A Database-Driven Smart Team Matching System for Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

School of Information Management and Information Systems, Delaware College, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Higher education group projects often have some common problems. Sometimes too many students have similar skills, and sometimes key skills are missing. Also, students do not always contribute at the same level. This study built a database-based Smart Team Matching System to store students’ majors, skills, role preferences, and availability in a MySQL relational database. The system included an ER model, a normalised relational schema, and a test process based on simulated student data. Instead of showing program code, this paper explained the operating process, provided sample test tables, and reported repeated query results. The results showed that the system could suggest teams with complementary strengths, identify missing roles, and flag students whose limited availability might affect team balance. A 20-run stability check returned normal results every time. Based on the experiment results, proper data organisation can help teachers group students more clearly and more fairly in practice.