Google Meet has recdently introduced Companion Mode.
FCS teachers will find it useful for two reasons.
- It allows those in a blended meeting setting- class, faculty meeting, and team meetings- in which some are together physically and others are attending remotely- to participate equally via Google Meet.
- It will allow presenters- meeting leaders, teachers- to present more easily.
- Join the meeting on one device in Present Mode, then join with a second device in Companion Mode which basically joins the 2nd device only as a screen sharing device and also turns off audio and webcam.
This is actually very helpful if you want to share a presentation on one device or screen and you’re already otherwise on the call with another. Feedback echoes are eliminated.
It’s also more efficient to share a screen using Companion Mode. When screen sharing is only on one device, we lose the ability to see the Meet. In Companion Mode, there is no toggling back and forth.
Here’s an official overview from Google Meet.
Final Tip: Did you know that you can cast to an existing meeting straight from Google Slides?
1) Open up Google Slides
2) Look at the button to the left of your slideshow button in the
top right corner. It looks like a box with an up arrow.
3) Hover over it and you’re going to see it’s labeled present to a meeting.