Testing SRS vs. Contextual Reading for Retention

During the first half of the month, I tracked my retention using only flashcards. My unrecognized word count remained stagnant. I switched to reading technical blogs for twenty minutes daily, then re-tested. My recall accuracy increased from 62% to 88% within ten days. Rote memorization felt passive, while contextual application provided necessary mental friction. Have you seen measurable gains from similar shifts?