Can you help me understand this Japanese sentence please?

Question:

So, I am reviewing 読み物 and have come across a sentence I cannot understand:

去年日本語のクラスで自己紹介の仕方を習ったので、使ってみたかったのだそうだ。

What I gather is this: Because of the way they learned self introduction in Japanese class this year, they use...

Please help if possible.

Answer:

去年日本語のクラスで自己紹介の仕方を習ったので、
（今回）それを応用してみたかったのだそうだ。

- In stead of 使用する, "応用する = apply" ”練習する = practise” sounds better for the sentence)
- Subject is unknown. So let's try with HE.
- のだそうだ --> I've heard that /He said that.../ It seems that

"As he learned the way of self-introduction in Japanese class last year, it seems he wanted to use/apply (this time)."