This document describes a web application for managing group work assignments in university classes. The application allows professors to (1) automatically form student groups randomly or based on topics, (2) provide a schedule for group presentations and sign-ups, (3) generate reports on group progress, and (4) send notifications and reminders to students. The application was developed using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, SQL, Struts2, Hibernate3, Bootstrap, jQuery, and deployed on a Linux server with a MySQL database. Future work may include automatic email notifications, a mobile version, and improved user interface and search functions.

1. A WEB APPLICATION FOR GROUP WORK
Developer : Junxin Xie
Advisor : Dr. Samantha Foley
Co-advisor : Dr. Kenny Hunt

2. Introduction
The Group work web application is for students and professors of
university of Wisconsin-La Crosse to manage group work assignment
in the class easier and more convenient.
• Group Formation Tool.
• Schedule Tool.
• Report Tool.
• Notification & Reminder Tool

3. Background
Group work assignments are an important part of classes in college to prepare
students for the workplace. Students are frequently required to collaborate with
other people in the university or in a company.
One manual way to manage group formation process usually involves three steps:
1. Write down all students’ name on some small pieces of paper.
2. Put these papers into one black box. And take out a number of paper each
time depend on how many students you want in one group.
3. Repeat the second step until all students are divided into some groups.

4. Overview of Requirement
The primary objective of this project is to develop a web based
application that automates the manual steps of the group formation
process we mentioned.
Why web-based application?
Besides that, what else this application can do?

5. Professor

6. Student

7. Admin

8. Group Formation
The group formation tool will provide three different patterns to divide students
into groups:
• Random Group
• All students are divided into several groups randomly and professor can
decide the number of groups that he or she wants to have in this
assignment. Different groups can have the same topic in this pattern.
Groups will have to select the topic by themselves.
• Random Topic Group
• Same as random group, but each group will have a different topic.
• Free Group
• Students form groups themselves through inviting friends to join them.
• These groups can choose the same topics or not.

9. Schedule
The second core function is Schedule tool. When all students have been divided
into their groups, the professor will can provide a list of available time slots for
students to sign up for the presentation or demonstration.
 Anyone who is in the same group can sign up the presentation time for the
whole group.
 Once signed up, it means the time of presentation for that group is confirmed.
Nobody can modify the time except professor.
 The selection of time slots follow the rule of “first come first serve”. Two
different groups can’t select the same time slot.

10. Report
The report tool is used by professor to organize all kinds of information which can
help professor monitor the whole process of group assignment.
1. The professor can get a report of students who didn’t select topic in one
assignment.
2. The professor can generate a report of all groups that one assignment has.
3. The next report is to report groups which didn’t sign up yet, so the professor
can notify them to sign up in time.
4. The last two reports are merged into one option on the home menu. One is
report all presentation times of all groups in one assignment. The other is
report all files that uploaded by all groups in one assignment.

11. Notification & Reminder
 The notification tool is used by professor to communicate with one
student, one group, or all students in the class. The professor can
send message to student directly or reply other students’ message.
 The reminder tool will automatically send an email generated by the
calendar to users to remind them when the date of presentation is
closing.

12. Technologies
Programming Language:
• Front-end: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Back-end: java, SQL
Framework:
• Front-end: Bootstrap, jQuery
• Back-end: Struts2, Hibernate3
Server: Linux Server
IDE: MyEclipse
Database: MySQL

13. Challenge
 Not familiar with the mechanism of Google authorization
system.
 Configure Linux Server.

14. Future Work
 Automatic E-mail Notification.
 Mobile View of Website.
 Improve the UI design.
 Improve Search Methods.
 Register Student

15. Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere thanks to my project advisor Dr. Samantha
Foley for her valuable guidance and patience. Especially, every time the system
occurs bugs, she will help me to locate it or gave me enough time to fix it.
I also want to thank Dr. Kenny Hunt, who give me a lot of help and provided the
support for this project.

16. Thank You!~