Abstract

School climate plays a fundamental role in teaching and learning processes, directly influencing the achievement of educational objectives. Moreover, climate-related issues often manifest as bullying, which remains a persistent challenge for education systems worldwide. In this context, teamwork emerges as a key strategy to foster student interaction, strengthen friendship networks, and reduce bullying and aggression. However, traditional team assignment methods-such as student self-selection, teacher allocation, or random distribution-fail to account for the complexity of student interactions and individual characteristics. This study introduces a web-based decision support system designed to assist in team formation within educational settings by utilizing optimization models and algorithms, thereby promoting a more interconnected and inclusive student network. The models incorporate factors such as team diversity, victim protection, and student preferences. Its primary input is a social network along with derived metrics (e.g., betweenness centrality and triadic relationships), which feed into three non-linear integer optimization models that aim to consolidate, create, or enhance student interpersonal relationships. Additionally, the models were evaluated through a large quasi-experiment using both quantitative and qualitative analyses across four dimensions particularly relevant to educational activities: team dynamics, attitude toward the team, team cohesion, and team performance. Empirical results demonstrate that it is possible to improve the classroom climate without compromising the four team-related dimensions. This collaborative learning technology serves as a valuable resource for enhancing collaborative educational strategies and fostering a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment.