Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong Conference 28.2.14 - This article highlights the tension between cohesiveness and incoherence in operationalizing categories of educational technology professionals. I review literature on learning technologists, educational technologists, e-learning technologists, information and communications technology coordinators and information technology coordinators and address to what degree these educational technology professionals are similar units of analysis by applying a multilevel model of comparative education. I tease out cohesiveness and incoherence within and between these categories by geographical and organizational levels, non-locational demographic groups and aspects of education and society. A degree of cohesiveness in operationalizing educational technology professional categories is shown when educational technology professionals are framed as technologists and technology coordinators. However, ambiguity and incoherence are demonstrated within these categories, particularly when attempting to locate an educational technology professional at precise intersections of geographical and organizational levels, non-locational demographic groups and aspects of education and society. This presents an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to clarify educational technology professional categories and to develop new categories. This article raises methodological implications and the need to establish valid constructs. It also raises the question of whether such categorization is necessary and worthwhile in an age of technological and professional change.
