Gasta Goes Global as a rapid community response to COVID-19

Abstract

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a live online event was organised based on a face-to-face presentation format known as ‘Gasta’; developed and popularised by one of the authors.  With speakers limited to short strictly enforced five-minute presentation; the approach emphasises audience participation, engagement and spontaneity. The organising team embraced the challenge of transitioning this to an online format for what became a high-profile event focusing on the future of education in the context of COVID-19 called ‘GastaGoesGlobal’. The event was effectively organised in less than four weeks and was, by any measure, an unalloyed success, demonstrating what can be achieved by a small self-organising group of experienced individuals. This article offers an insight into the technical and operational supports behind an event of this nature, reflecting on what worked well and abstracting a number of key lessons or precepts for similar events.