ECO Education Servers 2025 - Classroom Setup & Curriculum Guide

ECO education servers provide a powerful platform for teaching environmental science, economics, and systems thinking through immersive simulation. This guide covers classroom setup, curriculum integration, student management, and assessment strategies.

Educational Server Setup

Server Architecture for Classrooms

# Recommended server architecture for schools:
Primary Server (Main World):
- Location: School server room or cloud provider
- Access: 24/7 for persistent world
- Players: All students (typically 30-100)
- Mods: Educational mods, assessment tools

Development Server (Testing):
- Location: Teacher's computer or separate instance
- Access: Teachers and student admins only
- Purpose: Testing mods, configuration changes

Student Project Servers:
- Location: Classroom computers or separate instances
- Access: Small groups (4-8 students)
- Purpose: Focused projects, experiments

# Network configuration for schools:
- Internal IP range: 10.0.0.0/8 or 192.168.0.0/16
- Port forwarding: 3000-3005 for multiple servers
- Firewall rules: Whitelist school IP ranges only
- DNS: Internal hostnames (eco-classroom.local)

Hardware Requirements for Schools

Scenario	Server Specification	Network	Cost Estimate
Single Classroom (30 students)	8 cores, 32GB RAM, 500GB SSD	1 Gbps LAN	$800-1,200 hardware
Department (100 students)	12 cores, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe	10 Gbps LAN	$2,000-3,000 hardware
Whole School (300+ students)	Cloud hosting or multiple servers	Dedicated fiber	$300-800/month cloud
Computer Lab (20 stations)	Local server + client machines	Switch with QoS	$5,000-8,000 total

Curriculum Integration

Lesson Plans and Modules

Environmental Science Module (4-6 weeks)

Week 1: Ecosystem Basics
- Topic: Biodiversity, food webs, habitats
- ECO Activity: Analyze starting biome, identify species
- Assignment: Create species inventory with population counts

Week 2: Human Impact
- Topic: Pollution, deforestation, climate change
- ECO Activity: Monitor pollution levels from player activities
- Assignment: Pollution mitigation plan with before/after data

Week 3: Sustainable Development
- Topic: Renewable resources, conservation, sustainability
- ECO Activity: Design sustainable community with metrics
- Assignment: Sustainability report with resource usage analysis

Week 4: Climate Systems
- Topic: Carbon cycle, greenhouse effect, weather patterns
- ECO Activity: Track climate data and correlate with activities
- Assignment: Climate impact assessment and prediction

Week 5: Conservation Strategies
- Topic: Protected areas, species preservation, restoration
- ECO Activity: Establish conservation zones with regulations
- Assignment: Conservation proposal with enforcement plan

Week 6: Final Project
- Topic: Comprehensive environmental management
- ECO Activity: Server-wide environmental recovery project
- Assignment: Final report with data, analysis, recommendations

Economics and Government Module (4-6 weeks)

Week 1: Basic Economics
- Topic: Supply/demand, resource scarcity, trade
- ECO Activity: Establish basic economy with currency
- Assignment: Market analysis with price tracking

Week 2: Government Systems
- Topic: Democracy, laws, civic responsibility
- ECO Activity: Form government with elections
- Assignment: Constitution draft with bill of rights

Week 3: Public Policy
- Topic: Taxation, public goods, regulation
- ECO Activity: Implement tax system and public projects
- Assignment: Policy analysis with impact assessment

Week 4: International Relations
- Topic: Trade agreements, diplomacy, conflict resolution
- ECO Activity: Inter-group trade and diplomacy
- Assignment: Treaty negotiation and enforcement

Week 5: Economic Systems
- Topic: Capitalism, socialism, mixed economies
- ECO Activity: Experiment with different economic models
- Assignment: Comparative economic system analysis

Week 6: Crisis Management
- Topic: Economic collapse, environmental disaster, recovery
- ECO Activity: Simulate and respond to server-wide crisis
- Assignment: Crisis response plan with lessons learned

Student Management

Account and Access Management

# Student account setup template
Student ID Format: class_year_studentnumber (e.g., bio10_2025_015)
Password Policy: School standard (minimum 8 characters, complexity)
Authentication: Steam accounts (preferred) or school-provided

# Server access groups
1. Administrators (Teachers):
   - Full server control
   - Can ban/kick, change settings
   - Access to console and logs

2. Moderators (Teacher Assistants/Student Leaders):
   - Can mute/kick for rule violations
   - Access to basic admin commands
   - Monitor chat and activities

