Loading UA3
Loading UA3
UA3 program
UA3’s longstanding technology support for partner schools and individuals, helping keep education and everyday digital tasks within reach.
Technology access helped launch UA3’s community work. Today, UA3 continues to provide technology support to partner schools and individuals, maintaining a longtime commitment to education even as the organization’s work has expanded.
The sections below preserve UA3’s original writing about the digital divide and its approach to technology in education and the workplace.
“The economic, educational, and social inequalities between those who have computers and online access and those who do not,” says Merriam-Webster.
UA3 has the team, the skills and the experience to equip students, families, faculty and facilities with technology, digital environments, advanced pedagogy and tech support to give everyone the digital keys to the future.
“In a society where increasingly we are defined by access to information and what we earn is what we learn, if you don’t have access to technology, you’re going to be left in the digital dark ages. That’s what the digital divide is all about.” — William Kennard, Federal Communications Commission
We build a foundation of technological skills and digital thinking that will be learned in Pre-K and last a lifetime. Technology will not be going away. It will be a utility for the future...for work, life, play...and support lifelong learning.
To work in the automated and robotic world, tech expertise must start early in life and technology will become a utility like light bulbs and electricity; UA3 is at the genesis of this trend.
Digital technologies have boosted economic growth, expanded employment and educational opportunities, and improved business, health and education. However, the huge societal improvements from using these technologies have lagged behind for some, and the combined impact has distributed unevenly across the country. For digital tech to reach the “tipping point” of universal acceptance requires closing the digital divide, especially in internet access and in depressed areas. But simple, basic tech is not a panacea; it’s more complex a problem.
Access to information, computers and the Internet is critical for today’s world and especially for our younger generations. Those that are tech-savvy with computers and networks are becoming even better-off economically, physically and socially through the power of information and connectivity. Those with the ability to use technology at a higher level are at an even greater advance, while the ones without are being left behind. A huge pool of resources to grow our economy and improve our society is being left behind.
A Stanford University report states that, “The digital divide will not close unless there is an initiative to seal the gap. With socio-economic divisions already present in today’s society, the digital divide is compounding the effects. It is not just the cost of computers that results in the digital divide, but also the presence of widespread (digital) illiteracy among overlooked populations.” The gap is expanding, and nothing will stop it unless we do something real and substantial. And it is not just handing out computers but having the training, educational programs and apps, the rooms and environments, and especially the tech support to keep it all working. Rural vs. urban location, broadband access, gender, race, immigration status, socio-economic factors all play a role in limited technology access and understanding.
“This is serious. It’s really a social justice issue. It’s a 21st century civil rights issue.” — Cheptoo Kositany-Buckner, deputy director of strategic initiatives at the Kansas City Public Library. In Kansas City, 80 percent of households in low-income, minority neighborhoods don’t own computers or have in-home Internet connections.
Schools need to do even more at an earlier age to close the gap and bridge the divide. From Jonathan Kendall, et al., and the peer-reviewed Society of College and University Planners (SCUP) Journal article, he says “during the last 50 years, traditional education practices, which have presumed telling is teaching and listening is learning, have been profoundly impacted by the explosion of new knowledge and the technology to support it. The response of many faculty members to the rapidly expanding body of new knowledge and the collateral compression in the half-life of prior knowledge has been to cram and dispense more content into class time (Paul and Elder 2001; Spence 2001). In an attempt to cope with the ever-increasing onslaught of information with seemingly little meaning or contextual sense, students have responded by engaging in bulimic learning practices: cramming and purging. This largely passive educational approach motivates and rewards students who are proficient at memorizing and recalling information with little regard for their ability to think with it, apply it, or transfer it to other contexts. Thus, these students may receive higher grades, but, unfortunately, too few develop the capacity to think critically with the knowledge and transfer or relate it to other relevant contexts. Fewer yet have gained an appreciation for the contexts in which the knowledge can be applied or misapplied. It should not be much of a surprise that these practices do little to advance higher-order thinking, knowledge transfer, and synthesis (Lemke 2003; Weimer 2002).” This is what technology can support...real learning and complex thinking skill development. Don’t repackage the educational experience with technology, redefine it.
The Digitalist says that “real-time analysis, together with emerging digital technologies and intelligent digital processes, have upended the workplace as we know it; and businesses are today subject to a deep cultural shift in work organization, culture and management mind set.” The highest order thinking is human, but digital content and data will be much more important in the decision process. Time is of the essence, let’s close the gap forever.
UA3 is the leading non-profit organization whose goal is to channel monetary, human and technology resources to solve real issues facing our community. Our primary focus is the appropriate integration of technology into socio-economically challenged communities in urban, suburban and rural America to build a stronger, better educated society. We bridge the digital divide.
The UA3 tech philosophy is to implement technology solutions that enhance the academic mission by focusing on the student learning process, the pedagogy, and the goals of the school. Our team works together with the academic community and technology providers to answer the most important question of all: how will this new technology both help the student to better learn the content, and function properly within the context of the institution?
Today’s academic programs accommodate increasingly sophisticated students, staff, and faculty with ever-expanding information and communications requirements, as well as the digital illiterate who do not have the training or the background to use technology to their advantage. The education community has been a leader in expanding the ability to communicate and exchange ideas using many varied approaches. The customization of the learning experience to the individual needs of the student is a specialty.
