Free Online Conference to Focus on Transforming Academic Communities with New Tools of the Social Web - April 3-28, 2006

Lawrenceville, NJ, March 21, 2006—Three leading education organizations are joining forces to present a first-of-its-kind online conference—HigherEd BlogCon 2006—exploring how new tools of the social Web are transforming higher education. Completely online, this event is being organized and presented by Thomson Peterson's, PRNewswire's ProfNet, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and will take place April 3-28, 2006. HigherEd BlogCon aims to bring 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. All presentations will be made available on the event Web site at no charge to participants (with the exception of some live, web/audio CASE Online Speaker Series events).

"We are excited to offer an impressive line-up of presenters who are leaders and global visionaries in their fields. These individuals are using new tools to transform learning," said Dan Karleen, Event Chair of HigherEd BlogCon and Director of New Media and Web Syndication Products at Thomson Peterson's. Presentations have been selected to provide valuable information and helpful tips in four areas, including teaching; library and information resources; admissions, alumni relations, communications and marketing; and Web sites and Web development. The conference itself will be hosted using blog software and will feature podcasts, screencasts, and video-based material, along with text-based presentations.

Topics of discussion will include blogs as personal learning environments; legal issues for podcasting in the traditional classroom; blogs, wikis, and instant messaging for library subject specialists; and much more.

For more information and a complete list of conference presentations, visit http://www.higheredblogcon.com

About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson Peterson's
Thomson Peterson's (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 sites offer searchable databases and interactive tools for contacting educational institutions, online practice tests and instruction, and planning tools for securing financial aid.

About PRNewswire's ProfNet
PRNewswire's ProfNet is an online community of 12,000 news and information officers. It 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 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) 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 education fundraising, communications, and alumni relations.