3. Students (Regular Players):
   - Standard player permissions
   - Can vote, build, trade
   - Subject to server rules

4. Observers (Parents/Guests):
   - Read-only access
   - Can view but not interact
   - May have limited chat access

Classroom Management Tools

Educational Mods and Tools

Essential Educational Mods

Mod Name	Educational Purpose	Subjects Covered	Setup Complexity
ECO Classroom	Teacher tools, grading, monitoring	All subjects	Easy
Environmental Monitor	Detailed ecosystem tracking	Environmental Science	Medium
Economics Dashboard	Real-time economic indicators	Economics, Business	Medium
Government Plus	Enhanced political systems	Government, Civics	Hard
Science Lab	Experimental tools and data collection	Science, Research Methods	Medium
History Logger	Comprehensive event tracking	History, Social Studies	Easy

Assessment and Grading Tools

# Built-in assessment features
1. Automated Grading:
   - Skill progression tracking
   - Economic success metrics
   - Environmental stewardship scores
   - Collaboration and contribution metrics

2. Manual Assessment Tools:
   - Rubric-based evaluation
   - Observation recording
   - Screenshot and video capture
   - Student self-assessment forms

3. Reporting Features:
   - Individual student reports
   - Class-wide analytics
   - Progress over time charts
   - Export to learning management systems (Canvas, Moodle, etc.)

# Example grading rubric:
Environmental Science Project (100 points):
- Research and planning: 20 points
- Implementation in ECO: 30 points
- Data collection and analysis: 25 points
- Final report and presentation: 25 points
- Bonus: Innovation and creativity: 10 points

Server Configuration for Education

Educational Server Settings

# ServerSettings.ini for classrooms
[/Script/ConanSandbox.CustomServerSettings]
ServerName=ECO Environmental Science Classroom
ServerPassword=class_password_2025
AdminPassword=teacher_admin_password
MaxPlayers=40

# Educational features
IsPublic=False  # Private server for class only
EnableEducationMode=True
AllowCheats=False  # Disable for assessment integrity
EnableBackups=True
BackupInterval=3600  # Hourly backups

# Gameplay settings for education
PlayerXPRateMultiplier=2.0  # Faster progression for limited class time
HarvestAmountMultiplier=1.5  # Reduced grinding focus
BuildingDecayTime=2592000  # 30 days for long-term projects
PVPEnabled=False  # Cooperative learning focus

# Assessment settings
TrackPlayerStats=True
LogEnvironmentalImpact=True
RecordEconomicActivity=True
EnableTeacherDashboard=True

World Generation for Education

# World settings for different subjects
Environmental Science Focus:
- BiomeDiversity=High
- ResourceDistribution=Balanced
- StartingPollution=Low
- ClimateVariability=Medium
- AnimalPopulation=High

Economics Focus:
- ResourceScarcity=Controlled
- StartingResources=Balanced
- TradeDistance=Medium
- SpecializationBonus=High
- MarketVolatility=Low

Government/Civics Focus:
- StartingPopulation=Distributed
- ResourceControl=Decentralized
- CommunicationRange=Global
- LawEnforcement=Configurable
- VotingSystems=Multiple

Classroom Implementation Strategies

Teaching Methodologies

Project-Based Learning

Structure:
1. Introduction (1 class): Project overview, learning objectives
2. Research (2 classes): Background research, planning
3. Implementation (4-6 classes): In-game project work
4. Analysis (2 classes): Data collection, analysis
5. Presentation (1 class): Share results, peer feedback
6. Reflection (1 class): Lessons learned, improvement ideas

Example Projects:
- Design sustainable city with metrics
- Create wildlife conservation plan
- Establish functioning economic system
- Develop environmental policy with enforcement
- Build historical civilization replica

Flipped Classroom Approach

Structure:
1. Pre-class: Students watch ECO tutorials, read materials
2. In-class: Hands-on ECO activities, group work
3. Post-class: Reflection, additional practice, assessment

Weekly Schedule Example:
Monday: Introduction to week's concepts (lecture)
Tuesday: ECO activity - Apply concepts in game
Wednesday: Group work - Collaborative projects
Thursday: Data analysis - Interpret results
Friday: Assessment - Quiz or project check-in

Differentiated Instruction

# Accommodating different learning styles and levels
Visual Learners:
- Use ECO's visual systems (pollution maps, resource charts)
- Create infographics from game data
- Visual storytelling through building and design

Kinesthetic Learners:
- Hands-on building and crafting
- Physical movement correlated with in-game actions
- Manipulative activities with resource tokens

Auditory Learners:
- Discussion-based learning
- Podcast-style recordings of game events
- Verbal explanations of systems

Advanced Students:
- Complex mods and configurations
- Leadership roles (government, economy)
- Mentoring other students

Struggling Students:
- Simplified interfaces
- Guided tutorials and checklists
- Partner work with peer support

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment

# Ongoing assessment during learning process
1. Daily Check-ins:
   - Quick quizzes on previous day's concepts
   - Exit tickets: "What did you learn today?"
   - Participation tracking in ECO activities

2. Progress Monitoring:
   - Skill progression in ECO
   - Resource management efficiency
   - Environmental impact metrics
   - Collaboration and communication logs

