10. A computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform, either alone or in conjunction with one or more users, a method of creating a constructed response assessment item, wherein the computer performs steps comprising: presenting a stimulus response stem requiring a respondent to demonstrate knowledge of a relationship between two or more concepts; providing at least one device uniquely associated with each of the two or more concepts, at least one device having at least one attribute that can be selectively manipulated by the respondent to change a relationship of that device with respect to at least one other device to construct an arrangement of devices representing a relationship between the concepts with which the devices in the arrangement are associated; converting final values of the attributes of each of the devices in the arrangement constructed by the respondent into a conceptual pattern by comparing the final values of the attributes of the devices of the arrangement so that the conceptual pattern represents at least one relationship between the devices in the arrangement as determined by a comparison of the final values of the attributes of the devices and not by the final values of the attributes of the devices; and applying a pre-defined scoring rubric for the constructed response including a conceptual pattern representing a pre-defined relationship between devices and corresponding to a relationship between the two or more concepts to compare a conceptual pattern of the arrangement constructed by the respondent with the conceptual pattern of the scoring rubric; wherein the scoring rubric is a set of relationships between the two or more concepts and is independent of the devices associated with each concept.
10. A computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform, either alone or in conjunction with one or more users, a method of creating a constructed response assessment item, wherein the computer performs steps comprising: presenting a stimulus response stem requiring a respondent to demonstrate knowledge of a relationship between two or more concepts; providing at least one device uniquely associated with each of the two or more concepts, at least one device having at least one attribute that can be selectively manipulated by the respondent to change a relationship of that device with respect to at least one other device to construct an arrangement of devices representing a relationship between the concepts with which the devices in the arrangement are associated; converting final values of the attributes of each of the devices in the arrangement constructed by the respondent into a conceptual pattern by comparing the final values of the attributes of the devices of the arrangement so that the conceptual pattern represents at least one relationship between the devices in the arrangement as determined by a comparison of the final values of the attributes of the devices and not by the final values of the attributes of the devices; and applying a pre-defined scoring rubric for the constructed response including a conceptual pattern representing a pre-defined relationship between devices and corresponding to a relationship between the two or more concepts to compare a conceptual pattern of the arrangement constructed by the respondent with the conceptual pattern of the scoring rubric; wherein the scoring rubric is a set of relationships between the two or more concepts and is independent of the devices associated with each concept. 11. The media of claim 10 , wherein said rubric includes a conceptual pattern corresponding to a correct relationship between the two or more concepts.