Methods and systems for assembling and monitoring remote students in an online academic environment are provided, the monitoring including an electronic proctor that determines whether meeting criteria are met. The method includes a use of the system to filter a subpopulation from a population stored in a database, the population including students in the self-paced, online environment. The subpopulation can be selected to meet a first set of criteria for a grouping of students for a group interaction. Additional criteria can be added to provide control over the selection of students for the subpopulation and, thus, control over the design of groups to provide a desired group profile for the group interaction. The methods and systems provided can align and group students of the self-paced, online environment for a group interaction, as well as electronically proctor and otherwise monitor and control the interaction.