Overview
ISO/IEC TR 23842-2:2020 is a technical report that provides human-factor guidelines for creating virtual reality (VR) content specifically for the learning, education and training (LET) domain. The document focuses on VR delivered via head‑mounted displays (HMDs) and lays out practical considerations to reduce discomfort, prevent confusion between virtual and real environments, and improve educational effectiveness. It is part of the ISO/IEC 23842 series developed by JTC 1/SC 36.
Key topics and technical considerations
- Initial user information (home screen):
- Recommend displaying age guidance, health/disability checklists, usage space (seated/standing/room-scale), device status (battery, connection), relevant curriculum/grade and sample content or previews.
- Show warnings for potentially frightening or shocking material.
- Regular alert messages:
- Periodic break reminders and explicit messages clarifying that experiences are simulated and may differ from real life to prevent over‑immersion and unsafe real‑world behavior.
- Reduce recognition discrepancies (human factors):
- Depth & rendering: avoid excessive normal mapping; use parallax mapping cautiously (may increase stereoscopic confusion); ensure consistent object sizing and avoid placing important objects too far away to prevent eye fatigue.
- User interface (UI): avoid placing UI elements within 0.75 m of the eyes; maintain consistent UI distance to reduce visual fatigue.
- Distance within content: base virtual distances and object sizes on real‑world cues; recommended weighted object range ~0.75 m to 3.5 m for user‑friendliness.
- Design for usability and educational effect:
- Unify button functionality and maintain consistent brightness, colour and size across content to preserve quality and reduce learner confusion.
- Teacher management systems:
- Provide tools for instructors to monitor learner progress, headset status, gaze/content view and to manage class sessions (examples noted in the report: Google Expeditions, ClassVR).
Practical applications
- Designing classroom VR lessons, simulations and training modules that prioritize learner safety and comfort.
- Creating vendor‑neutral checklists for edtech procurement, content QA and curriculum integration.
- Building teacher dashboards and classroom management features for HMD deployments.
- Developing user guidance and safety notices for public or institutional VR programs.
Who should use this standard
- VR content creators and UX designers for education
- Instructional designers and curriculum developers
- EdTech product managers and QA teams
- School IT administrators and training providers
- Standards and accessibility practitioners working in VR for LET
Related standards
- Part of the ISO/IEC 23842 series (human‑factor guidelines for VR content).
- Defined VR term references include ISO/IEC TR 18121:2015 (as cited in the report).
Keywords: ISO/IEC TR 23842-2:2020, virtual reality, VR content, human factor guidelines, HMD, learning, education, training, VR safety, VR usability, teacher management.