Testimonials

"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."

Michael Cannavan, Teacher
Cowandilla Primary School. SA

"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."

Rory Hunt, Principal
Ungarra Primary School, SA

"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!"

Jo Rea
Teacher, Scotch College, SA

"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."

Teacher
Queensland

“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.”

Zack Plaquet, Teacher
Berri Primary School, SA

"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."

Emily Dujela, Acting Principal
Haden State School, Queensland

"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."

Amanda Edwards, STEAM Specialist and Gifted & Talented Coordinator
Western Australia

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.

Emma Pukallas, Design, Technology and Engineering Teacher
Highfield State High School, Queensland

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.

Lyn Fletcher, Deputy Principal
Dalby South State School, Queensland

"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."

Jay Wright, SET, STLAN and Technologies Teacher
Vale View State School, QLD

"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!"

Johanna Emptage, STEM Teacher
Courtenay Gardens Primary School, Victoria

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."

Bev Bartlett, STEM Teacher
Numinbah Valley State School, Queensland

"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."

Zach, STEM Teacher
Berri Primary School, South Australia

"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."

PJ STEM Teacher
Hillcrest Christian College, Queensland

"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."

LS Primary Classroom Teacher
Hillcrest Christian College, Queensland

"Having a blast with it, thanks! (Makers Empire) is all the rage at school at the moment."


Jordan Wayne, Technologies & 4/5 Teacher
Reynella South School, South Australia

"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!"

Lauren Smith, Year 4 Teacher
Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Primary School, NSW

"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."

Lucy Jachacy, Science Teacher
Highgate Primary School, South Australia

“The ability to integrate Makers Empire into many curriculum areas is a huge benefit.”

Teresa Shepherdson, Teacher
Walkerville Primary School, South Australia

"Makers Empire is an age-appropriate platform for designing and 3D printing.”

Jess Moroney, Principal
Woodside Primary School, South Australia

“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.”

Teacher

“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.”

Kathryn Rowlison, Teacher
Carlingford Public School, NSW

“Makers Empire is an engaging, easy to use and student-friendly tool that promotes design thinking and creativity amongst my students.”

Megan Koop, Classroom Teacher
Blakeview Primary School, South Australia

“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.”

Tony Fram, Teacher
St Patrick's Primary School Wangaratta, Victoria

“The product itself combined with the resources and management environment makes it an all in one solution irrespective of your experience or resources.”

Chris Bennie, Assistant Principal
Stirling East Primary School, South Australia

“Very easy to navigate and use. User friendly.”

Kathy Sandercock, Teacher
Roseworthy Primary School, South Australia

“A supportive curriculum-aligned platform to support the learning of design thinking and 3D printing.”

Emma Ryan, Teacher
St Joseph's Primary School, Queensland

“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.”

Liam McComb, Teacher
Goodwood Primary School, South Australia

“[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.”

Siobhan Pawelczyk, Science Teacher
St Stephens School, Western Australia

“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.”

Stein-Mavis Ward, Teacher
Narellan Public School, NSW

"A simple 3D modelling program for the early years that is easy for students to use on the IPads."

Alex Lumb
Prospect Primary School, South Australia

"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."

Gary Romeo, Teacher
St Margaret's Primary School, Maribyrnong, Victoria

"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."

Johanna Emptage, ICT Teacher
Courtenay Gardens Primary School, Victoria

"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."

Jane Glasson, Teacher
Cleve Area School, South Australia

“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.”

Shauna Wood, Classroom Teacher
Madison Park Primary School, SA

"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.'"

Luke Drain, Classroom Teacher
Carlingford West Public School, Sydney

"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."

Michelle Dawson, Digital Learning Coordinator
Adelaide Hills Council Library, SA

“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,”

Phillip Haig, Classroom Teacher
Jackson School for Special Needs Students, VIC

“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.”

Hajnalka Molloy, Teacher Librarian
Aberfoyle Park Campus, SA

“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.”

Jane Edwards, STEM Teacher
St Patrick's and St Thomas School, SA

“I am loving Makers Empire. It has been great and students have been able to do their remote learning with ease.”

Emma Pukallus, Teacher
Haden State School, QLD

“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.”

