Homeroom Teachers Navigating Effectively their Classes through the Mashov - a Pedagogical Management System

Homeroom teachers constitute the backbone of educational practices in schools. The intricacy of their role calls for the integration of a technological facilitation- a Pedagogical Management System (PMS). This study examines the role of a PMS called Mashov in effective homeroom management. Qualitative data from ten semi-structured interviews was crosschecked with quantitative figures of the activities done by participants in the system. The findings reflect that the PMS empowers homeroom teachers by offering diverse possibilities to lead classes and consequently increase effectiveness. Participants emphasized its role in updated information flow, data-based decision making, setting pedagogical goals, and enhancing communication unlimited by time and space. The effective usage of the PMS is affected by organizational culture and the extent to which it encourages effective usage of the system. Although all the homeroom teachers confirm they have extended the use of PMS over the years, the findings reflect a distribution curve of implementation similar to the described by the Diffusion of Innovation Model (Rogers, 2003). Implications for principals include a set up of opportunities for peer modeling of PMS usage by "innovators" as well as assistance to "laggards". And the establishment of a norm of sending messages to relevant recipients only, aiming to reduce overload, and communicate effectively.