Introduction
This blog explains why and how to disable Companion Mode in Google Meet to maintain a controlled and focused virtual classroom environment. Companion Mode allows participants to join a meeting on a second device, which can be useful for certain situations but may cause confusion, distractions, or disruptions during online classes. For example, students could join from multiple devices, leading to potential audio or video feedback loops, or use the second device for off-task activities.
By disabling Companion Mode, educators can ensure that students are only using one device to participate in the meeting, minimizing distractions and maintaining a more structured environment. This blog will also cover how Safe Doc or Google Admin settings can help administrators restrict Companion Mode in Google Meet, creating a more secure and focused virtual learning experience. Disabling this feature helps prevent technical issues and ensures that students remain engaged in the lesson without distractions from additional devices.
For more information, please visit Google docs support.
xFanatical Safe Doc removes Use Companion mode in Google Docs
Why Block the Companion Mode in Google Meet for Education?
In a classroom setting, allowing students to use Companion Mode can create distractions. Students might end up using multiple devices for non-educational purposes, such as checking social media, playing games, or messaging classmates. This not only disrupts the learning process but can also detract from the overall engagement and focus of the lesson. Additionally, using multiple devices for a single meeting can sometimes result in technical issues, such as feedback loops or audio problems, making the meeting experience frustrating for both students and teachers.
Let’s understand the scenario through a user story:
- Problem: Teacher Johnson, a middle school teacher, found that some of her students were using Companion Mode in Google Meet during virtual lessons, leading to distractions. Students in the same room would join the meeting on multiple devices, making it difficult to monitor their focus and behavior. Some students used one device to check social media while leaving their other device connected to the class, distracting themselves and others in the process. Additionally, Mrs. Johnson noticed that the excessive use of devices caused technical issues, such as echoes or audio feedback, disrupting the meeting for everyone.
- Solution: To prevent these disruptions, teacher Johnson worked with the school's IT administrator to block Companion Mode in Google Meet. By doing so, students were no longer able to join the meeting from multiple devices at once, which helped eliminate distractions and technical issues. This move ensured that students only used one device to participate in the lesson, keeping their attention focused on the teacher and the content being presented.
- Result: After blocking Companion Mode, teacher Johnson noticed a significant improvement in classroom focus and participation. Students were no longer distracted by multiple devices, and the meeting environment became more stable with fewer technical issues. Mrs. Johnson found that the lesson flow was smoother, and students were better able to engage with the content. The decision to block Companion Mode helped maintain a more controlled and distraction-free virtual classroom, improving overall learning outcomes.
By blocking the Companion Mode in Google Meet for Education, administrators can create a more focused and efficient virtual classroom environment. This prevents unnecessary distractions, reduces the chances of technical issues, and ensures that students remain engaged and attentive during lessons. This feature helps maintain the integrity of the learning experience while promoting a more structured and productive classroom setting.
What is a xFanatical Safe Doc?
xFanatical Safe Doc is a comprehensive solution for maintaining a focused and secure online environment for Google Workspace admins and users. It provides robust tools to manage and restrict access to various online content, ensuring a safe and productive digital environment. xFanatical Safe Doc integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, offering administrators the ability to customize content filtering policies according to their needs.
Hide the Companion Mode in Google Meet with xFanatical Safe Doc
Google Meet’s Companion Mode allows users to join a meeting on multiple devices, enabling them to share content from one device while participating in the meeting on another. While this can be useful for presentations or sharing additional content, it may lead to confusion or distractions in educational settings, especially if students use it to bypass controls or access features without supervision.
At this point, xFanatical Safe Doc becomes an invaluable tool. By implementing the BlockMeetCompanionMode policy, you can hide the Companion Mode option in Google Meet. Once this policy is set to true, students and participants will no longer have access to this feature, ensuring that they remain focused on the meeting through a single device. This helps streamline the learning experience, reduces potential distractions, and ensures that the session remains properly controlled by the instructor.
xFanatical Safe Doc removes the Use companion mode in Google Meet
How to Disable the Companion Mode in Google Meet using xFanatical Safe Doc
Step 1: Install Safe Doc:
The first step is to install Safe Doc in your Google Workspace environment. Safe Doc is a browser extension that seamlessly integrates with Google workspace, providing enhanced control and security features.
Step 2: Configure Safe Doc settings:
Once Safe Doc is installed, you can configure its settings to block the companion mode in Google Meet.
Step 3: Access Google Admin Console:
Now, navigate to the Google Admin Console. In the Google Admin Console, click on Devices followed by Chrome. Then, select Apps & Extensions and click on Users & Browsers.
Step 4: Copy the Policy:
Locate the policy that you wish to apply and copy it. The policy will display in a specific format similar to the example provided below:
"BlockMeetCompanionMode": {
"Value": true
}
Step 5: Save the Policy:
After applying the policy, click the Save button to apply it.
How to configure Safe Doc?
Ensure the deployment of Safe Doc on your students' Chrome browsers, and review the xFanatical Safe Doc Configuration document for detailed instructions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, disabling Companion Mode in Google Meet helps maintain a secure and focused virtual classroom. It prevents students from joining with multiple devices or causing disruptions with extra audio or video feeds. This ensures only the primary device is used, reducing distractions and fostering an organized meeting space.
With xFanatical Safe Doc, schools can easily enforce this setting, creating a streamlined and engaging virtual learning environment.
Learn more about how xFanatical Safe Doc enhances online safety on our website Safe Doc
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