Jonny Wright, Year 4 Teacher & STEAM Coordinator
Nambour State College, QLD

“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.”

ICT Teacher

“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.”

Bianca Laister, Deputy Principal
Birdwood Primary School, SA

"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,"

Joann Packer, Deputy Principal
Mundulla Primary School, SA

"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!"

Deb Cope, Year 7 Teacher
Westminster School, SA

"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."

Joel Aarons, Media Arts and STEM Specialist Teacher
Camberwell South Primary School, VIC

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!)." 

Johanna Emptage, ICT teacher
Courtenay Gardens Primary School, VIC

"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."

Liam McComb, Teacher & Digital Communications Coordinator 
Goodwood Primary School, SA 

"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."

Jay Wright, SET, STLAN and Technologies Teacher
Vale View State School, QLD

“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.”

Jane Doherty, Teacher Librarian
Kelvin Grove State College, Australia

“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.”

Shireen Winrow, E-learning Facilitator
Redlands School, Redlands, NSW

"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."

Jolanta Stephens, Grade 7 Teacher
Immanuel College, Novar Gardens, SA

“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."

Russell Deer, Principal
Braemar College, Woodend, VIC

“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.”

Monica Berno, Grade 6/7 Teacher
Fulham North Primary School, Fulham North, SA

"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."

Megan Koop, Classroom Teacher
Blakeview Primary School, Blakeview, SA

'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.”

Hajnalka Molloy,Leader of Campus Library and Information Services
Aberfoyle Park Primary Campus, Aberfoyle Park, SA

"...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."

Grant Small, Principal
Grange Primary School, Grange, SA

"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!"

Abbie Krieg, Year 3/4 Teacher
Snowtown Primary School, Snowtown, SA

"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."

Chris Bennie, Assistant Principal
Stirling East Primary School, Stirling East, SA

"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."

Aaron Vigor, Teacher
Yankalilla Area School, Yankalilla, SA

"...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."

Stephen Corcoran, Director of Digital Learning
St Stephen’s School, WA

"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."

Heather Pope, Head of Junior School
Presbyterian Ladies College, VIC

"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!"

Stephanie Comino, Preparatory Science Facilitator
The Scots College, NSW

"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.”

John Crerar, Head of the Preparatory School
The Scots College, NSW

"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."

Rene Wavell, Assistant Principal
North Adelaide Primary School, North Adelaide, SA

@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!! 💙⚔️🌍

Katie Sandlin, Teacher
Lower School Technology & Science Teacher, Atlanta, GA

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."

Melissa Cabrera, Summer Programs Director
Triangle Day School, North Carolina

“Students each have their own Makers Empire account that I can easily manage. I love the lessons.”

Joanne Cress, IT Teacher
Cape Fear Centre for Inquiry, USA

“[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.”

Colleen Small, Teacher
Groveland Elementary, USA

“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!!”

K-4th Grade Computer Science Teacher
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Houston, USA

"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."

Kate, Parent and Elementary School Teacher
USA

“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.”

Stephanie Hultine, Grade Four Teacher
Foster Elementary, Colorado USA

"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!"

Michael Freeborn, K-4 STEM Teacher
Turbotville Elementary, Pennsylvania USA

“I loved the design challenge. It was a great way to learn and now I really understand the design thinking steps.”

Monica
Goldrick Elementary School, USA

“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.”

Lisa
C3 Elementary School, USA

“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.”

Jamie
Place Bridge Academy, USA

"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."

Michele Crispell, Grade 5/6 Teacher
Creede School District, USA

“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!”

Jenn Donais, Maths Coach
Amesbury Middle School, USA

"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."

Gary Stager & Sylvia Martinez
Authors of Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering and Engineering in the Classroom

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. "

Jennifer Troncale, Lecturer, Jacksonville State University
Florida, USA

"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, Texas

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.

Christopher Burdman, STEM Teacher
Tynan Elementary School, Boston

“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.”

Robin McGinnis, North/South/Jr. High Lead Teacher – STEAM
Mount Healthy City School District, USA

“...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."

Karie Huttner, K-5 Educational Technology Coach
Verona Area School District, Verona, USA

"The students love it. They picked it up very quickly. Now, they are better at it than I am!"