“Tech gives the quietest student a voice.” — Jerry Blumengarten, student
Our partners have implemented the first Mediated Classroom for a large public academic-research university in 1984, their first PC-based distance education Teaching Theater in 1986, the first interactive skills lab in 1995, and the first Immersion Classroom for a fast growing Midwestern university in 1999. From the mid 1980’s to today, our team has designed and executed numerous ground-breaking learning environments around the world.
We do not “repackage” the learning experience but assist our clients to “reinvent” it through a well-conceived, aggregated technology solution including hardware, applications, infrastructure, management, and support. It is always in the context of the institution’s vision for the future. UA3 has the unique blend of ability, resources, and experience to support those who apply technologies to the academic community of the future.
Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Robotics, Augmented Reality and VR, High-Res 3D Imaging, Cyber Security, Space Travel, High Speed Transportation, Machine Learning, Renewable Energy, Smart Buildings, Driverless Vehicles, Human-Machine Partnerships...the list goes on for the new technologies that we can comprehend now. The future will bring hundreds of thousands of new, technology-based resources and jobs that we cannot yet imagine.
The word is DISRUPTION. It won’t just be unskilled workers and jobs that are disrupted. Knowledge work, including consulting, marketing, design, law and finance, is poised for a true revolution. We are going to see a great disruption in the workplace to rival those at the adoption of earlier technologies. The printing press, the library, the steam engine, the railroad, the light bulb, the electrical grid, the automobile, the highway network, the transistor, the personal computer, the Internet, the cell phone, on and on...have all changed the workplace and working forever. The future will hold even more disruption for those who are not digitally literate.
“Computing is not about computers any more. It is about living.” — Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman emeritus of MIT’s Media Lab
Dell Technology believes that “for the first time ever there will be four generations in the workplace, and all must be prepared to interact effectively with technology.” “While there may be moments of uncertainty, it’s imperative that we as leaders keep our workforce engaged, excited and open to new possibilities,” says Liz Matthews, Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Creative at Dell Technologies. “Empowering and enabling people across our diverse workforce is crucial to succeeding.”
UA3 agrees. The only way to be prepared for this coming integration of technology into everyday life, work and play will be to start early. That is the UA3 mission: we work to integrate technology into the lives of kids, and adults too, as early as we can. Tech is a skill set that will last a lifetime and prepare our communities to prosper in the 21st Century job market.
We are here to help talented people succeed. Acquiring the technology skills and mindset to enter today’s and tomorrow’s digital workplace and succeed is critical in the 21st Century. Talented workers need more than motivation, they need the right skills and tools to create a lifetime career of meaningful and important work. Join us. Donate. Partner. We have a foundation of technology resources to help our communities grow and prosper. From Pre-K through a lifetime of learning, UA3 is the leader in crossing the digital literacy divide.
“When you work in tech support, you feel like you are tied to a family. You feel like you are a part of something really big.” — Alex Popa, tech support expert
UA3 understands the critical nature of helping people with the basics of computing and networking. The technology is not easy: it takes a dedicated and knowledgeable team to get it all working and to keep it working to serve the students, faculty and staff at our UA3 project sites.
Tech support is the missing link in too many technology initiatives. Even with the best intentions, the UA3 team knows just giving away computers is not going to solve the digital literacy divide. It’s more; it’s an ongoing, day-by-day ability to assist our communities to get and properly integrate the correct tech into their schools, home and community.
Our incomparable UA3 Tech Clubs will be built and expanded at each site to provide a foundation to guide and manage the technology for the long term. From the simplest reboot to the most complex issues, the nation of UA3 Tech Clubs across the country will be available, depending on class schedules and time zone, to help their partners next door and around the world.
But this is no joke. It takes a talented team of dedicated people with high tech skills who are available for face-to-face and online contact with users. This is exactly what UA3 has implemented again and again to get their projects up and running quickly. At the same time, by utilizing the UA3 club members they are learning an incredibly valuable skill. A skill that will last a lifetime and potentially a very rewarding career.
Reliable, effective and efficient technical support is the basis of a well-running computer and network system that leads to increased productivity, reduced costs and improved educational outcomes. And who is better prepared with the knowledge and skills to get and keep tech working? Young, smart students who work with this everyday. That’s the core of our UA3 Tech Clubs. They work directly with the local students, faculty and staff on the UA3 program with the network connection to reach out to every UA3 project site. That is a unique and exciting differentiator. UA3 is the leader in tech support to bridge the digital literacy divide.
Build a foundation of technological skills and digital thinking that will be learned in Pre-K and last a lifetime. Tech will be a utility for the future...for work, life, play...and for supporting lifelong learning.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and non-profit UA3 joined forces to support early education. Science shows that 80% of brain growth happens by the age of three. UA3 utilizes a proven system of five fun, simple, and powerful ways to help all our children from birth to 3 years old grow to be happy and smart.
UA3 is working closely with the Bronx United by integrating advanced technology into their innovative after-school program to support their incredible track record of success.
In 2025, this work came back to P.S. 130, where laptops were awarded to five student essay winners, continuing the educational-equity effort Sean and Kai Hong began in 2012. Read more about the 2025 celebration.
UA3’s technology-rich learning: we enhance educational outcomes through the application of appropriate technology, and we put learning first.
