Three prominent organizations that serve higher education have joined forces to present a free online conference that explores new tools of the social web and their impact in academe.

Organized by Thomson Peterson's, ProfNet Experts(SM), a PR Newswire service, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), "Higher Ed BlogCon 2006" will launch at http://www.higheredblogcon.com/ on Monday, April 3 and run through Friday, April 28.

"For the first time, HigherEd BlogCon brings together in a single Web space many of the leading players who are changing academe with their use of blogs, wikis, RSS, audio and video podcasts, and other digital tools," said Dan Karleen, event chair and director of new media and Web syndication products at Thomson Peterson's. "We're delighted that so many innovative and accomplished thinkers will be sharing their perspectives."

Nearly 40 faculty and administrators will post podcasts, screencasts and text presentations in weekly sessions organized as follows:

  -- Teaching, April 3-7
  -- Library and Information Resources, April 10-14
  -- Admissions, Alumni Relations, and Communications and Marketing, April
     17-21
  -- Web Sites and Web Development, April 24-28

Two presentations will explore how colleges and universities are using social networks to strengthen their ties with alumni. Others will consider such diverse topics as the use of blogs as "personal learning environments," the use of blogs and podcasts in student recruitment, and legal issues raised by podcasting in the classroom.

As a supplement to the free Web component of HigherEd BlogCon, CASE will host two related programs as part of its Online Speaker Series:

  -- "High-Speed Success: The Best and Brightest Online Annual Giving
     Strategies," April 20, 2 to 3:30 p.m., EDT.

  -- "Bringing Audio to a Visual Medium: Podcasting News and Events," April
     27, 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT.

More information about these programs, which require paid registration, is available at http://www.case.org/onlinespeaker/default.cfm .

About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson Peterson's

The Thomson Corporation (http://www.thomson.com/ ), with 2005 revenues of $8.70 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate e-learning and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 40,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).

Thomson Peterson's (http://www.petersons.com/ ), a part of The Thomson Corporation, is a leading provider of live, online, and print educational solutions for students, families, schools, and educators in the areas of test preparation, admissions, financial aid, and career guidance. Its Web site offers searchable databases and interactive tools for contacting educational institutions, online practice tests and instruction, and planning tools for securing financial aid.

About ProfNet Experts(SM), a PR Newswire service

An online community of 13,000 news and information officers, ProfNet Experts(SM) (http://www.prnewswire.com/profnet ) was created in 1992 to enable reporters to connect easily and quickly with expert sources. Encompassing 4,000 organizations in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, it is widely recognized as the leading expert resource of its kind.

About PR Newswire

Now in its 52nd year, PR Newswire Association LLC (http://www.prnewswire.com/ ) provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of some 40,000 corporate, government, association, labor, non-profit, and other customers worldwide. Using PR Newswire, these organizations reach a variety of critical audiences including the news media, the investment community, government decision- makers, and the general public with their up-to-the-minute, full-text news developments.

Established in 1954, PR Newswire has offices in 11 countries and routinely sends its customers' news to outlets in 135 countries and in more than 40 languages. Utilizing the latest in communications technology, PR Newswire content is considered a mainstay among news reporters, investors and individuals who seek breaking news from the source. PR Newswire's leading services include ProfNet Experts(SM), eWatch™, MEDIAtlas™, Search Engine Visibility (SEV), MediaRoom, MediaSense™ and MultiVu™. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media plc of London.

About CASE

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (http://www.case.org/ ) is the largest international association of education institutions, serving more than 3,200 universities, colleges, schools and related organizations in 55 countries. CASE is the leading resource for professional development, information and standards in the fields of educational fund raising, communications and alumni relations.

SOURCE: Thomson Peterson's