Colleen Small, Media Specialist
Groveland Elementary School, Minnesota, USA

"(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.”

Lisa Hatton, Teacher
Maplewood Intermediate School, New York, USA

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."

Sandra Wiseman, Library Media & Technology Integration Specialist
Woodsdale Elementary School, West Virginia, USA

“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.”

Erin Barr, Teacher
Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind, Montana, USA

"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 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."

Amy Otis, Classroom Teacher
Glacier Edge Elementary School, Verona, USA

"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."

Kate, Elementary School Teacher
USA

"I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your session and learning about Makers Empire. Your product is easy to use and beautifully designed. I think teachers are going to love it!"

Cathy Rodriguez
Los Angeles County Office of Education, California, USA

“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!!!"

Martha Garibay, 1st Grade Teacher & Robotics Coach
52nd Street Elementary School, California, USA

"I was trying to start 3D printing in our school for a while, but I found it very difficult to start from nothing. I needed a lot of resources and easy access to resources. This program has provided everything that I needed. It was wonderful!... All of my students learned how to use Makers Empire design software during my STEM classes. I used Makers Empire lessons: “Let’s Get Decorated” with 5th-8th grade students and “Mazes” with 8th grade students. They all loved learning about 3D printing... I enjoyed teaching this, observing their enjoyment, learning and looking at their awesome designs,"

Meltem Albayrak DiLeo, Teacher
Holy Trinity Catholic School, Pennsylvania, USA

"Software is great, very user friendly... Kids loved it."

Bryan Couts, Technology Teacher
Titusville Middle School, Pennsylvania, USA

"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!"

Robin McGinnis, District Gifted Education Presenter
Mt. Healthy City School System, Ohio, USA

"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."

Casey Corn, STEM Teacher
Chesnee Elementary School, South Carolina, USA

“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.”

Jennifer Auten, 2nd Grade Teacher
Mont Claire Elementary School, California, USA

"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."

Karen Owen, Technology Teacher
Grace Christian Academy, Tennessee, USA

“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.”

Shneur Garb, Teacher
Ben Porat Yosef Yeshiva Day School, New Jersey, USA

“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."

Mary Bongiovanni, Director of Design Thinking
Pace Academy, Georgia, USA

"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."

Dr Andrew A Taylor, Director of Technology
Byram Hills Central School, New York, USA

"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."

Professor Stan Silverman, Director
NYIT Technology Based Learning Systems, New York, USA.

"I want to thank you for an amazing piece of software, the children absolutely adore working on it."

Jonathan Cross, Head Coding Instructor
Ecole Francaise de Londres Jacques Prévert, London

"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."

Sana Noor Primary, ICT Coordinator
Pathways School Noida, India

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."

Phillip Cotton, Design & Technology Teacher
United Kingdom

“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.”

Rochelle D’Silva Jones, Grade 5 Teacher & Head of Primary Science
British International School, Guangzhou, China

"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."

Craig Kemp, Head of Educational Technology
Stamford American International School, Singapore

"Yessss! We have found the perfect application for Elementary Students to design and 3D Print on the iPad. Thank you @MakersEmpire!!

Adam Torrens, Educator
Stamford American International School, Singapore

"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!"

Courtney Smith, Grade 5 Teacher
South Woodside School, Nova Scotia, Canada

"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."

Jeff Hennigar, Grade 4/5 Teacher
BLT Senior Elementary School, Nova Scotia, Canada

"The software is fantastic! Very user friendly. The students enjoyed beginning with the challenges and it was a useful way for them to jump right in! ... The students are seeing the real life applications of math and engineering in the real world... (but) I think the best part so far has been the spatial reasoning - students are solving the problems they encounter and so I can really see some critical thinking happening."

Maria (Mimi) Brown, Program Support Teacher
St. Joseph Catholic School, Ontario, Canada

"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.”

Tammy Wang, Grade 5 & 6 Program Director
Living World Shanghai, Shanghai, China

"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.”

Elaine Whelen, Head of School
ISA International School, Guangzhou, China

"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.”

Albert Wong Computer Subject Panel Head
Lee Kau Yan Memorial School, Hong Kong

Do you use Makers Empire in your school? Share your experience and help inspire your fellow teachers!