ABSTRACT
The theory of mediatization requires a historical analysis of how the field of higher education went through the phases of mediation, adoption, and reciprocation. I present these three phases of distance education at a field level, highlighting critical events such as its acceptance by the federal government for Title IV program or the more recent legitimization of MOOCs by accrediting agencies. I then look at the triad of teaching—i.e., content, teacher, and student—and analyze each of these three core entities in terms of how they are being mediatized. The content shows the emerging themes of content stratification, commoditization, changing quality parameters, and a broad spectrum of increasing variety. The teacher reveals stratified schemas and a redefined role of a teacher in the virtual world. And, finally, the student shows how online adoption varies with their motivation and influences toward higher education. I analyze all these entities, bringing out some parallels with other cultural institution such as music and theater as they underwent mediatization.
