Roaming educators: are they working?

[Spiderhawk]

Hey everyone. I don’t know if this issue is only from how I handle my educators and their work zones or if this is a reported problem.

This topic is not about
How I still am greatly annoyed by educators cutting animal talks close often times missing them, their complaints about the staff room and the fact that they don’t run to their talk point if it’s getting close like how keepers can run if you call them about hungry animals.
The topic is about
Roaming talks. I’ve noted some of my educators preparing a talk about an education board topic (not close to the board with said topic) and I’ve never seen anyone stop or gather around the educator. I’ve also noted on educator thoughts that they have attempted talks and nobody “likes them” as if all of their talks have been failures.
Could the roaming talks be bugged? Are they supposed to talk about topics near boards or critters in exhibits?
Also I noted after a successful elephant talk, my educator attempted a roaming elephant talk immediately after, either the guests got their elephant fix and the roaming talk was too soon.

On my own note, I often lower my educators pay if they miss a talk as a punishment (I wish they would realize why I cut their pay and promote the ones I personally watch make it to their talks. Could it be that a more successful roaming talk be from better training?

 

[coralieleane]

I have seen my educators giving roaming talks and guests listening - I usually keep my staff well trained up though. I’ve seen them give talks on the subjects covered by conservation boards (fairly near to them) and on animals. I haven’t really watched them in much detail though. I did once see one give a scheduled talk on lions, then take about three steps away to give a roaming talk on lions - about five or six groups of guests who’d listened to the scheduled talk listened to the roaming one too and seemed to like it!

 

[dinosaurchestra]

I've got one educator in my current sandbox zoo, fully trained. I've watched her going around and giving roaming talks, guests gather to listen, and I've found guests with positive thoughts regarding her after watching the talks. But she doesn't show as having given any talks last year (does anyone know if roaming talks count for this metric or only 'regularly scheduled' ones?) and she has recent negative thoughts, that no one watched her talks and she has nothing to do (I don't yet have an animal talk at any proper animal habitats or any seating). The guests seem to like the talks though. It would seem to me that maybe its only tracking the talks at the animal talk structure/s and not fully counting the roaming talks.

 

[dinosaurchestra]

Screenshots, if they might be helpful. Showing staff with bugged animal talk counter, and guest with 'staff member was amazing!' which I am assuming means she liked the educator's roaming talk.