How Action Based Learning and MUSC have partnered to bring movement, wellness, research, and better learning environments to South Carolina schools

CHARLESTON, SC — More than a decade ago, researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital were asking a question that still drives the work of Action Based Learning today: What happens when we stop treating movement and learning as separate parts of the school day?

In 2011, MUSC researchers studied a daily physical-activity program at an academically low-scoring elementary school in Charleston, South Carolina. Students participated in 40 minutes of activity each day, five days a week, with movement intentionally connected to academic instruction.

The school used grant funding to transform classrooms into dedicated movement-learning environments, including an Action Based Learning (ABL) Lab for younger students. Inside the lab, students moved through stations while reinforcing academic skills — tracing shapes while riding scooters, hopping through ladders while identifying colors, and using movement to practice foundational learning.

The results were compelling.

The percentage of students reaching or exceeding their individualized reading-test goals increased from 55% before the program to 68.5% after implementation. Importantly, the researchers concluded that increasing physical activity did not come at the expense of academic achievement. (ScienceDaily) That early work helped establish something that has continued to evolve for more than a decade: movement can be intentionally designed into the learning environment.

And it became the foundation for a partnership between MUSC and Action Based Learning that continues today.

MUSC 2024 IMPACT REPORT

For nearly a decade, Action Based Learning (ABL) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have shared a common goal: helping schools create environments where students can move, engage, and learn more effectively.

What began as collaboration around school wellness and professional learning has grown into a multifaceted partnership connecting research, educator training, school-based wellness initiatives, grant opportunities, and the transformation of physical learning environments. Together, ABL and MUSC have worked to help South Carolina schools move beyond simply talking about the importance of physical activity and begin building movement into the places where learning happens every day.

The MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness has supported South Carolina schools and districts through its School-Based Wellness Initiative, a customizable model designed to help schools implement evidence-based wellness strategies that fit their individual needs. The initiative addresses areas including physical activity, social-emotional wellness, wellness culture, staff wellness, and sustainability. MUSC (1)

PHOTO CREDITS: BERKELEY COUNTY SCHOOLS

ABL has been an important part of that physical-activity conversation. Through the partnership, schools have been introduced to Action Based Learning strategies, professional development, movement-based classroom practices, and opportunities to create dedicated spaces that support learning through movement. The goal is to help schools rethink how the environment itself can support students.

One of the most valuable aspects of the ABL–MUSC relationship has been the connection between what we know, what we teach, and what schools actually implement.

PHOTO CREDITS MUSC BOEING CENTER

Research: ABL's methodology is grounded in neuroscience and the relationship between movement and learning. The partnership has helped bring these concepts into conversations with educators and school wellness leaders, translating research-informed principles into practical strategies that can be used in classrooms and dedicated learning spaces.

Training: ABL and MUSC have collaborated to bring professional learning opportunities directly to educators and school communities. Previous webinars have introduced educators to ABL and provided practical strategies such as movement strategies, brain boosts, classroom activities, and ways to get ABL started in a school. And importantly, training doesn't stop at the webinar. MUSC's program coordinators provide ongoing support, training, and technical assistance to participating schools and districts as they select and implement wellness strategies. MUSC (1)

Transformation of School Spaces: The partnership has also helped schools take the next step: transforming physical spaces to make movement part of the learning environment. A great example is Manning Early Childhood Center in Clarendon School District Two.

Case Study

After participating in the MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness School-Based Wellness Initiative, the school identified an opportunity to create a dedicated ABL Lab. The school ultimately secured a BlueCross BlueShield Wellness Inspired School Environment grant to fully equip the space. The completed lab included 12 activity stations, including balance equipment, wobble stools, a walking ladder, yoga mats, cardio equipment, and more. 

The story demonstrates what this partnership can make possible: Wellness initiative → school buy-in → funding → training → transformed environment → movement-based learning.

A major part of creating sustainable change in schools is helping educators identify how to fund it. Through school wellness initiatives and grant opportunities, schools have been able to identify resources that can support physical activity, wellness, training, and improvements to the learning environment. Manning's experience is one example of how grant funding can turn an idea into a physical space that students can actually use.

The MUSC School-Based Wellness Initiative intentionally incorporates sustainability and grant-seeking into its model. Schools can earn recognition and wellness awards based on implementation of wellness strategies, while grant applications and awards can also contribute to their sustainability efforts. 

For ABL, that creates an important bridge: 

“We want to help them make movement possible. That might mean adding active furniture to classrooms, creating movement zones, developing an ABL Lab, training staff, or equipping an entire campus with tools that allow purposeful movement to become part of the school day.” - Founder Jean Moize

Manning Early Childhood Center's experience offers a powerful example. School staff observed students benefiting from ABL strategies and recognized the need for a dedicated space where every student could access intentional movement. Once the lab was created, educators were able to use movement to address real academic and behavioral needs. The case study describes students practicing spelling while walking on balancing logs and reviewing sight words while using cardio equipment and other movement activities. That's the heart of the ABL philosophy: Movement has the ability to give children an advantage in the classroom. 

What’s Next?

The ABL + MUSC partnership continues this fall with a new opportunity for educators and school professionals to learn together.

BRAINS IN MOTION

The Power of Action Based Learning

FREE Professional Training Webinar

📅 Wednesday, November 18, 2026
⏰ 9:45–11:15 AM
💻 Virtual

Join Action Based Learning and MUSC for an engaging professional learning experience focused on the connection between movement and learning — and practical ways educators can bring purposeful movement into their schools.

Featuring

Dr. Jean Moize
Founder, Action Based Learning

Cheryl Williams
Master Trainer, Action Based Learning

The event is being offered through the Connecting Communities and Schools Webinar Series, with support from MUSC, Boeing, Children's, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

SAVE YOUR SPOT → [RSVP HERE]

FREE • VIRTUAL • PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Contact:

MUSC Children's Boeing Center

boeingcenter@musc.edu

ACTION BASED LEARNING 

customerservice@abllab.com

After years of collaboration, the vision remains simple: Create healthier, more active learning environments where students have the opportunity to move, engage, and thrive. Through research, professional development, wellness initiatives, grant opportunities, active furniture, and dedicated ABL Labs, ABL and MUSC continue to work alongside South Carolina schools to turn that vision into reality. And the next chapter starts with a conversation — and a little movement!