Blended learning has been widely implemented in higher education worldwide, and student engagement has

become a key concern within this context. The Think-Pair-Share method has been extensively adopted for its

potential to foster participation and interaction. However, student engagement is a multidimensional construct,

encompassing cognitive, behavioural, and emotional dimensions, and research examining how TPS influences

these distinct aspects remains limited. Most existing studies rely on quantitative data to validate the effects of

Think-Pair-Share on student engagement and are predominantly situated in Western educational contexts. Thus,

this study adopted a qualitative case study approach to investigate how Think-Pair-Share shapes cognitive,

behavioural, and emotional engagement in a blended English class at a Chinese university. Data were collected

transforming isolated individuals into collaborative peers. Nevertheless, Chinese undergraduates considered TPS

more engaging than traditional lectures, yet they perceived it as time-consuming. Although students

acknowledged the value of TPS in stimulating critical thinking and expanding perspectives, they expressed

scepticism regarding its direct contribution to examinations. These findings highlight a persistent tension

between collaborative learning and exam-oriented assessment in Chinese higher education. The study, therefore,

calls for a systemic reform of evaluation frameworks in Chinese higher education to better align assessment

Keywords: Think-Pair-Share, undergraduates, cognitive engagement, behavioural engagement, emotional

Student engagement remains one of the most pressing issues in blended learning contexts (Graham & Halverson,

2023; Mujallid, 2024; Sareen & Mandal, 2024). Research shows that the inherent complexity of navigating

between online and face-to-face learning environments in blended learning can easily lead to disengagement

(Heilporn et al., 2022, 2023; Rasheed et al., 2020). Such a challenge is salient in Chinese higher education

(Chang et al., 2023; Yu et al., 2023). A well-documented explanation for this lies in the transition from a deeply

entrenched, teacher-centred learning culture to one that demands greater student autonomy and self-regulation

One of the ways to engage learners in blended learning is to employ collaborative efforts. Grounded in social

constructivist, collaborative learning emphasizes knowledge construction through social interaction. Such

strategies have been identified as effective means to enhance interaction and motivation in blended learning

participation and interaction. However, most of the research has been conducted within Western educational

contexts and shows the results in a quantitative way to validate the effect of TPS. Consequently, limited attention

has been paid to how TPS shapes different dimensions of engagement, including cognitive, emotional, and

behavioural. Student engagement is a multidimensional construct (Fredricks et al., 2004), and cultural and

institutional factors may influence how learners participate and experience engagement in collaborative activities

such as TPS (Kahu, 2013). Empirical research on exploring the effects of Think-Pair-Share (TPS) on student

engagement in language learning of blended learning classrooms in China is still limited. Therefore,

investigating how TPS plays its role in student engagement in terms of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural

within the Chinese-specific cultural context not only fills a gap in the current literature but also provides

contextually grounded insights that may inform blended learning practices in similar educational traditions.

Blended learning has shown its potential to enhance students’ engagement and learning outcomes (Zhu et al.,

2025). However, evidence consistently shows that its effectiveness depends on the quality of instructional design,

particularly the integration between online and face-to-face components, teaching presence, task structure and

so on (Fionasari, 2024; Xiang, 2025). A growing number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses demonstrate

that when students are supported by sustained facilitation and feedback from their teachers and peers, students

Student engagement is widely recognized as a critical indicator in predicting academic success and has been

termed the “holy grail of learning.” (Sinatra et al., 2015). Student engagement is understood as the investment

of time and energy students devote to purposeful learning activities, coupled with their perception of institutional

support. A three-dimensional meta-construct of engagement, including cognitive, behavioural, and emotional,

Collaborative learning, emerging in the United States in the early 1970s and gaining substantial momentum in

the mid-1980s, is a pedagogical theory and instructional strategy. It organizes learning through small groups or

teams, emphasizing dialogue, discussion, and debate to promote knowledge construction. It has become a

prominent educational model widely applied across disciplines. However, research has highlighted persistent

challenges in implementing collaborative learning in the Chinese context. Due to the enduring influence of exam-

oriented education that prioritizes individual achievement and the Confucian tradition that values teacher

authority, many Chinese students are less accustomed to peer-centred approaches and may perceive collaborative

Nowadays, Chinese students’ responses to collaborative learning are shaped by the dynamic interplay of multiple

cultural forces, such as traditional and modern values, Chinese and Western educational philosophies, and

generational differences. This cultural complexity is further intensified by the contradictions within China’s

pairs, which provides a low-risk space for articulation and peer scaffolding. In the “Share”, students work in a

group to share their views, or they present their group work to the whole class. Extensive research highlights the

benefits of TPS. The strategy requires students to analyse and synthesize information, thereby enhancing their

critical thinking abilities (Muzekki et al., 2025). Engaging in discussions helps students tackle complex concepts

collaboratively, leading to deeper understanding. The collaborative nature of TPS fosters a sense of community,

Existing research on collaborative learning has often focused on academic performance, critical thinking, and

communication skills. In terms of engagement, research relied on a survey to validate the effectiveness of TPS

generally, with relatively limited in-depth qualitative inquiry into students’ engagement experiences. In the

Chinese higher education context, blended learning is still at an early stage of development, and much of the

engagement are driven by the satisfaction of three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and

relatedness. According to SDT, when these needs are fulfilled, individuals are more likely to exhibit intrinsic

motivation, leading to higher levels of engagement in activities. Autonomy refers to the sense of being able to

direct one’s own actions and make choices that align with personal values and interests, rather than acting under

external pressure. Competence involves feeling capable and effective in one’s pursuit; it is about meeting

challenges, developing skills, and gaining a sense of mastery through progress and achievement. Relatedness

captures the need to connect with others, to build and maintain meaningful relationships, to give and receive

