Aim The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of surgical patients about traditional and novel methods to learn about postoperative pain management. Background Patient education is an important part of postoperative care. Contemporary technology offers new ways for patients to learn about self‐care, although face‐to‐face discussions and brochures are the most common methods of delivering education in nursing practice. Design A qualitative design with a vignette and semi‐structured interviews used for data collection. Methods A purposeful sample of 13 postsurgical patients, who had been discharged from hospital, was recruited during 2013–2014. The patients were given a vignette about anticipated hospital discharge after surgery with four different options for communication (face‐to‐face, brochure, website, serious game) to learn about postoperative pain management. They were asked to rank their preferred method of learning and thereafter to reflect on their choices. Data were analysed using an inductive content analysis approach. Findings Patients preferred face‐to‐face education with a nurse, followed by brochures and websites, while games were least preferred. Two categories, each with two sub‐categories, emerged from the data. These conceptualized the factors affecting patients’ perceptions: (1) ‘Trusting the source’, sub‐categorized into ‘Being familiar with the method’ and ‘Having own prejudgments’; and (2) ‘Being motivated to learn’ sub‐categorized into ‘Managing an impaired cognition’ and ‘Aspiring for increased knowledge’. Conclusion To implement successfully novel educational methods into postoperative care, healthcare professionals need to be aware of the factors influencing patients’ perceptions about how to learn, such as trust and motivation.