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.”

Ruth Hanson, Lower School Educational Technologist
Duchesne Academy

Makers Empire 3D Printer Package for Schools

Makers Empires is pleased to offer schools the Flashforge Adventurer 4, the best 3D printer for primary and middle schools.

The Adventurer 4 creates higher quality prints with a print bed size that is four times bigger than the Makerbot Sketch for around the same price. Best of all, Makers Empire is located in Australia and provides top-level, responsive high-quality customer support, which includes hardware training and troubleshooting.

Our Adventurer 4 3D Printer Packages include:

An award-winning 3D printer(s) – the Flashforge Adventurer 4
Filament rolls, tool kit and a spare nozzle
Online hardware training
Customer support (phone/online/in person) valued at $300

“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 see 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,”

Makers Empire for Vermont Fest Attendees