TORI: The Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry
A systematic approach to reflective learning, grounded in research and adaptable to the individual
We're excited to announce the release of TORI: Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry
At Digication, we believe reflection is more than a moment of pause — it's a powerful tool for learning, growth, and transformation. That's why we're building something new: the Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry (TORI).
TORI is designed to help people make sense of their experiences through reflection. In many educational settings today, students are encouraged to reflect, but often without structure or support. TORI addresses this gap by offering a systematic approach to reflective learning — one that's grounded in research from over 90 fields of study and adaptable to the individual.
What is TORI?
TORI stands for Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry. It's a growing taxonomy that organizes the many skills, types, and purposes of reflection into a cohesive system. At its heart, TORI helps learners:
- Understand different styles and methods of reflection
- Build personalized reflection toolkits
- Develop metacognitive skills that support lifelong learning
We've identified 6 Domains and over 60 unique categories of reflection (so far). These categories represent a wide range of reflective skills — from processing difficult emotions, to learning from mistakes, to reinterpreting experiences in light of new insights.
Why It Matters
Deep learning depends on reflection and metacognition. Although established reflection methods can reveal valuable student insights, educators frequently lack the time or specialized knowledge needed to thoroughly explore these reflections. By being able to identify the types of reflections our students have done, we can help students grow even more. TORI helps educators, learners, and professionals take reflection seriously — not just as a nice-to-have, but as a core competency.
With TORI, we can:
- Differentiate between the many different categories of reflection
- Guide learners in developing these skills over time
- Support individuals in navigating personal, academic, and professional experiences with clarity and confidence
A Flexible Taxonomy
Reflection isn't one-size-fits-all. One of TORI's key strengths is its adaptability. Just as every learner is different, so too should be their approach to reflection. TORI encourages users to explore, combine, and adapt categories to suit their context, whether they're managing everyday routines or processing life-changing events.
By building awareness of different reflective techniques and offering language to describe them, TORI helps people become more intentional and empowered in their learning.
Ready to start using TORI?
We have options for you to start using TORI in your classroom:
Free OAIR Accounts
Create a free account to access AI-driven tools, create collections, and connect with other educators. Use the OER tools and resources and then add to Digication or other popular AI platforms.
Join OAIREnabling AI features in the Digication Learning Platform
If you already use Digication, you will find TORI is infused into all the AI powered features we're rolling out for assignments, reflection and assessment.
Contact SupportWhat's Next?
As we continue to expand and refine The Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry with the community, we're making reflection more accessible, intentional, and impactful—bringing the full power of metacognition into the hands of every learner, right where they are.
— Jeff Yan, Co-founder and CEO
We're still building — refining categories, exploring patterns, and developing tools that will bring TORI to life in classrooms. This is just the beginning and we invite you to join us on this journey.
Stay tuned as we continue to share insights, resources, and opportunities to engage with TORI. We're excited to help shape a future where reflection is not just encouraged, but truly understood and embraced.