Children's Use of and Experiences With a Web-Based Perioperative Preparation Program: Directed Content Analysis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Care Technology
• Educational Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Web-based technology offers a viable method for delivering pediatric preparation programs.
• Understanding children's interaction and learning within these digital environments is crucial for optimizing their effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how children utilize and experience a web-based perioperative preparation program.
• To evaluate these experiences through the lens of established educational frameworks for children's learning.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative interpretative approach was employed in the third phase of a three-phase study.
• Follow-up interviews were conducted with six children (aged 5-13) one month post-hospitalization.
• Children navigated the website independently during semi-structured interviews, with data analyzed alongside field notes.

Main Results:

• Children's website engagement aligned with educational themes like "in charge of my learning" and "discover and play."
• Key findings revealed children's needs for identification, recognition, and feedback.
• The web-based program facilitated peer-to-peer learning and provided a platform for children to receive feedback on their experiences.

Conclusions:

• Developing pediatric web-based tools necessitates incorporating theoretical educational frameworks.
• Future designs should prioritize opportunities for web-based communication among peers and feedback mechanisms from adults.