Makers Empire For School Districts
In 2020, school district administrators face numerous challenges including:
- Helping schools navigate the disruption and uncertainty of COVID-19;
- Supporting teachers and students learning both at school and at home;
- Teaching students how to identify and solve real-world problems;
- Developing student interest and capability in STEM;
- Engaging ALL students, including reluctant learners, those with special needs and those with disabilities;
- Building students’ resilience by normalising mistakes and encouraging persistence;
- Providing differentiated instruction so all kids can succeed at their own skill level and at their own pace; and
- Helping teachers integrate technology into their everyday teaching practice to improve learning outcomes;
- Ensuring new EdTech implemented actually delivers improved learning outcomes for students and teachers.
Design Thinking with 3D Design and 3D Printing
Makers Empire creates market-leading Design & Technology solutions aligned to Common Core Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, backed by university research.
We have successfully delivered 3D technology to many US schools as well as groups of 200+ schools in Australia, America and the Middle East. Our solutions include:
- Easy to use 3D design software works on all computers and devices
- 150 lesson plans aligned to standards
- Professional development and training for teachers
- Class Management tools
- Built-in student assessment
- Comprehensive teacher resources
Expert Integration and Comprehensive Support
Makers Empire will work with your district to provide a seamless and easy integration. We know you have many demands on your time so we’re here to make your life easier by equipping you with guides, support and advice at every step of implementation, including:
- Needs Assessment – we’ll work with you to identify operational and instructional needs of the district in terms of hardware, software, resources, professional development and training.
- Technology Plan – we’ll help you plan for both operational needs and instructional (educational) needs) for 1, 3 and 5 year periods.
- Budgeting and Prioritising – we’ll work with you to stretch your budget as far as it can to deliver your priorities.
- Implementation – we’ll work with your employees to ensure that the technology is implemented in an effective and efficient manner.
- Evaluation and Monitoring – we’ll deliver real-time reporting so you can see how your district is tracking against expected KPIs.
Denver Public School Case Study
Denver Public Schools’ technology coordinators identified a need to provide interested teachers within the 200-school district the opportunity to engage in 3D printing. So they researched possible solutions and ended up approaching Makers Empire.
Our custom professional development program for Denver Public Schools includes face-to-face professional development days, online learning and online support forums for 55 teachers across 38 schools. Each school also has access to Makers Empire’s high-quality 3D design tools, class management tools and resources for a full year, too.
Schools will also be given a 3D printer by the school district so that students can experience the full Design Cycle from empathy, define, ideation, prototyping and testing.
Watch Videos of American Schools Using Makers Empire
Learn How American Schools are Using Makers Empire
Click on the images below to read the teacher interviews.
Robin McGinnis is North/South/Jr. High Lead Teacher-STEAM for the Mount Healthy City School District. We spoke with Robin to learn about how she’s currently using Makers Empire to teach STEM in the K-12 classroom.
Christopher Burdman, a grade 3-5 STEM teacher at Joseph P Tyan Elementary School, shares a frank and engaging account of his 3D printing journey, through unexpected windfalls, false starts, new beginnings and eventual success.
Stephanie Hultine is a grade four teacher at Foster Elementary in Colorado. We spoke with Stephanie to learn how she turned her school’s unused 3D printer into a valuable asset and tool for learning.
Ruth Hanson is the Lower School Educational Technologist at Duchesne Academy in Houston. We recently spoke with Ruth about how she is using Makers Empire in the classroom to teach across the curriciulum.
Amy Otis is a Classroom Teacher at Glacier Edge Elementary School. We spoke with Amy about the three 3D printers in her classroom (!) and how she uses 3D printing and 3D design to teach across the curriculum.
Erin Barr is a teacher at the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind. We spoke to her to learn how she is using Makers Empire to teach vision and hearing impaired students, and how her students work together to overcome challenges.
Evidence Based Learning
From mid 2017 to mid 2018, Macquarie University’s Department of Educational Studies partnered with the New South Wales Department of Education, three Australian primary schools and Makers Empire for a research project on maker pedagogy in primary schools.
The research study examined how maker activities using 3D design and 3D printing technology could enhance learning and teaching outcomes: teachers from the participating schools undertook Makers Empire’s Learning by Design professional development course and participating students used Makers Empire’s 3D modelling software.
The research study report revealed that makerspaces can be highly effective at developing children’s creativity, critical thinking, design thinking and digital skills. Students were highly engaged with the 3D technology, and the idea of solving genuine design challenges – it helped boost their confidence and resilience when dealing with setbacks, particularly for those less capable students. In a different way, the research study showed that teachers became more comfortable with technology and more collaborative and flexible in their teaching.