Aim: To evaluate, from the students' point of view, educational software developed as a tool to help teachers and students in neonatal nursing. Method: The study evaluates the contents and simulations addressed in the software. A total of 57 undergraduate nursing students affiliated with five Brazilian public colleges participated. Results: The general assessment of the software was highly satisfactory: 82.4% of the sample characterized the software as quite effective as a teaching tool. Most components were assessed as good or very good. The participants' suggestions and comments are being considered in the improvement and adaptation of the new software version. Conclusion: The results show that the product is adequate for use in neonatal nursing courses and nursing training on the physical examination techniques and semiology of preterm newborns, falling within the pedagogical framework of active methods.
IntroductionIn education, the computer can be considered much more than a modern device and has activities that extend beyond creating documents or task organization. It is also an important tool to support the teaching and learning processes because it facilitates the accomplishment of different activities, enhances the understanding of complex concepts through advanced visual resources, mediates knowledge construction and serves as an assessment mechanism (1) .The use of educational technology is enhanced by its many advantages, including enhancing understanding of the themes being studied (2) , respecting individual rhythms, permitting repetition for the number of times necessary to understand the material (3) and offering immediate or rapid feedback (4) . Although these advantages are acknowledged, educational software must nevertheless be assessed to guarantee quality.Although many advantages are attached to educational software, information technology use in education should be a complementary tool that helps, but never replaces, teachers.In the attempt to guarantee more efficient learning, education has gone through constant reform, improving technology in a progressively more motivating and interactive pedagogical relation (6) .Thus, in view of the countless possibilities for computer use in education, especially to remedy the existing gap left by the lack of educational materials on the clinical assessment of preterm newborns, we previously developed software stored and distributed on a CD-ROM. Its contents offer a holistic approach to clinical assessment and the techniques and strategies directed toward this goal in nursing practice in addition to using an innovative format in the teaching and learning process.The software contents were organized into four components: presentation, which also includes the .After the development phase, the software was submitted to content and face validation, involving Existing experiences in technology development and its use in health and especially in nursing education suggest the need to assess not only the constructed technological products but also their cont...