ISO/IEC TR 23842-2:2020

Information technology for learning, education, and training - Human factor guidelines for virtual reality content - Part 2: Considerations when making VR content

Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, l'éducation et la formation — Lignes directrices relatives aux facteurs humains pour les contenus en réalité virtuelle — Partie 2: Éléments à prendre en compte lors de la création de contenus en réalité virtuelle

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 05-Oct-2020
• ICS: 35.240.90 - IT applications in education
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 36 - Information technology for learning, education and training
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 36/WG 7 - ITLET - Culture, language and individual needs
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 06-Oct-2020
• Due Date: 06-Nov-2021
• Completion Date: 06-Oct-2020

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.

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL ISO/IEC TR
REPORT 23842-2
First edition
2020-10
Information technology for learning,
education, and training — Human
factor guidelines for virtual reality
content —
Part 2:
Considerations when making VR
content
Technologies de l'information pour l'apprentissage, l'éducation et la
formation — Lignes directrices relatives aux facteurs humains pour
les contenus en réalité virtuelle —
Partie 2: Éléments à prendre en compte lors de la création de
contenus en réalité virtuelle
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2020
© ISO/IEC 2020
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2020 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 2
5 Information for users on the home screen (initial screen) . 2
6 Regular display alert messages . 2
7 Design to eliminate recognition discrepancies . 2
7.1 General . 2
7.2 Depth . 3
7.3 User interface . 3
7.4 Distance within content . 3
8 Design to improve user convenience and educational effects . 3
9 Provide a management system for teachers . 3
Annex A (informative) Example of guidelines for users . 4
Bibliography . 5
© ISO/IEC 2020 – All rights reserved iii

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that
are members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through
technical committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of
technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other
international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also
take part in the work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for
the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents) or the IEC
list of patent declarations received (see http:// patents .iec .ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 36, Information technology for learning, education and training.
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 23842 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO/IEC 2020 – All rights reserved

Introduction
As industries related to virtual reality (VR) have grown, attempts have been made to bring these
technologies into the learning, education and training (LET) domain. VR technology is expected to
[1]
be introduced into the world of primary and secondary education in the next two to three years.
However, there are gaps in criteria between educational experts and content makers when it comes
to developing VR content. For example, educational experts say that it is necessary for the learner to
distinguish between the virtual world and reality. On the other hand, content makers try to enhance
immersion by not distinguishing between the virtual world and reality. Requirements of devices, such
as hardware specifications, currently cover only minimum levels for content making.
Many of the issues raised in this document are not limited to the LET domain and can be applied in any
environment that uses VR contents.
Annex A provides an example of guidelines for users.
© ISO/IEC 2020 – All rights reserved v

TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/IEC TR 23842-2:2020(E)
Information technology for learning, education, and
training — Human factor guidelines for virtual reality
content —
Part 2:
Considerations when making VR content
1 Scope
This document presents considerations for making VR content for the learning education and training
(LET) domain.
This document addresses VR content that uses a head-mounted
...