3. Feedback Mechanisms:
   - Peer feedback on projects
   - Teacher observations and notes
   - Self-assessment reflections
   - Automated feedback from ECO systems

Summative Assessment

# End-of-unit or final assessments
1. Project-Based Assessments:
   - Comprehensive ECO project with report
   - Group presentations of in-game achievements
   - Portfolio of work throughout unit

2. Traditional Assessments:
   - Tests on ECO-related concepts
   - Research papers using ECO data
   - Case studies based on game scenarios

3. Performance Assessments:
   - Live demonstration of ECO systems
   - Problem-solving challenges in-game
   - Creative building and design showcases

# Grading breakdown example:
Participation and Daily Work: 30%
Formative Assessments: 20%
Project Work: 30%
Summative Assessment: 20%
Total: 100%

Technical Support and Troubleshooting

Common Classroom Technical Issues

Technical Support Resources

1. School IT Department: Network configuration, firewall rules, hardware
2. ECO Education Community: Forums, Discord, teacher networks
3. Professional Development: ECO teacher training workshops
4. Technical Documentation: Server setup guides, troubleshooting wiki
5. Vendor Support: School hardware/software vendors

Professional Development

Teacher Training Program

# Recommended training progression
Phase 1: Basics (2-4 hours)
- ECO game mechanics overview
- Server setup and configuration
- Basic classroom management tools

Phase 2: Intermediate (4-6 hours)
- Curriculum integration strategies
- Assessment and grading in ECO
- Mod installation and management

Phase 3: Advanced (6-8 hours)
- Custom server configuration
- Data analysis and reporting
- Troubleshooting and optimization

Phase 4: Collaboration (ongoing)
- Peer observation and feedback
- Lesson plan sharing
- Professional learning community

Resources for Educators

1. ECO Educator Portal: Lesson plans, worksheets, assessments
2. Teacher Community: Forums, Discord, social media groups
3. Professional Organizations: ISTE, NSTA, economics education groups
4. Conference Opportunities: Game-based learning conferences
5. Research Opportunities: Partner with universities for studies

Funding and Budgeting

Grant Opportunities

Grant Source	Focus Area	Typical Award	Application Tips
DonorsChoose	Classroom technology	$500-2,000	Clear educational outcomes, student impact
STEM Grants	Science/technology education	$1,000-10,000	Alignment with STEM standards, assessment plan
Environmental Grants	Environmental education	$2,000-20,000	Environmental impact, community engagement
Technology Grants	Educational technology	$5,000-50,000	Innovation, scalability, sustainability
Corporate Sponsorships	Community partnerships	Varies widely	Brand alignment, publicity opportunities

Budget Template for Schools

# First-year startup costs
Hardware:
- Server computer: $1,200-2,500
- Network equipment: $300-800
- Backup storage: $200-500
- Client computers (if needed): $8,000-15,000

Software:
- ECO game licenses (30 students): $600
- Server hosting (if cloud): $300-800/year
- Educational mods: $0-200

Professional Development:
- Teacher training: $500-2,000
- Conference attendance: $1,000-3,000
- Substitutes for training days: $400-800

Ongoing Annual Costs:
- Maintenance and upgrades: $200-500
- Electricity and internet: $100-300
- Professional development: $500-1,000
- Game updates and new content: $100-300

Success Stories and Case Studies

High School Environmental Science Program

School: Lincoln High School, 11th grade Environmental Science
Students: 120 across 4 classes
Duration: Full semester (18 weeks)
Results:
- 45% increase in standardized test scores
- 92% student engagement (vs 65% traditional)
- 3 student projects submitted to state science fair
- 100% of students reported better understanding of ecosystems

Key Strategies:
- Project-based learning with real-world applications
- Community partnerships with local environmental groups
- Cross-curricular integration with economics and government
- Regular reflection and metacognitive activities

Middle School STEM Initiative

School: Roosevelt Middle School, 7th-8th grade STEM
Students: 200 across 8 classes
Duration: Year-long elective course
Results:
- 67% increase in interest in STEM careers
- 85% improvement in systems thinking skills
- Successful implementation of school recycling program
- Recognition at state education conference

Key Strategies:
- Gamified learning with achievement systems
- Peer teaching and mentoring
- Community service component
- Integration with existing science curriculum

Next Steps for Educators

1. Start Small: Pilot with one class or after-school club
2. Build Support: Involve administrators, IT, parents
3. Professional Development: Attend training, join communities
4. Curriculum Integration: Align with standards, learning objectives
5. Assessment Planning: Develop rubrics, tracking systems
6. Scale Up: Expand to more classes, subjects, grade levels

Additional Resources

• ECO Server Requirements and Hardware Guide
• ECO Dedicated Server Setup Guide
• ECO Economy Management for Education
• ECO Environmental Systems for Science Classes
• ECO Government Systems for Civics Classes
• Browse other game server guides for education