# Prepare and run a school session

Prepare a dome lesson in TholusOS with story checks, local rehearsal, facilitator sheets, room playback, guided choices, pauses and group management.

Canonical: https://docs.theusualnext.com/en/tholusos/schools/run-session/
Updated: 2026-10-22
Publisher: the usual neXt

A school session needs a prepared project, a version suited to the group and a facilitator who knows its transitions. TholusOS separates Studio rehearsal from room playback: rehearsal checks the route locally; room playback uses the installation’s runtime and outputs.

## Check the project before the class arrives

Open the copy you will use, select its school group and language, and make sure all required materials are available on the room’s Mac. Check projector setup, audio output and the licence required to run experiences.

Keep a short session record with the lesson title, version, audience, language, expected duration and facilitator. For a cloud project, wait for its download and local save to complete. A change accepted by the cloud service does not establish that the Mac has acquired the necessary files.

Check the room before admitting the class. Inspect focus, geometry, readability and audio from the audience area. Use [Projector calibration](/en/tholusos/projection/calibration/) when the installation needs correction. For a presentation made entirely of finished films, the [media server workflow](/en/tholusos/media-server/playback/) may be sufficient.

## Run the story check and local rehearsal

**Check story** checks preparation of the active version; **Try story** executes it in the local preview. Editing is suspended during rehearsal, and projector output and sensory accessory commands are disabled. Rehearsal can play audio, so check the Mac's active audio output and listening level before starting.

1. Open **Studio → Guided experiences → Open the Studio** and your project.
2. Use the selector with the sliders icon to choose the audience, language and any variants.
3. Run **Check story** and resolve any reported problems.
4. Run **Try story**. Follow the route from the beginning and read the instructions aloud.
5. Test the choice alternatives, hints and waiting moments that belong to this version.
6. Use **Stop test** before editing. Save the changes and repeat the affected checks.

Pay particular attention to the end of films, group waits and returns from branches. A finished video and mix should let speech finish without clipping. In a waiting loop, listen to the independent soundtrack and confirm that it behaves as intended instead of restarting on every video loop.

Local rehearsal demonstrates the behaviour observed on that Mac. Projection alignment, intelligibility in the venue, controller operation and a real class’s response require checks under those conditions.

## Prepare facilitator sheets

The sheets come from the open experience and can be exported as PDF or printed. Choose the same audience, language and variant planned for the session.

Open **Studio → Facilitator sheets…**. Choose **Facilitator sheet**, **Stopwatch sheet**, or **Both sheets**; inspect the preview and use **Export PDF…** or **Print…**.

The facilitator sheet follows instructions and actions. The stopwatch sheet helps the operator follow the route’s timing. **Include production notes**, inside **Internal version**, adds author information for the production team; leave it off for ordinary room-operation sheets.

Read one scene as if you were unfamiliar with the subject. The words to say, actions to perform, hints and progression point should be clear without reconstructing the project. Exporting a sheet reproduces the authored text, including any unfinished draft content.

## Prepare the experience in Live control

Selecting an experience in the Media library prepares it; **Start in room** starts the room execution workflow. Check its title and version before using that command.

1. Save the prepared project and copy its `.tholus` package into the `events` subfolder of the Mac’s configured content folder. The Media library scans that folder for experiences; use the configured location rather than assuming a path on another Mac.
2. Open **Media library → Events**, select the experience and choose **Prepare in Live control** from its context menu.
3. In **Live control**, check the prepared title and output state. Use **Open experience controls** if you need the dedicated control panel.
4. When the room is ready, choose **Start in room**. If another activity owns the room output, follow the displayed state and finish that activity before starting the selected experience.
5. If the experience uses a welcome stage, wait for readiness and use **Start experience**.
6. In the guided controls, check **LIVE SESSION**, the session mode, profile and language displayed.

An experience can also run from a calendar slot; see [Scheduling](/en/tholusos/media-server/scheduling/). Allow time for discussion, conclusion and leaving the room: guided activities have variable human timing, while a scheduled slot has an end boundary.

After changing a separate working copy, update the intended library package and check its version again. Selecting an older package in the library will still prepare that package, even if a newer draft is open in Studio.

## Use progression, choices and pauses

Available controls depend on the current scene and runtime state. Choose the command that matches the teaching action: advancing, waiting, offering help or completing an activity.

| Room control | When to use it |
|---|---|
| **Next** | Move on when the group is ready and progression is available. |
| **Wait for the group** | Give the class time during a guided session. |
| **Technical pause / Resume** | Handle an operational interruption and resume execution. |
| **Repeat instructions** | Repeat the instruction using the behaviour authored in the experience. |
| **Help / Hide help** | Display or hide the configured help. |
| **Suggest / Confirm choice** | Select an alternative and confirm the route. |
| **Complete activity** | Close an activity using the available private outcome. |
| **Finish / Stop** | Finish the route, or terminate the experience through its operational control. |

The Studio rehearsal and room panel can use different wording for equivalent actions. For example, rehearsal uses **Continue** where room controls may show **Next**.

A missing or disabled command may reflect the current stage, a protected film ending or an unfinished activity. Read the instructions and any rejection message before repeating the command.

Facilitator observations and selections can remain private. If the project includes an observation collection, use its presentation or comparison actions to show selected material to the audience. The author and facilitator remain responsible for selecting meaningful evidence and checking its scientific interpretation.

## Finish and prepare the next session

Complete the route, confirm that playback has ended and prepare the next group’s configuration. Record problems while their context is still clear.

Note the scene, audience, language, symptom and preceding action. If you edit spoken text, revisit its recording, timing and facilitator sheets. After a manual session, use **Resume schedule** when you want the calendar to take control, checking which content is due at that moment.

Keep an identifiable copy of the version used. Make editorial corrections in Studio and check them before the next session. [Create an immersive school lesson](/en/tholusos/schools/create-lesson/) explains that authoring workflow.