This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study carried out at a rural school in the Retiro district of Coração de Maria, Bahia State, Brazil. The study explored the potential of the mobile game EcoRoça as a didactic resource to foster intercultural dialogue and expand knowledge in the teaching of Ecology within Biology classes. This initiative was grounded in the understanding that science education, particularly in rural settings, should acknowledge and integrate traditional knowledge with scientific explanations taught in schools, thereby promoting meaningful, critical, and contextualized learning.

The research involved third-year high school students (aged 15 to 17), who were farmers or children of farmers. The study utilized a five-stage teaching sequence (TS): diagnostic questionnaire, expository-dialogic lessons, EcoRoça familiarization and gameplay, a follow-up questionnaire, and response analysis. The game simulates the management of a small farm and was developed by incorporating local sociocultural aspects, addressing practices such as soil preparation, cultivation, harvesting, pest control, and environmental impacts.

Data analysis was guided by the Content Analysis technique, structured around two categories:
(1) responses demonstrating knowledge expansion and
(2) responses not demonstrating knowledge expansion.

In the first category, it was observed that some students successfully articulated scientific and traditional knowledge, recognizing, for instance, ecological alternatives to pesticide use and the environmental impacts of agricultural practices. The second category revealed difficulties in written expression, a lack of conceptual depth, and the persistence of vague or repetitive answers. This suggests limitations of both the assessment instrument and the traditional schooling model, which often disregards students’ cultural repertoires.

Despite these limitations, the findings indicate that EcoRoça contributed to making teaching more meaningful and relevant to the students’ reality, thus promoting the valuing of local knowledge and active participation. The game proved to be a promising pedagogical resource for strengthening intercultural dialogue in science education, particularly with traditional communities.

We conclude that the use of digital games like EcoRoça can broaden the possibilities of a curricular approach, provided they are integrated with pedagogical practices sensitive to cultural diversity and committed to inclusive education. It is recommended that future research extends the intervention period, involves diverse assessment instruments, and explores multiple forms of student expression, thereby enhancing the recognition and integration of their knowledge with the educational process.

Keywords: Rural Education, Biology Teaching, Interculturality, Digital Games, Traditional Knowledge.