In the context of this study, SDT serves as a theoretical framework to examine how the Think-Pair-Share (TPS)

strategy influences student engagement in blended learning environments. TPS aligns closely with SDT by

understanding. This process enhances competence by providing opportunities for mastery through iterative

problem-solving and skill application, as students experience efficacy in contributing to and learning from shared

dialogues. Simultaneously, these interactions cultivate relatedness by fostering a supportive community where

students feel connected to peers, reducing isolation in blended learning settings, and promoting a sense of

belonging through mutual respect and knowledge exchange. The “Share” phase extends this to the whole class,

However, in blended learning contexts, these needs may be undermined by cultural and systemic factors, such

as an exam-oriented educational culture that prioritizes individual achievement over collaboration, hierarchical

teacher-student dynamics that limit student agency, and limited prior exposure to interactive pedagogies. By

This study adopted a qualitative case study design, which is appropriate for gaining an in-depth understanding

This research used data-driven thematic analysis. An inductive approach allowed themes to emerge directly from

the textual data. Data collection and analysis continued until no substantially new codes or themes emerged

based on the principle the data saturation. Two researchers independently reviewed the data to identify emerging

In particular, the “Think” phase provided valuable individual processing time, compelling even those who were

typically passive to independent learning. One student reflected: “I used to give a perfunctory style to the online

learning, waiting for the teacher to deliver the lecture in class. But now, I have to think by myself so I can discuss

This quote illustrates how TPS counteracted a common pattern in blended learning, where students often rely on

the teacher’s explanation rather than engaging in independent thinking. The structured responsibility embedded

the discussion more seriously. We try to think through the problem more carefully instead of chatting (Interview-

Students also emphasized that TPS extended collaboration into both online and offline spaces. As one participant

TPS appears to mitigate the “transactional distance” that is often associated with blended learning. Whereas

online learning can leave students feeling disconnected, TPS activities provided structured opportunities for

synchronous interaction and face-to-face bonding. By integrating online resource-sharing with in-class

discussion, students experienced continuity across learning modes, which reinforced their sense of community.

During the “Pair” and “Share” phases, students displayed high levels of enthusiasm and engagement. This was

further confirmed via the classroom observations, where they smiled, maintained eye contact, and interacted in

opportunities for mutual interaction and emotional connection, TPS helped reduce the sense of transactional

distance often experienced in blended learning. The positive classroom atmosphere reflected a strong sense of

belonging and interpersonal warmth. Through such meaningful peer engagement, students felt connected not

only to their classmates but also to the collective learning process, fulfilling their relational needs in the blended

TPS was found to exert a strong cognitive impact by scaffolding deeper thinking. The staged structure of Think-

Pair-Share encouraged students to progressively refine and expand their ideas. As one participant admitted,

“Sometimes, I think in a limited way without even realizing it. During the Pair and Share, it hits me that there

The subsequent “Pair” and “Share” stage provided a crucial interactive space for testing and revising ideas. “I

thought my original idea was great, but as I debated it with my peers, the concept was constantly refined, and

finally my idea had become much better. (Journal-S1)” Students described how peer argumentation not only

challenges their assumptions but also prompts more rigorous reasoning and elaboration on their initial thoughts.

The “Pair” and “Share” phase functioned as a social negotiation, prompting students to articulate, defend, and

These findings resonate with prior research showing that structured peer interaction is a powerful catalyst for

conceptual change and critical thinking (Mercer & Dörnyei, 2020). In line with previous studies that highlight

the role of collaborative dialogue in promoting deep learning, the present findings suggest that the structured,

learning task. Social interaction in collaborative learning functioned as a mediated mechanism through which

The findings revealed that tensions in the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) activities. Firstly, it is the interest and the

The majority of students perceived TPS as more engaging than traditional teacher-centred lectures. They

reported that TPS activities broke the monotony of conventional instruction and sustained their attention. As one

student explained, “TPS activities are much more interesting than when the teacher keeps lecturing. At least I

don’t get sleepy, and time doesn’t feel so slow (Journal-S4).” Students attributed this increased engagement to

peer interaction, which exposed them to different perspectives: “When I discuss with peers, I hear different ideas,

Despite this enthusiasm, students frequently expressed concern that TPS was less time-efficient than teacher-led

delivery. A participant noted that extensive discussions consumed class time without covering much content:

“This way is fun, but too time-consuming. We need to start online learning and then spend a lot of time discussing

something (Chan, 2019). Traditionally, students in Confucian-heritage classrooms often emphasize rote

memorization and expect authoritative solutions from teachers (Wang & Lee, 2025). By contrast, TPS

feel I gain something, but it doesn’t help with exams. Exams test specific knowledge, not discussion skills

This perception reflects a deep-rooted exam-oriented learning culture, where learning outcomes are judged

primarily by their contribution to test performance. Students openly articulated this priority: “Honestly, I care

more about scores. It does make the English class more interesting, but for me it’s useless (Interview-S1).” These

students worry more about the scores. “Grades are very important in university, you know, grades affect

scholarships and postgraduate admission. This method can’t help with exams, now I am tired of it (Interview-

These statements reveal not merely preference, but a pragmatism driven by high-stakes consequences. Students

explicit mention of scholarships and postgraduate admission demonstrates that grading outcomes carry